How much does a bathroom remodel cost?
A mid-range bathroom lands near $300–$550 per square foot. Here is where that money goes, and how to cut the budget without cutting quality.
Add to favorites
The numbers at a glance
- Typical mid-range cost
- $300 – $550 per sq ft
- 60 sq ft bathroom
- $18,000 – $33,000
- Cosmetic refresh
- $150 – $300 per sq ft
- Upscale with walk-in shower
- $550 – $1,000 per sq ft
- Contingency to plan for
- 15 – 20%
What a bathroom remodel actually costs
Price a bathroom by the square foot and you get a range, not a number, because the scope moves faster than the size. A 40 square foot powder room and a 90 square foot hall bath can cost the same per square foot while the total differs by a factor of two.
The three levels contractors quote most often are a refresh, a mid-range remodel and an upscale renovation. A refresh replaces fixtures, paint and maybe tile on the floor. A mid-range remodel replaces the vanity, tub or shower surround, tile and toilet. An upscale job moves walls, adds a curbless walk-in shower and uses large-format or natural stone tile.
Use the bathroom calculator to turn your own floor area and scope into a range, then read the rest of this page to see which line items move the estimate the most.
Cost by scope — what changes and what it costs
| Scope | Typical cost per sq ft | What the contractor actually does |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh | $150 – $300 | Paint, new fixtures in place, new floor tile, new toilet |
| Mid-range remodel | $300 – $550 | New vanity, tub or shower surround, full tile, lighting |
| Upscale renovation | $550 – $1,000 | Walls moved, curbless shower, natural stone, custom glass |
Per-square-foot rates rise as the room shrinks, because a vanity, toilet and shower are fixed costs that do not scale with the floor.
Where the money goes
Labor is the largest single line in almost every bathroom job, because a bathroom is small but every trade has to work in the same tight space. Materials are cheaper than most homeowners expect — the labour to install them is not.
Share of a typical mid-range bathroom budget
| Component | Share of total | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Labour (all trades) | 20 – 25% | Demolition, rough-in, tile setting, trim carpentry, paint |
| Tile and flooring | 15 – 20% | Porcelain or ceramic field tile, waterproofing, setting materials |
| Fixtures and fittings | 15 – 20% | Tub or shower, faucets, shower valve, toilet, sconces |
| Vanity and countertop | 10 – 15% | Cabinet, top, sink, mirror |
| Plumbing and electrical | 10 – 15% | Rough-in changes, GFCI outlets, exhaust fan |
| Permits, demo and disposal | 5 – 10% | Permit fees, dumpster, hauling tile and a cast-iron tub |
Percentages shift with scope: move a drain and the plumbing line can double, pushing everything else down as a share.
- Demolition and haul-away: removing tile and a tub is slow work and rarely optional.
- Plumbing: moving a drain or supply line is the single most expensive change you can make.
- Tile: the material is a modest cost, but setting large-format tile, waterproofing a shower and cutting around fixtures is skilled labour.
- Cabinetry and countertops: a vanity is a fixed cost that does not shrink with the room.
- Fixtures and finishes: faucets, shower valves and glass add up quickly at retail prices.
- Permits and inspection: required whenever plumbing or electrical is moved.
A worked example: 60 sq ft, plumbing left in place
This is the most common mid-range job we see: a 60 square foot hall bath with the toilet, sink and shower staying exactly where they are. Keeping the layout is what holds the price near the middle of the range instead of the top.
60 sq ft hall bath, mid-range scope, layout unchanged
Eight line items, priced at national averages for a single-crew renovation.
- Demolition and disposalTile, vanity and tub removed; dumpster on site
- $900
- Plumbing (fixtures swapped in place)New pressure-balance shower valve
- $1,850
- ElectricalGFCI outlet, exhaust fan vented outside, two sconces
- $1,150
- Tile and waterproofing60 sq ft floor plus tub surround, porcelain
- $3,400
- Vanity, top and mirror36 in. stock cabinet, quartz top, framed mirror
- $2,150
- Fixtures and trimFaucet, shower trim, comfort-height toilet, towel bars
- $1,050
- Drywall repair and paintPatch behind the old mirror, moisture-resistant paint
- $650
- Permits and inspectionPlumbing and electrical permit
- $450
$11,600 — about $193 per sq ft
Add a 15% contingency ($1,740) and the honest budget is $13,340, or about $222 per sq ft. That is still below the mid-range ceiling, which is exactly why keeping the layout matters.
How to cut the budget without cutting quality
The cheapest remodel is the one that keeps fixtures where they already are. Every dollar spent moving a toilet, sink or shower drain is a dollar that buys no visible improvement.
Beyond that, choose your upgrades where you touch them every day. A good shower valve, a solid vanity and quality lighting are felt daily; a designer tile behind the toilet is barely seen.
- Keep the plumbing layout. Replacing fixtures in place is dramatically cheaper than relocating them.
- Refinish or reface rather than replace when cabinets are structurally sound.
- Use large-format tile to reduce grout lines and install time.
- Buy fixtures yourself if you have the time — but confirm the plumber will install owner-supplied parts before you order.
- Add a 15–20% contingency. Water damage behind old tile is discovered, not predicted.
