Buying a first home comes with a to-do list that never seems to end. For Brady, a lifeguard supervisor for the City of Boulder, that list included a garden overhaul and new landscaping. But one item sat above everything else the moment he got the keys: the bathroom. This is the story of how a stained fiberglass tub and dated wallpaper became a walk-in shower that finally made Brady's first house feel like his own, and what other first-time buyers can learn from his experience when deciding where to start, what to prioritize, and who to trust with their first major remodel.
Homeowner: Brady
Location: Broomfield, Colorado
Project scope: Primary bathroom, tub-to-shower conversion
The challenge: An outdated, stained fiberglass tub and dated wallpaper inherited from the previous owner, on a first-time buyer's budget with a long list of competing priorities
The solution: A KOHLER walk-in shower with gray granite-toned walls, selected during a no-pressure design consultation and backed by a one-year interest-free financing plan
The result: A bathroom that reflects how Brady actually lives, completed in a single day with no mess left behind
The first remodeling priority in a new home should usually be any repair involving safety, water intrusion, electrical problems, structural concerns, or ongoing damage. Once those essentials are addressed, prioritize the outdated spaces that have the greatest impact on how you use and enjoy your home every day.
When you buy a home, it is tempting to tackle every project at once. Brady had a full list waiting after move-in, including a garden redo and new landscaping. But the bathroom came first, and not by a small margin.
"It was definitely in the worst condition out of everything when we moved in, and it was definitely our number one priority."
The bathroom had an aging fiberglass tub with visible staining and wallpaper along the upper walls, neither of which matched how Brady wanted to use the space. He and his partner did not want a bathtub at all. They wanted a shower, full stop.
That kind of prioritization can make sense for first-time buyers, but the bathroom is not automatically the right first project for every home. Structural problems, roofing, plumbing, electrical issues, or other necessary repairs may need to come first.
Once those essentials are addressed, think about which outdated spaces affect your daily life the most. For Brady, the bathroom was an easy choice. He used it every day, disliked the existing tub and finishes, and already knew that he and his partner wanted a shower instead.
The lesson is not that every first-time homeowner should remodel the bathroom first. It is to prioritize the projects that solve a real problem for the way you live, rather than trying to tackle your entire new-home wish list at once.
To find a trustworthy bathroom remodeling company, compare more than price. Look at verified customer reviews, products and warranties, who performs the installation, what is included in the quote, how the company handles unexpected problems, and whether the consultation helps you understand your options without pressuring you to buy.
For a first-time homeowner, hiring a remodeling company for the first time can feel like a leap. There is no past experience to lean on, no contractor already trusted from a previous house. Brady's approach was straightforward: research first.
"I found HomePride looking at the top bathroom remodel companies on Google."
That research led to an in-home design consultation with HomePride sales consultant Stacy. Brady's takeaway from that first meeting set the tone for the rest of the project.
"Stacy came to our house, who's very nice and respectful, and he showed us all the options we had and was willing to work with us on our budget to try to make sure everything fit nicely."
For a first-time buyer balancing a new mortgage against renovation costs, a consultant willing to work within a stated budget, rather than pushing toward the highest-cost option, is often the deciding factor between a project that happens now and one that gets postponed indefinitely.
If you are comparing bathroom remodelers for the first time, don't make the decision on price alone. Ask what is included in the quote, who will perform the installation, what products and warranties are included, how changes or unexpected problems are handled, and what the expected timeline looks like.
Just as importantly, pay attention to how the company handles your questions. A good consultation should leave you with a clearer understanding of your options, costs, and next steps, even if you ultimately decide not to move forward.
A tub-to-shower conversion typically involves removing the existing bathtub, preparing and inspecting the wet area, installing a new shower base and wall system, connecting the shower fixtures, and completing the enclosure and finishing work. The exact scope depends on the existing bathroom and whether plumbing, structural, or other repairs are needed once the old tub is removed.
Brady and his partner chose a walk-in shower finished in a gray granite coloring, replacing the tub entirely. The decision fit both their design preferences and how they actually used the room. A shower that never gets used as a tub is simply square footage the household was maintaining for no reason.
Once the design was finalized, the project moved to scheduling.
"We got on the list to have our shower installed. I think it was eight weeks later, we got another call to set up our appointment."
For Brady, the time between finalizing the project and installation was about eight weeks. Actual lead times can vary based on product selections, material availability, project scope, location, and current installation schedules.
That distinction is important when planning a remodel. The day or days spent installing a new shower are only one part of the overall timeline. Product ordering, production, scheduling, and preparation all happen before the installation team arrives, so ask your remodeler about both the expected installation time and the total timeline from contract to completion.
Bathroom remodeling timelines vary widely by project scope. Some pre-planned tub-to-shower conversions can be completed in as little as one day, while larger bathroom remodels involving plumbing, electrical work, flooring, structural repairs, vanities, or layout changes can take considerably longer. Brady's tub-to-shower conversion was completed in one day after the design, measurements, materials, and scheduling were handled in advance.
One of the most common questions from first-time homeowners is how much of their life a remodel will disrupt. For Brady's project, installer Gannon and the HomePride team completed the full walk-in shower conversion in a single day.
"For the installers to come in, it was all very smooth, and they came and got it all done in a day."
The cleanup impressed Brady as much as the timeline.
