Bath R Us makes the new most important room of the house dynamic
By Patricia Nugent
The dynamic bathroom renovation company Bath R Us is celebrating its one-year anniversary next month by branching into its third major market—Toledo—to join others in Cleveland and Columbus.
“Last year on March 10, I was sitting by myself in a Chicago hotel room poring over all the training materials about bathroom renovations from a company whose products I was interested in,” says Founder Chad Howman. “I had just left my last job, it was my 40th birthday, I turned on the news and it was announcing the shutdown due to Covid. Not the best timing, right? Yet, I decided to move forward. I believed in serving the niche of luxury bathroom renovation with ultra-durable products that are affordable and beautiful.”
The timing actually turned out to be just right.
To date, Bath R Us has completed more than 225 bathroom renovations throughout the Cleveland and Columbus areas. Chad and his wife, Stephanie, have expanded to a larger warehouse, hired more seasoned installers, and are proud to now be at the helm of a 45-employee company.
“We’re also thrilled to have won the Angie’s List Super Service Award,” says Chad. “That’s validating because we value cementing relationships with our customers through a superior level of service. It’s common for us to transform one bathroom in a home, then come back and renovate another after that. Repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals are not accidental. That’s why we’ve grown so quickly.”
Selection, Durability, Low Cost
When Chad and Stephanie were researching the bathroom remodeling industry, they sought to fill a niche in the market—homeowners who wanted the luxurious look of marble, quartz, granite and subway tile, but didn’t want to pay a contractor $40,000 to get it.
“We selected the best quality, most durable products for showers, baths, toilets, vanities, sinks and flooring,” says Chad. “To make the experience easy and convenient for the customer, we handle it all. And we come to their home to do our initial consultation, going over samples and ideas.”
The construction portion of the job is as painless as the consultation. Most jobs are completed in just three to four days.
Chad says lots of their customers are getting rid of their tubs in their master baths, in favor of the high-end showers, which are 100% waterproof, man-made and easy to clean, as there are very few seams. They can even install a slab on the shower ceiling and sink lights into it for a strikingly modern effect. The product is so well-made, it comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer, and Chad includes a 10-year warranty on workmanship, both of which are unheard of.
“People are looking for their bathroom to be a lavish spa-like space, like you’d see at a five-star hotel. We can do that,” he insists. “We encourage our clients to think boldly and live freely in the bathroom of their dreams.”
Just in Time for Mother’s Day
Bath R Us Founder Chad Howman loves to see his clients overjoyed about their new bathrooms.
A recent renovation in Ashland was especially personal. His 66-year-old mom, Sandy Howman, couldn’t use her bathroom anymore.
“She’s partially paralyzed on the left side due to a car accident she was in at age 15,” he relates. “Recently she’s had rotator cuff surgery, but then while recovering from that she broke her right kneecap and cannot put weight on that leg. She’s in a wheelchair, but pretty much bedridden for now.”
Chad and his brother, Tracy Howman—who is head installer for Bath R Us—decided it was time to update her bathroom to fit her needs. As a labor of love, the sons worked with Sandy to go over samples and select all the components for her gorgeous new space. They did a tub-to-shower conversion with a four-inch entry threshold with a seat in it and a hand-held shower wand. It’s equipped with grab bars. And for additional safety, they also installed a new high-rise toilet, so she didn’t have as far to go to sit.
“It was a major upgrade in looks and functionality,” he says. “She went from a cheaper model vanity to furniture-grade birch cabinetry in a factory-finish dark stain and from old, worn-out linoleum flooring to luxury vinyl tile in Chiffon Lace. The countertop is in a white marble style and she opted for brushed nickel hardware. After all she’s been through, my mom truly deserves it.”
Headquartered in Medina, Bath R Us services homes throughout Northeast Ohio, and in the Columbus and Toledo areas. They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau and recently received the Super Service Award from Angie’s List. Call 440-457-0101 to schedule a free estimate or visit BathRUs.com to see more dramatic before and after photos of bathroom makeovers.