How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Bathroom? [2025 Data]

Remodeling a bathroom can breathe new life into your home, make your space more functional for you and your family, and boost your home value, all while providing an opportunity to let your creativity shine. It’s also an involved process that requires extensive planning, especially if you want to stick to that remodeling budget. In this article, we’ll provide comprehensive cost information and explain where your budget goes to help you plan like a pro.

The average bathroom remodel costs $12,000, and most homeowners pay somewhere between $6,000 and $18,000, depending mostly on the size of the bathroom, the quality of the materials, and what features and fixtures you’re looking to install. You could complete a partial bathroom makeover for as little as $2,400, while a full renovation on a large, luxury bathroom could cost $30,000 or more.

Cost to Remodel a Bathroom

Bathroom Remodel Cost by Type of Remodel

Most bathroom remodels fall into three types: minor, partial, and full remodels.

Minor remodels keep most of the materials in the bathroom and just involve things like painting the walls, regrouting tile, refinishing the vanity, and refacing the tub. Minor remodels will help keep costs low, so you can expect to pay between $2,400 and $10,000 for this type of remodel, depending on the size of your bathroom.

Partial remodels involve more extensive work, including replacing the tub or shower surround, replacing the vanity, painting, and updating plumbing and electrical fixtures. Partial remodels cost between $6,000 and $25,000, depending on the bathroom size and the quality of the materials you choose.

Full remodels include removing everything in the room down to the studs and replacing all materials, including flooring, wall surfaces, tiling, and all fixtures. Since you’re starting with a blank slate, a full bathroom remodel can also include changing the layout and location of fixtures and adding or replacing plumbing and lighting, although these changes will drastically increase your total. Expect to pay between $9,000 and $30,000 for a total bathroom overhaul, with prices going up from there if you plan on changing the layout or bathroom size.

How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost per Square Foot

The average cost of remodeling a bathroom is around $120 per square foot, but prices can range from $70 up to $400 per square foot 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. For reference, a 5x7 bath is typically a half bath, a 5x10 bathroom is typically a full bath, and a 10x10 bathroom is considered a master. Master bathrooms can get much larger, in which case they may be considered luxury bathrooms. These bigger sizes drive costs significantly higher.

Average Bathroom Remodel Cost by Type

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.

The most affordable type of bathroom to remodel will be a half bath or powder room, totaling between $1,200 and $15,000, as you’ll only have a toilet and a sink or vanity to replace, along with flooring and electrical fixtures. A guest bathroom will include those features, plus a tub or shower, in most cases, bringing the total to between $3,500 and $20,000.

Primary bathrooms are even more expensive, averaging between $7,000 and $30,000. They tend to be larger and feature higher-end fixtures, like steam showers, walk-in showers, and double sinks. Wet rooms are the most expensive to remodel, costing up to $35,000, as they include additional waterproofing and more tile work.

Bathroom Remodel Cost Breakdown

While using general bathroom remodeling cost estimates can be helpful for budgeting, you can get a more accurate estimate for your project if you understand where your money will go. You can then assess how your new bathroom ideas will play into pricing and adjust particular areas up or down based on your goals. Below is a quick breakdown of the major bathroom remodel cost factors.

Shower/Tub 

An average of 25% of your total bathroom remodel budget will go toward redoing your shower or tub, or an average of between $1,500 and $4,500. The lower end can account for reglazing a tub, while the upper end would be for replacing a shower surround.

Vanity and Shelving

Another 25% of your budget will account for your vanity (including the sink) and any additional shelving you install. That’s another $1,500 to $4,500, on average, including labor.

Going with a stock vanity made out of plywood or MDF will help keep costs as low as possible, while high-end hardwood vanities will push you toward the upper end of the price range for materials.

Shelving can add a few hundred dollars to your material costs, as well, and you can expect to pay much higher prices for labor if you have custom shelves built.

Fixtures

Fixtures for your new bathroom will cost an average of between $1,200 and $3,600. These items include the toilet, shower head, tub spout, and bathroom sink faucet, as well as electrical fixtures.

Fixture costs can vary widely based on the quality of the materials you use, as you’ll see in the table below. You could spend thousands on fixtures if you choose luxury materials.

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, you may not see any costs for this line item at all. 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.

Budgetary Cushion

You can do extensive planning to nail down your bathroom remodel costs before you begin, but there’s always a chance that something goes wrong. Finding hidden damage under your old bathroom floor, discovering that your new vanity requires a change to the plumbing to fit properly, and unexpected mold growth can all throw a wrench in your plans. It’s a good idea to account for a 5% increase above what you’re expecting to absorb some of the blow of those surprises. That means adding an average of at least $600.

Permits

Most municipalities require building permits for bathroom remodels, especially if you’re making any changes to the plumbing and electrical systems in the space. Permit costs vary widely based on your location and, often, the total project cost, but you should expect an average of 4% or close to $500 to go toward building permits.

Tile Work

Tile work can quickly get expensive in your new bathroom, as this is a labor-intensive part of your bathroom remodel. Expect to pay between $600 and $1,800 for tile work, which notably doesn’t include tiling your shower surround. This is just what you’ll pay for the flooring and, in some cases, tiling up your walls.

Your total will depend partially on the quality of the finishing material you choose. The price could climb significantly higher if you choose high-end finishes, like granite tile or marble tile, which are more expensive than standard options and total up to $40 per square foot for materials.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles, which are some of the most common mid-range finishes for bathrooms and the best options for bathroom floors and walls, can help keep your costs down, but consider the resilience of the material, too. Generally speaking, the more you pay for materials, the longer they’ll last and the more value they’ll provide over time.

