Aspen West End Bathroom Remodel

In the summer of 2024, Aspen Home Improvement was contracted by a popular local business to update one of their employee housing units. Located in the West End of Aspen, the bathroom hadn’t been renovated for at least 50 years. Based on some of the fixtures removed from the unit, the late 1960’s is a best guess, for the date of the previous work completed. With the lack of affordable housing in Aspen, many employers own and maintain housing for their hardworking employees. It helps keep their employees happy, close to their place of work, and lowers turn over.

The West End of Aspen, Colorado, is a charming blend of historic elegance and modern luxury, characterized by its picturesque tree-lined streets and stunning mountain views. This features a mix of beautifully restored Victorian homes and upscale condominiums, creating a unique atmosphere that reflects the town’s rich history. Formally a home to Aspen’s affluent families, it is now mostly filled with real estate investments and new construction. For Sale and For Rent signs blot the streets everywhere you look. Yet, it highly sought after by many people for it’s proximity to the ski slopes and it’s high yield R.O.I.

The City of Aspen Building Permits

The City of Aspen requires permits for most remodels in the city limits. This small bathroom remodel was no different. A requirement for the building permit is an asbestos test. Aspen Home Improvement hired Health Safe Inspections of Basalt to conduct the test and used subcontractors to safely remove the traces found. Once abatement was completed, the permitting process goes forward. With the vast number of mega mansions being built in Aspen, the building department can be overwhelmed with permit applications and reviews. Smaller projects can fall between the cracks, and it’s important to stay on top communications with the City to ensure your permit doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

With our permit in hand, it was time to get started. The scope of work required demoing the bathroom to the studs. Other wishlist items included;

Install a new, deeper soaking bathtub, that was durable and easy to clean.
Add more lighting and replace incandescent lights with modern LED’s.
Reclaim a hallow space behind the shower for added storage place.
New toilet, vanity, medicine cabinets, fixtures, etc…
Completely new tile on walls and floor.
Fresh paint
Add solid core door to reduce noise.

Out with the old, in with the new

The first step (after permitting and prep) is start removing what already exists. Deciding what should go and what should stay can be easier said than done. For example, in this project there was bathroom ventilation fan that had been installed through the exterior wall, directly to the outside. Replacing it would have been difficult and added substantial costs to the budget. A compromise was found to replace the fan only and leave the penetration as-is. Anyone who is attempting a remodel, especially in an older building, needs to be prepared to make these kinds of choices when everything doesn’t work out perfectly.

After the fixtures, drywall, and floor & wall tile were removed it was time to take a pause. This is best time to evaluate what needs to be repaired inside the walls or sub-floor, add blocking to walls for drywall and/or new fixtures, and correct any issues with level or plumb. This step can slow down the overall process, but a few extra hours and bucks invested here can save a tremendous amount of time and money later. Knowing the dimensions of your vanity, baseboards, towel bars, etc.. will help when it comes time to start fastening them to the wall.

Also, in Aspen, the City Building department is strict about sound requirements in apartments and condos. Minimal sound transmission is enforced through carefully planned and inspected wall assemblies. Furthermore, in this bathroom remodel, a double layer of 1/2″ sheet rock was required as it was the upper most unit in the building. While the framing timbers were exposed, it was the opportune time to add more blocking and help our drywallers with plenty of space to sink long screws.

New tile and fixtures added

Thanks for reading our short blog on the Aspen Westend bathroom remodel.