What pushes a bathroom over budget
Three things ruin bathroom budgets: moving plumbing, discovering hidden water damage, and upgrading to a curbless walk-in shower. The last one requires re-framing the floor, a linear drain and full waterproofing — it is a different job, not a bigger tile choice.
Ventilation is the quiet upgrade worth paying for. A properly sized exhaust fan that vents outside prevents the moisture that causes the damage you would otherwise be paying to fix in ten years.
How long a bathroom remodel takes
Durations overlap once trades are sequenced correctly. The waiting is usually inspection slots and tile or glass lead times, not work.
Design, selections and permits
1 – 2 weeks
Tile, vanity and fixtures chosen before demolition so nothing stalls mid-job.
Demolition and rough-in
3 – 5 days
Strip the room, move any plumbing or wiring, rough inspections.
Waterproofing and inspection
2 – 3 days
Cement board or foam board, membrane, flood test where required.
Tile and flooring
4 – 6 days
Walls first, then floor; grout and cure before fixtures go back.
Vanity, fixtures and paint
3 – 4 days
Set the vanity, hang the toilet and shower trim, touch up paint.
Punch list and glass
3 – 7 days
Shower glass is the usual long-lead item — order it early.
Total for a mid-range remodel: three to five weeks. Upscale jobs with a moved layout run six to eight weeks.
The six most expensive bathroom mistakes
Every one of these shows up on real job sites, and every one of them is avoidable with a tape measure and a checklist.
Moving the drain "while we are in there"
Relocating a shower or toilet drain adds framing, a new vent and an inspection. It is the single fastest way to add several thousand dollars for no visible gain.
Skipping the waterproofing behind tile
Tile and grout are not waterproof. Without a membrane over the substrate, water reaches the framing and the repair costs more than the original job.
Undersizing the exhaust fan
A fan rated below the cubic feet per minute the room needs leaves moisture behind. Size it to the room and always vent it outside — never into the attic.
Choosing tile before the fixtures
Vanity, faucet and trim finishes drive the palette. Tile picked first almost always means a mismatch that is only obvious at the end.
Buying a vanity without checking the rough-in
Drain location and door swing decide which cabinet fits. A vanity that blocks the door is a return, a restocking fee and a delay.
No contingency for hidden damage
Rot behind an old tub surround is found, not predicted. A 15–20% contingency turns a crisis into a line item.
Pre-construction checklist
Print this and walk the room with your contractor before anyone swings a hammer.
- Measure the room and record every fixture centre line.
- Photograph the plumbing and wiring before the walls close.
- Confirm the vanity rough-in, the drain location and the door swing.
- Order long-lead items first: tile, shower glass, vanity, special-order fixtures.
- Confirm the exhaust fan is sized for the room and vents outside.
- Agree in writing what the contingency covers and who signs off on extras.
- Get the waterproofing inspected before any tile is set.
- Ask for the final payment terms and lien waivers up front.
Put a number on your project
Bathroom Remodel Cost Calculator
Budget a bathroom remodel by scope.
Tile Calculator
Calculate tile, boxes, thinset and grout.
Drywall Calculator
Count drywall sheets and finishing supplies.
Planning estimate only — confirm quantities with your supplier or contractor before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom?
A typical mid-range bathroom remodel runs about $300 to $550 per square foot, which puts a 60 square foot bathroom near $18,000 to $33,000. A cosmetic refresh that keeps the layout costs far less, at $150 to $300 per square foot.
Is it cheaper to remodel or to move?
Compare the remodel cost against the price difference of moving. A mid-range bathroom remodel often costs less than the transaction costs of selling and buying, but if your bathroom is functional and only dated, a refresh is usually the better value.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
A refresh takes three to seven days. A mid-range remodel runs two to four weeks, and an upscale renovation with a walk-in shower often takes four to eight weeks once tile, glass and inspections are scheduled.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel?
Any change to plumbing, electrical or ventilation needs a permit and inspected work, and most jurisdictions require one whenever a wall is moved. A like-for-like swap of a vanity, toilet or tub in the same position often does not, but confirm before demolition starts.
How much does a small bathroom remodel cost?
A 40 square foot bathroom lands near $12,000 to $22,000 at mid-range scope, or $6,000 to $12,000 for a refresh. Price per square foot climbs as the room shrinks, because a vanity, toilet and shower are fixed costs that do not scale with the floor.
What is the cheapest way to update a bathroom?
Keep the layout and refinish rather than replace. Painting or refacing the vanity, new faucets and lighting, fresh grout and a new mirror all sit at the $150 to $300 per square foot refresh level instead of the $300 to $550 mid-range level.
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are national averages and assume a licensed contractor, permits and a single-crew schedule. Local labour rates and material prices move the result.
Keep reading
All guidesHow much does it cost to paint a room?
Paint is inexpensive; preparation and labour are not. Learn how to size a room, order the right gallons, and price a professional job.
How much does it cost to replace an entry door?
A steel door lands near $1,200 installed, fibreglass near $2,300. The door is the easy number — the opening is where budgets move.
Comparing contractor quotes? Request free quotes and check them against your own estimate — all 27 calculators on the site are free.