How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Bathroom?

Reviewed by Edgar Gualoto remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

The average bathroom remodel costs around $12,000, and most homeowners pay somewhere between $6,000 and $17,000, depending on the size of the bathroom, the quality of the materials, and some other factors. You could get a small bathroom makeover done for as little as $2,500, while a full renovation on a large, luxury bathroom could cost up to $55,000.

Quick Takeaways

• The average cost to remodel a bathroom is $12,000, which includes replacing the tub/shower, toilet, and bathroom vanity, redoing the flooring and walls, and updating plumbing and electrical fixtures.

• You can expect to pay between $75 and $275 per square foot for your bathroom remodel, so smaller bathrooms like powder rooms and half baths will cost less.

• A great way to save money is to keep your bathroom layout the same, as moving plumbing or electric fixtures or making layout changes can add thousands to your total.

Cost to Remodel a Bathroom

How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost per Square Foot?

The average cost per square foot to remodel a bathroom is around $120, but prices can range from $75 up to $275 or more, depending on the extent of the job and the quality of the materials you choose.

Your bathroom remodel costs will increase as your bathroom size goes up because you’ll need additional materials and labor to get everything done.

Bathroom Remodel Cost by Type of Remodel

Most bathroom remodels fall into two types: full remodels and partial remodels. Full remodels include removing everything in the room down to the studs, changing the layout and location of fixtures, adding or replacing plumbing and lighting, and replacing all wall and floor surfaces.

Partial remodels, also known as rip-and-replace remodels, may include some of the same work but may also keep the flooring as-is, refinish bathroom cabinetry rather than replace it, leave the shower or tub intact and just refinish or reface it, and other cost-saving techniques. 

A one-day bathroom remodel is like a partial remodel but includes keeping most of what’s present and just refacing the tub or shower, painting, refinishing cabinets, and replacing fixtures.

Full remodels cost $150 to $275 per square foot, depending on how many fixtures are in the room. Partial remodels cost $100 to $150 per square foot, with small half baths costing around $80 per square foot because they have fewer fixtures to replace.

Cost to Renovate a Bathroom by Type of Bathroom

There are a few different types of bathrooms you may have in your home that differ based on utility, size, and what features are included. 

Smaller bathroom types like powder rooms (just a sink and toilet) and half baths (a sink and toilet and, in some cases, a shower stall) will cost closer to $6,000 to remodel, while larger bathrooms like ensuite master baths and high-end luxury bathrooms will easily push past $25,000 to remodel.

Bathroom Remodel Cost Factors

In some cases, it’s easier to get a general breakdown of where your money will go for a bathroom remodel, then make adjustments according to what your new bathroom ideas are. Below is a quick breakdown of the major bathroom remodel cost factors.

Layout and Bathroom Design

Most bathroom remodels include some layout or planning, especially for homeowners looking to relocate fixtures or make the space more accessible. 

The average cost for design services and changes to the layout is around $1,200, but your overall cost can range from $600 to $1,700 or more, depending on the extent of the changes and how involved your designer is in choosing materials and finishes.

Bathroom Demolition Costs

The average cost of the tear-out or demo of an existing bathroom is around $600, and it costs most people between $300 and $1,000. 

This will often include haul-away service and dumping fees, but check with your professional to make sure it does. Otherwise, you’ll need to budget separately.

Utilities

The utility update in the bathroom refers mostly to what is behind the finished items you see. This includes plumbing or electrical updates, relocating the rough-ins for electrical work and plumbing fixtures, and installing new lighting. 

If you are not moving items in the room, these costs can be very low, but the average for a remodel is around $1,800. As with other items of a bathroom remodel, the more things that are moved and the more water features and lights the room has, the higher the costs.

Fixtures

Once you have the plumbing and electrical roughed in for your new bathroom, you’ll need to budget for the fixtures to connect to them. These include the toilet, sink, shower or tub, shower head, tub faucet, drain lines, GFCI outlets, and light fixtures. 

Expect this portion of your project to total around $3,000 during a partial remodel, which will include only some of the following line items.

Walls and Flooring

Replacing the walls and flooring in a bathroom will cost an average of $1,800. Only a small portion of this will typically go toward cement backerboard and paint, as most bathrooms have tile work that eats up much of the cost. 

