Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
CGI Bathroom Remodeling: The Houston Owner’s Guide
A full CGI bathroom remodel in Houston runs $9,000 to $28,000 installed, depending on the size of the room, the condition of what’s behind the walls, and which fixtures you select. We stock and install CGI shower systems, tub surrounds, and wall panels, and we can match your existing model or upgrade you to a newer series. Most owners figure out something’s wrong the same way you did: a crack in a panel, a soft spot behind a wall, a discolored seam, or water where it shouldn’t be.
Here’s the part nobody tells you about CGI products in Houston: they hold up well against ordinary wear, but the humidity and hard water in our area find the seams eventually. What starts as a hairline split in a corner joint turns into a slow leak that rots the substrate behind it. By the time you see the damage, the repair is rarely just cosmetic. We’ve pulled panels off in Meyerland, Kingwood, and Spring Branch and found the studs behind them soaked through. That’s not a knock on CGI. It’s what Houston water does to any wall system once the seal fails, and it’s the reason we don’t just slap a new panel over old problems.
Before we go further: Bradford Remodeling Co Houston is an independent contractor. We’re not affiliated with CGI, but we’ve installed and repaired their products long enough to know which series matches which, what fails first, and what a repair should honestly cost. Curtis Lane has been running bathroom crews in this market for over a decade, and the rule hasn’t changed: straight scope, straight number, that’s the whole conversation.
Which CGI Models This Applies To
CGI’s bathroom product lines span several series, and the compatibility issue matters more than most homeowners expect. The trim kit from a CGI Freedom series won’t always swap onto an Elegance series pan, and the older DuraBath wall kits used different panel thicknesses than the current generation. The fastest way to identify what you have is to pull the access panel or trim plate and look for the model sticker, usually a white label with a long alphanumeric code. If the sticker’s gone, measure the wall panel thickness at an exposed edge: most current CGI wall systems run 3/16 inch or 1/4 inch, while older DuraBath units came in at 1/8 inch. That quarter-inch difference changes which adhesive, which backer board, and which trim piece you need.
On the replacement decision: OEM CGI parts are the safe match, and for shower pans and valve trim we recommend staying OEM because the tolerances are tight and the finish color codes need to match. For wall surround panels and accessories, quality aftermarket equivalents can work, but only if the install crew knows the substrate requirements. We stock common CGI pans, valve trim kits, and corner seam joints on our trucks, which means we can often start the repair on the first visit instead of ordering and waiting a week.
One more Houston-specific note: if your house was built before 1985 and the bathroom has never been opened up, the rough-in behind the CGI walls may not meet current code. We’ll check for galvanized supply lines and lead-oakum drain connections before we build anything new. You don’t want a new surround hiding plumbing that’s already past its service life.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your CGI Bathroom Remodeling Is Failing
- Caulk that keeps pulling away from the seam. CGI panels are designed with tight lap joints, and when the seal starts to fail, caulk is often the first symptom. The panel behind it is flexing, usually because the substrate has already absorbed moisture.
- A soft spot or give when you press on the wall panel. The panel itself is still sound; what you’re feeling is the backer board behind it losing structural integrity. In Houston’s heat and humidity, this progresses quickly once it starts.
- Discoloration at the bottom corners of the shower pan. This usually means water is collecting behind the drain assembly or wicking up the wall from a failed pan seal. It won’t dry on its own.
- A musty smell that returns within a day of cleaning. The smell is mold or mildew in the cavity behind the panel, not on the surface. Surface cleaners can’t reach it because the problem is behind the system.
- Gaps opening between the panel edge and the fixture trim plate. The panel has warped, which means the original install either didn’t allow for Houston’s humidity expansion cycles or the substrate was never flat to begin with.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
In Houston, a CGI shower or tub surround replacement runs $3,000 to $8,500 installed. A full bathroom remodel using CGI wall systems, including new pan, valve, vanity, and flooring, lands between $9,000 and $28,000. The spread comes down to three things: the size of the bathroom, the condition of the substrate once we open the walls, and whether you’re moving any plumbing. Moving a drain line is a bigger line item than most owners expect.
What you get with a Bradford Remodeling Co Houston quote is the part price, the labor, and the substrate work listed separately. No numbers that move at the door. If we open the wall and find the studs need sistering, that was either in the written scope or we stop and bring you a written change order before we do another thing. Every completed CGI bathroom remodel carries our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing: if the work fails inside a year, we come back and correct it at no charge. That guarantee covers our installation labor and the materials we supplied.
| Scope | Installed Price Range |
|---|---|
| CGI shower surround replacement | $3,000 – $8,500 |
| CGI tub-to-shower conversion | $3,500 – $10,000 |
| Small bathroom remodel (CGI walls, new pan, new vanity) | $5,000 – $12,000 |
| Full bathroom remodel with CGI system | $9,000 – $28,000 |
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterDIY or Call Us?
Here’s the honest split. You can safely do the inspection work: check for soft spots, look for gaps at the trim plate, pull the escutcheon and check for moisture staining on the valve housing. That’s useful information and takes ten minutes. What you should not do is cut out a wall panel yourself. The panel is bonded to the substrate, and cutting it free without damaging the surrounding structure takes a hot knife, a controlled pry technique, and a clear view of where the plumbing sits. We’ve seen homeowners hit a supply line with a reciprocating saw because the rough-in wasn’t where they assumed it was.
If the panel has failed, the substrate almost always needs work, and that’s not a weekend fix. It’s a demolition decision made by someone who can see what’s behind the panel and knows what’s structural. Call (940) 289-7658 and we’ll send out a background-checked technician in uniform, give you a written number for the repair, and you decide. We answer the phone with a live person, 24/7.
FAQs
A correctly installed CGI system lasts 20 to 30 years, but the sealant at the seams typically needs attention every 5 to 7 years in Houston’s humidity. The panels themselves hold up; what fails first is the seam seal and the substrate behind it when that seal gets ignored. Call (940) 289-7658 and we’ll inspect the seams before they become a leak.
A single panel can often be replaced if the surrounding panels and substrate are still sound, which keeps the repair cost at the lower end of the range. If the corners have pulled apart or the pan seal has failed, the correct repair is usually a full surround replacement. We’ll tell you which one applies after we open the wall and show you the evidence.
A full CGI bathroom remodel runs 2 to 4 weeks from demo to final trim, and we put the schedule in writing with the price. Small shower surround replacements are typically done in 2 to 3 days. Houston humidity dictates cure times on the waterproofing steps, and we won’t rush those for a faster date.
We carry common CGI shower pans, valve trim kits, seam joints, and corner seals, so we can start the repair the same day in most cases. Odd-size pans or discontinued finish colors get ordered directly and take 5 to 10 business days. Call (940) 289-7658 with your model number and we’ll tell you before we come out if the part’s on the shelf.
Get a Written Price, Not a Guess
If your CGI bathroom is showing any of the signs above, call (940) 289-7658 and we’ll set a time to inspect it. You get a background-checked, uniformed technician, a written scope with a firm number, and no pressure to decide on the spot. We also work with KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone when your remodel goes beyond the shower walls. Curtis Lane and the Bradford Remodeling Co Houston crew have been doing this work in Houston long enough to know what fails, why it fails, and what it costs to make it right. Call us and we’ll put it in writing.
Written by Curtis Lane, Owner, Bradford Remodeling Co Houston at Bradford Remodeling Co Houston, serving Houston and nearby areas.