"The installers are super clean. There was no noticeable mess at all in the house, and they left it more clean than when they came in."
Brady's tub-to-shower conversion was completed in one day, but not every bathroom remodeling project will follow the same timeline. Project scope, plumbing changes, structural repairs, unexpected conditions behind the existing walls, and additional bathroom upgrades can all affect how long installation takes.
For a project like Brady's, much of the work happens before installation day. The design, product selections, materials, measurements, and scheduling are handled in advance, allowing the installation team to arrive with a defined plan for the space.
Brady already knew the KOHLER name before starting the project, and that familiarity carried weight in the decision to move forward with HomePride.
"We had heard about the brand Kohler before. We thought it had a very good reputation. So when we found out that HomePride uses all Kohler products, we were more inclined to trust that all the products were going to be good."
For a first-time buyer, choosing products from a familiar manufacturer can remove one more unknown from the remodeling process. Brady already trusted the KOHLER name, which gave him additional confidence in the materials being installed in his new home.
The right bathroom remodel financing option depends on your budget, available cash, monthly payment comfort, and the terms of the financing offer. First-time homeowners should compare the promotional period, interest terms, total cost, credit requirements, and what happens if the balance is not paid within the promotional period before deciding whether financing makes sense.
Budget is rarely simple in the first year of homeownership. A new mortgage, moving costs, and a long project list all compete for the same funds. Brady's project used a financing option built for exactly that situation.
"I really liked they provided the one-year interest-free option plan. Because we bought a new house, we had spent a lot of money recently, so we wanted to be able to have a year to come up with the money without worrying about paying any interest."
For Brady, the interest-free financing option gave him time to recover from the expenses of buying a home without postponing a bathroom project that was already a priority.
Financing is not automatically the right choice for every homeowner, however. Before using it, compare the monthly payment with your household budget, understand the length and terms of the promotional period, and ask what happens if the balance is not paid within that period. Financing programs may also be subject to credit approval and other terms.
For first-time buyers in particular, the goal should not be to take on the largest remodel you can finance. It should be to choose a project and payment approach that solves the problem without creating unnecessary financial pressure.
Beyond the practical upgrades, Brady described a shift in how the house feels overall.
"I feel like the old shower was not really our house, and now that we got it replaced, it feels a lot more like us. And I'm glad we had a lot of say in the design process, and it makes it really feel like our own."
That may be the biggest takeaway from Brady's project. The transformation was not simply from a bathtub to a walk-in shower. It was from living with choices made by the previous homeowner to creating a space that reflected how Brady and his partner actually wanted to live.
For first-time buyers, that distinction matters. You do not have to remodel everything immediately to make a new house feel like yours. Sometimes changing one space you use every day is enough to begin closing the gap between the house you purchased and the home you want to create.
Brady's project offers a few practical lessons for anyone remodeling a first home.
Before deciding whether the bathroom should be your first major project, ask yourself:
You do not need to have every detail figured out before talking with a remodeler. But knowing your priorities, budget, and biggest concerns will make that first conversation much more productive.
For Brady, those pieces came together in a project that solved the problem he wanted addressed first without losing sight of his budget or the other priorities that come with owning a first home.
Brady summed up the experience simply:
"From start to finish, HomePride was very professional, and they kept to their word. They did everything they said they were going to do on time and on budget. I would definitely recommend HomePride to anybody who is looking for a new bathroom or new shower remodel."
If you recently bought a home and the bathroom is already near the top of your project list, the first step does not have to be choosing products or committing to a remodel. Start by understanding what is possible in your space, what the project could involve, and what fits comfortably within your budget.
At HomePride Bath, our in-home design consultations are built around those questions. We will look at your existing bathroom, discuss how you want to use the space, walk through available options, and help you understand what a project could look like before you decide whether moving forward makes sense.
If the project is a good fit, we can help you plan the next step. If it isn't the right project or the right time, you should still leave with a clearer understanding of your options.
Ready to explore what is possible in your bathroom? Schedule a free in-home design consultation: bit.ly/HomePrideHP
You do not have to begin remodeling immediately after buying a home. First evaluate essential repairs, your available budget, how long you plan to stay, and which spaces affect your daily life most. Waiting can also give you time to learn how you actually use the home before making larger design decisions.
Start with research into reputable local companies, then schedule an in-home consultation. Pay attention to responsiveness, willingness to work within your stated budget, and how thoroughly your questions get answered.
Design and scheduling typically take several weeks depending on material availability and current project volume, but installation itself can often be completed in a single day once the plan is finalized.
Many remodeling companies, including HomePride, offer financing options that may include promotional or interest-free plans for qualified buyers. Terms, approval requirements, and promotional periods vary, so compare the monthly payment, total cost, and what happens when the promotional period ends before choosing financing for your remodel.
Consider how you use the bathroom, the condition of the existing wet area, shower base and wall materials, storage, fixtures, accessibility, warranties, and who will perform the installation. Also ask whether plumbing or structural conditions discovered after removing the tub could affect the project scope, cost, or timeline.
Not necessarily. Safety concerns, leaks, roofing, electrical problems, structural repairs, and other essential work should usually take priority. Once those needs are addressed, consider which outdated spaces affect your daily life most. For Brady, that was the bathroom because he and his partner used it every day and knew the existing tub did not fit how they wanted to use the space.