Wall and floor tile costs between $10 and $20 per square foot to install, so this number will scale with the size of your bathroom and depend on how much of the wall — if any — you plan on covering with tile.

Vanity and Countertop

A new vanity and countertop will cost an average of $1,200 for the materials and installation labor, although prices can range from just $300 for a small vanity in a powder room to $3,000 or more for high-end or custom cabinetry with a marble countertop.

Accessories

Finally, accessories like towel bars, toilet paper holders, and decor to bring your bathroom together will cost an average of $600. This can include drawer pulls and cabinet handles if your vanity didn’t include them.

Labor Cost to Remodel a Bathroom

Expect to pay around $6,000 in labor costs for your bath remodel, on average. Labor prices can fall anywhere between $1,250 and $27,000, depending on what you’re looking to have done and how time-intensive the work is. 

Things like custom cabinets and tile work will drive up labor costs, while buying prefabricated vanities and going with a basic tile design on your bathroom floor, backsplash, and tub surround will help keep costs to a minimum.

You can also use the table below to estimate what each portion of the job will cost. This is especially handy if you’re considering a DIY bathroom remodel but want to outsource parts you can’t tackle yourself.Tile installer

"It’s important to be diligent in understanding if a potential contractor has the experience needed to not only do your project, but do so exceptionally. As an example, if you are looking to remodel an 80+ year old bathroom, not just any home remodeler is equipped (or knowledgeable enough) to take on the job. Such a need requires you to find a contractor that specializes in vintage home remodels."

Edgar Gualoto

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Vice President

Bathroom Remodel Add-Ons

While you’re budgeting for your bathroom remodel, you may want to consider some add-on options to get even more value from your renovation.

Many additions, like jet tubs, saunas, bidets, heated towel rails, and radiant flooring, are considered luxury additions. Others, such as bathroom fans and accessories, are important to the bathroom’s function. In fact, a fan may be necessary for your new bathroom to be up to building code. 

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Now that you have a baseline idea of how much your bathroom remodel will cost, you can consider some upgrades and options that go beyond the typical scope of work.

Tub-to-Shower Conversion

If you have an alcove tub and want to remove the tub and turn it into a shower, you can remove the tub for $200 to $1,000, depending on the material and size, and then convert the space to a shower for between $1,000 and $9,000 on top of the tub removal costs. This results in a total cost range of $1,200 to $10,000 to convert a tub into a shower.

Shower Regrouting

If your tile shower is in good condition, you can save money by regrouting it instead of replacing it. Regrouting your shower removes the old, discolored, or cracked grout and replaces it with fresh grout. 

This is not considered a remodel because you are not replacing the shower. However, it could fall under refinishing or renovations because it improves the condition of what is already there. It costs $400 to $850 to regrout an average shower.

Mold Remediation

It is very common in bathroom renovations to find mold during demolition. This must be fixed before installing the new fixtures and materials. Mold remediation starts at $500 to $1,500 for the average bathroom but can go up from there based on the extent of the damage.

Water Damage Repair

If your bathroom is old, you may find water damage beneath the shower or floor as well. This must be repaired before the new fixtures and materials can be installed. Water damage repair costs $500 to $4,500 for the average bathroom, depending on how much damage was done.

Additional Considerations and Costs

Finally, there are a handful of additional things you should consider and costs you might need to include for an accurate estimate.

• Permits: Most bathroom remodels will require permits, which add between $150 and $400 to your total.

• Caulking: The angles where any two planes meet in a wet area, such as the shower, tub, and countertop, must be filled with a flexible material to absorb movement and provide a seal to keep it watertight. This is usually done with either latex or silicone caulk. A tube of caulk costs around $20 if you need to touch it up yourself, but your contractor will do a first pass during your renovation.

• Size: Follow bathroom size guidelines at NKBA to ensure you leave enough room at each fixture to pass building codes.

• Alternative bathroom: Make arrangements to use another bathroom during the renovation if necessary.

• Hidden damage: Be prepared to find hidden damage from leaks or mold during tear-out. A contingency fund of around 20% can make room in your budget for these issues.

• Water efficiency: Look for water-efficient appliances like low-flow faucets to save money and water each year. Most companies include low-flow water options to help conserve and keep utility costs low.

• ADA guidelines: Consider adding universal design to your layout to accommodate ADA guidelines for aging in place or future resale.

FAQ: Bathroom Remodel Cost