Countertops

Installing a new countertop for your vanity will cost an average of between $360 and $1,100, accounting for 6% of your total bathroom remodeling cost. Some premade vanities include the countertop, in which case you wouldn’t need to consider this at all. If you’re buying a vanity without a countertop or you’re having a custom vanity built, be sure to budget based on the countertop material you want.

Material options like laminate can fall below the average, solid surface and quartz will sit in the middle of the range, and high-end marble and natural stone will push you above the $1,100 mark in many cases.

Doors and Windows

Finally, expect an average of 5% of your budget to go toward doors and windows, including installation costs. That’s an average of between $240 and $720. There’s a good chance you may not have to worry about replacing doors and windows at all, in which case you can ignore this line item.

If you do replace these items, bathroom windows tend to be small and inexpensive, and interior doors are affordable, especially if you choose a hollowcore door. Upgrading to high-end window frame materials, like fiberglass, and solid wood doors will drive up your costs.

Labor Cost for Remodeling a Bathroom

Labor will account for an average of 50% of your total, or around $6,000 for a typical bathroom remodel. You’ll see labor costs for each line item in your total, including everything from installing plumbing fixtures to retiling a shower. Your total labor costs can range from 40% to 65% of your total, depending on what you’re doing in your bathroom.

This range also often includes demolishing your old bathroom, but some contractors may charge separately for this. If they do, expect to pay between $600 and $2,300 for this service.

Labor costs for a bathroom remodel will go toward many different pros, including plumbers to move piping and install plumbing fixtures, electricians to move wiring or install new electrical fixtures, carpenters if you’re choosing custom cabinetry, and tile installers for flooring and wall tiling. The table below includes a breakdown of hourly costs to help you gauge where your labor costs may fall as compared to the average.

"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

Vice President

Additional Cost Factors

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

Tub-to-Shower Conversion 

If you have an alcove tub and want to remove the tub and turn it into a walk-in 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.

Layout and Bathroom Design

You generally won't need to hire a designer if your goal is just a fresh, updated look for your bathroom without changing its existing layout. However, if you want a designer to plan a layout change for your bathroom, you should budget between $600 and $1,700 for these services. This is most common in master bathrooms and luxury bathrooms, where there’s a lot of room to play around with, but for full bathrooms and half bathrooms, the layout will more or less stay the same.

Hidden damage

Unfortunately, hidden mold and water damage are commonly found during the bathroom demolition process. You’ll need to fix this before installing 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 costs $500 to $4,500 for the average bathroom, depending on how much damage was done.

Water efficiency 

It’s a good idea to 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. You may need to budget a bit more for the newer technology, but it’s often worth the investment in the long run, thanks to lower utility bills.

ADA guidelines

Consider adding universal design to your layout to accommodate ADA guidelines for aging in place or future resale. This can add thousands to your total, but you may be able to get grants or funding for ADA-specific improvements.

Smart features

More and more homeowners are incorporating smart features into their home remodeling projects to modernize, boost home value, and improve comfort and convenience. Remodeling a bathroom costs more when you add these features, but they could be worthwhile for improving your enjoyment of the space:

• Shower controls with digital temperature settings

• Bluetooth speakers for shower tunes

• Smart mirrors for easy access to weather, time, and news

• Motion sensors or high-tech mmWave sensors to activate lights

• Smart exhaust fans to turn on and off with changes in humidity

• Touchless faucets and toilets

Bathroom Remodel vs. Renovation

A bathroom renovation is also called a minor remodel, and it’s the most affordable way to breathe new life into your bathroom. Instead of replacing materials, it involves refinishing what’s already there. A bathroom renovation cost breakdown can include regrouting tile, refinishing your vanity, reglazing your tub or shower surround, and painting the walls. This simpler project will cost you between $2,400 and $10,000, depending on the size of your bathroom.

A bathroom remodel involves replacing materials instead of refinishing what’s there. This gives you more room to customize, upgrade materials, and even change the layout and functionality of your bathroom. Partial and full remodels are much more expensive, though, averaging between $6,000 and $30,000, with some remodels for larger luxury bathrooms costing as much as $80,000.

DIY Bathroom Remodeling vs. Professional

Many homeowners see that labor accounts for 50% of the total cost of a bathroom remodel and wonder if DIYing the work is a good option to save money. Doing the work yourself will save you an average of $6,000, but it’s an extremely labor-intensive job, and it’s easy to make mistakes, especially when it comes to tile work. Maneuvering bathtubs and vanities can also present challenges for DIYers, so calling in a professional is the best option.

In many cases, you’ll need a professional on-site anyway to perform things like plumbing and electrical work, and some municipalities may not even issue permits for a bathroom remodel to unlicensed individuals. While DIYing will undoubtedly save you money, hiring a pro is best for legality, a professional finished appearance, and the lowest risk of leaks and water damage.

Are Bathroom Remodel Costs Worth It?

Bathroom remodels can be worth it from a practical standpoint alone, as the bathroom is one of the most commonly used rooms in your home, and a remodel will leave you and your family with a fresh, comfortable, and convenient space to use.

Bathroom remodeling can also be worth it from a financial perspective, as it boosts home value. Your ROI will depend on whether you refinish or replace items and the quality of materials, but a bathroom remodel is still one of the highest ROI projects you can complete. Here are five key things to consider to decide if a bathroom remodel is worth the investment.

• A bathroom remodel provides an average ROI of between 50% and 75%, boosting home value by an average of $6,000 to $9,000.

• Including high-efficiency LED lighting fixtures and low-flow water fixtures in your remodel can improve energy efficiency and reduce utility bills over time.

• A smart remodel can add storage to your bathroom, improving convenience for you and adding even more to your home value.

• Of course, a bath remodel will give you a fresh, new space in your home that adds comfort and enjoyment, and it’s hard to put a price tag on that.

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