Licensed residential builder serving both City of Niles and Niles Charter Township
WTS II Contracting is a licensed Michigan residential builder specializing in bathroom remodeling throughout Niles, utilizing Schluter-Kerdi waterproofing systems and navigating permit requirements for both the City of Niles Department of Building Safety and Niles Charter Township Building Department. Our expertise in renovating Niles' historic river valley homes—including addressing high water table humidity issues and replacing outdated galvanized plumbing common in homes near Downtown Niles and Grant Street—ensures code-compliant results that pass inspection the first time.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Permit Jurisdiction | Must verify: City of Niles Department of Building Safety (333 N 2nd St) OR Niles Charter Township Building Department (320 Bell Rd) |
| Plumbing Code | Michigan Plumbing Code (IPC based) |
| Waterproofing Standard | ANSI A118.10 (Schluter-Kerdi or RedGard systems required) |
| Common Age of Homes | 1900s–1960s (Historic/River Valley homes with high water table concerns) |
| Estimated Timeline | 3–5 weeks (full gut renovation with permit inspections) |
| Typical Project Cost | $15,000–$30,000 (licensed trades, code-compliant materials, plumbing replacement) |
Niles sits in the St. Joseph River valley, creating elevated groundwater levels and persistent basement humidity throughout the year. This geographic reality means bathrooms in older homes—particularly those with basements or crawl spaces—are constantly exposed to moisture wicking up through foundation walls and subfloors.
Standard moisture-resistant drywall ("greenboard") is insufficient for Niles river valley conditions. Greenboard resists surface moisture but is not a vapor barrier—it eventually absorbs humidity from below and behind, causing paper facing to delaminate, mold growth, and structural failure.
WTS II Contracting uses densified cement board (Durock, HardieBacker) combined with liquid-applied waterproofing membranes (RedGard, Hydro Ban) to create a complete vapor barrier that prevents moisture intrusion. This system stops humidity migration through walls and floors, preventing the mold and rot common in improperly waterproofed Niles bathrooms.
Many homes in Downtown Niles, along Grant Street, and throughout the historic districts still operate on original galvanized steel supply lines installed between 1900-1960. Galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside out—mineral buildup and rust restrict water flow, causing low pressure at fixtures and eventual pipe failure inside walls.
Homeowners often don't realize their plumbing is failing until they open walls during a remodel and discover severely corroded pipes with interior diameters reduced by 50% or more. Attempting a bathroom remodel without replacing galvanized supply lines is futile—you'll have beautiful new fixtures with terrible water pressure.
WTS II Contracting replaces all galvanized steel plumbing with PEX-A (Uponor) supply systems, restoring full water pressure and eliminating corrosion concerns for decades. PEX-A is flexible, freeze-resistant, and carries a 25-year warranty—superior to both galvanized steel and rigid copper for Michigan installations.
Older Niles homes frequently have cast iron drain stacks that are cracked, separated at joints, or corroded through. These failures allow sewer gas to enter living spaces and create code violations that fail inspection. Additionally, many historic bathrooms were plumbed with S-traps (now illegal under Michigan Plumbing Code) that don't properly vent, causing gurgling drains and sewer odors.
We replace failed cast iron with PVC drain assemblies and update all S-traps to code-compliant P-traps with proper atmospheric venting. This eliminates sewer gas intrusion and ensures your bathroom passes plumbing inspection.
Niles has a confusing dual-jurisdiction situation that trips up DIY remodelers and unlicensed contractors regularly. Your property is governed by either the City of Niles Department of Building Safety or Niles Charter Township Building Department—but not both.
If you pull permits from the wrong office, your entire project gets delayed while you resubmit to the correct jurisdiction. Many homeowners assume they're in "Niles" and default to the City, when they're actually in the Township. The departments have different permit fee structures, different inspectors, and different processing times.
