Member Profile: Oasis Bath Solutions tackle tricky remodels, conversions to make bathtime better

Rub a dub dub — the Chamber’s got a new member, and they can renovate your tub! Oasis Bath Solutions, a local family-owned purveyor of bath-and-shower goods and services, recently gave us an inside look behind their business. Read for yourself below!

The Q&A: With Caleb Shewey, Owner of Oasis Bath Solutions

Q: In terms of the services you provide folks, what’s the breakdown between upgrades and conversions? Other types of work?

A: Most of what we do are conversions, about two-thirds, [and] the rest are complete gut and remodels, down to studs, moving fixtures, etc.

Q: Are there any unique bathroom-building challenges in Bellevue, specifically? How about Seattle?

A: I think the only real challenge is in older homes with old galvanized piping. These can introduce massive construction challenges, and also over time, they degrade your water pressure and quality.

Q: You’re a family-owned company. What’s the most rewarding aspect of this? The most challenging?

A: The most rewarding aspect is that we set our own high standards and expectations of ourselves, [so] we can do things right and treat our customers better because we aren't answerable to greedy corporate entities or franchisers. That is also the most challenging: That we are on our own. There is no "corporate" to go to if something goes wrong.

Q: Contractors don’t always have the best reputation. How do you combat the stereotypes of the industry when making your own business decisions?

A: Most people who have a bad reputation, have it for a reason. We have an excellent reputation because we actually do excellent work and take care of people; combating the bad contractor stereotype is seldom an issue for us.

Q: Reflecting on your decades in the industry, what’s the most unique project you’ve worked on? What about the most difficult project?

A: Usually, "unique" and "difficult" are closely related in our line of work. The most unique projects are often the most difficult. We have a really good partnership with Silver Glen, a senior living facility in Bellevue, [as] we have done many accessible upgrades for seniors there (walk in showers, tub to shower conversions and accessibility bathroom remodels).

With all that said, the constraints of the building took quite a bit to get used to (limited parking, HOA protocols, building schedules, etc.) but it's been very rewarding to overcome those and be able to help the residents with the remodels they need.

Q: What’s “in” in the shower & bath world at the moment? Are there any new trends or techniques you’re seeing a lot of?

A: I think we are in a bit of a transition phase at the moment. Even just 5 years ago what was "in" were the acrylic panels offered by thousands of bath franchises. People are learning that while these acrylic bath franchises have excellent marketing, a thin plastic sheet may not be the end all be all of a new shower, especially in an area like Bellevue.

At the same time, homeowners remain concerned about the grout, leak, and maintenance challenges of tile. This has opened the door to "better acrylic alternative" type products. Things like our products Sentrel, Tyvarian, and other engineered stone systems (even quartz shower walls) are quickly becoming more popular as they offer all the benefits of an acrylic shower, but still have the high end look and feel of stone.

Q: Let’s pretend you get to build your dream bathroom, with no budget: What are the non-negotiables? What are the fun splurges you would invest in?

A: I would do a big custom Tyvarian shower with a waterfall shower head and a frameless door. Other than that, for me the flooring, vanity, and other aspects just need to tie in color wise. The other important thing would be lots and lots of good natural lighting, it makes all the difference!