Why so many Aventura bathrooms are due
Aventura filled up with condo towers through the 1970s and 1980s, long before it became a city in 1995. A lot of units still have their first bathroom, or a quick refresh laid over it: a built-in tub with a shower head above, small wall tile and a valve with no temperature limit. Every new shower valve we put in is pressure-balance or thermostatic and capped at 120 °F, which Florida code requires.
From the original tub to a low-curb shower
Climbing over a tub wall gets harder with the years, so the job we plan most often here is a tub-to-shower conversion inside the full remodel. We pull the tub, rework the drain in the same spot, build a sloped pan and run the membrane at least 2 in up past the threshold before tiling the walls to the ceiling. The step-by-step version is on our tub-to-shower conversion page.
We frame these showers with a low curb rather than a zero entry. Recessing a tower slab for a curbless floor is structural work, and it needs the association, an engineer and a concrete scan before anyone cuts.
Before the backer board goes up, we add solid blocking inside the walls. That lets grab bars go at 33 to 36 in off the floor wherever you need them, next to a hand shower and a built-in or fold-down bench.
Association letter and building rules
The City of Aventura asks for a letter from the association approving the work, filed together with the permit application. We assemble what the board needs to see, book the service elevator and protect the common hallways on the way in and out. The rest of the condo routine, from work hours to underlayment, is covered in our condo bathroom process.
Towers of this age fall under milestone recertification, which belongs to the association and does not stop a unit bathroom from being remodeled.
Newer buildings to the south start from a different place, which we cover under Brickell tower bathrooms.
Frequently asked questions
Does Aventura need the association letter before issuing a bathroom permit?
Yes. The city asks for the association's letter approving the work along with the permit application, so we get the board's approval first and file both together.
Will my building's recertification hold up a bathroom remodel?
Usually not. Milestone recertification is the association's job and covers the structure, not your unit's bathroom, but the board can set extra rules on access or hours while that work goes on.
Why a low curb instead of a curbless shower in an older tower?
A curbless floor needs the slab recessed for slope, and in a tower that is a structural change. A low curb lets us keep the slab intact and still give you an entry you can step over easily.
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