How to verify: Check your property tax bill. If you pay taxes to 333 N 2nd St, you're City of Niles. If you pay to 320 Bell Rd, you're Niles Charter Township. WTS II Contracting verifies jurisdiction before submitting permits, preventing costly delays and resubmissions.
Many Niles homes built before 1950 still have S-trap drain configurations under sinks and toilets. S-traps create a direct connection between the drain line and the sewer without proper atmospheric venting, allowing water to siphon out of the trap during drainage. This leaves the trap empty, permitting sewer gas to flow back into the bathroom.
Michigan Plumbing Code prohibits S-traps. All drains must use P-traps with proper vent pipes that connect to the main vent stack or atmospheric vent. During bathroom remodels, inspectors check drain configurations—if you have S-traps, you'll fail plumbing inspection and be required to demo finished work to correct the venting.
We replace all S-traps with code-compliant P-trap assemblies, install proper vent piping, and ensure atmospheric venting meets code before closing walls. This prevents sewer gas issues and passes inspection the first time.
This code requirement trips up DIY remodelers in Niles' small historic bathrooms constantly. Michigan Plumbing Code requires the toilet flange centerline to be 15 inches from any finished wall surface—not from the framing studs.
DIYers frequently rough-in toilets at 12 inches from the framing (the standard rough-in dimension for the flange itself), forgetting to account for drywall and tile thickness. Once walls are finished, the toilet ends up at 12.5" or 13" from the wall—failing inspection and requiring wall demolition to relocate the flange.
Additionally, toilets require 21 inches of clearance in front of the bowl and 15 inches to either side from centerline. In small historic Niles bathrooms (common 5x7 layouts), achieving these clearances often requires creative fixture placement or slight layout modifications. We verify all clearances during rough-in before walls are closed.
We use contractor-grade materials designed for Michigan's climate and Niles' high-humidity river valley conditions:
Check your property tax bill to determine jurisdiction. If you pay taxes to 333 N 2nd St, Niles, MI, you're governed by the City of Niles Department of Building Safety. If you pay taxes to 320 Bell Rd, Niles, MI, you're in Niles Charter Township and must apply through their Building Department. Applying to the wrong jurisdiction causes delays and requires resubmission. WTS II Contracting verifies jurisdiction before submitting permits, ensuring your project moves forward without bureaucratic delays. Both jurisdictions require permits for plumbing, electrical, and structural bathroom work.
A full gut bathroom renovation in Niles typically costs $15,000–$30,000 depending on scope and plumbing relocation requirements. This includes complete galvanized plumbing replacement with PEX-A systems (common in historic Niles homes), electrical upgrades with dedicated circuits, Schluter-Kerdi or RedGard waterproofing systems, quality tile installation, and contractor-grade fixtures. Homes in the river valley with high humidity often require additional moisture mitigation (vapor barriers, oversized ventilation) that adds $1,500–$3,000. Partial renovations (vanity replacement, fixture updates) start around $5,000–$8,000 but don't address underlying plumbing issues. Historic homes near Downtown Niles or Grant Street often have unexpected costs due to rotted framing, outdated electrical, or lead paint remediation.
If your Niles home was built before 1978, it likely contains lead-based paint. Federal law requires contractors to use EPA RRP (Renovation, Repair, and Painting) lead-safe work practices during demolition and renovation work in pre-1978 homes. This includes containment barriers, HEPA vacuum cleanup, wet-sanding techniques to minimize dust, and proper disposal of lead-contaminated materials. WTS II Contracting is EPA RRP certified and follows all lead-safe work practice requirements during bathroom demolition. We contain work areas with plastic sheeting, use HEPA-filtered ventilation, and clean thoroughly to prevent lead dust exposure to your family. Attempting DIY demolition in a pre-1978 Niles home without lead-safe practices puts your family at risk of lead poisoning and violates federal law.
Get a detailed estimate from a licensed Michigan residential builder who understands Niles' jurisdiction requirements, river valley humidity challenges, and historic home renovation complexities.
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