How much does a bathroom renovation cost?

Typical bathroom budgets

Cosmetic update (vanity, paint, fixtures)

$4,000 – $9,000

Full hall bath, same layout

$12,000 – $25,000

Primary bath remodel

$25,000 – $50,000

Layout change or curbless wet room

$45,000 – $85,000+

What affects the answer

• Whether fixtures move. Relocating a toilet drain means opening the floor and reworking the waste line.
• Tile area and tile size. Large-format and mosaic tile both slow installation for different reasons.
• Shower construction — prefabricated pan versus a fully waterproofed, sloped mortar bed.
• Hidden water damage behind the tub or under the toilet flange, which is common in bathrooms over twenty years old.
• Ventilation and electrical upgrades required by current code.

What homeowners often overlook

• The subfloor. Long-term leaks around tubs and toilets are found in a large share of older bathroom demos.
• Waterproofing beneath tile, which is invisible when finished but is the difference between a ten-year and a thirty-year bathroom.
• Having only one working bathroom in the house for three to five weeks.
• Door and trim replacement, which rarely survives a full gut cleanly.
• Special-order tile or a stone vanity top with a six-week lead time.

Questions to ask before hiring

• What waterproofing system do you use in the shower, and is it warrantied?
• What happens to the price if you find rot or a leak during demolition?
• Will the bathroom be usable at any point during the work?
• Are fixtures, tile and the vanity in the bid or handled as allowances?
• Is a permit required for the plumbing and electrical work here?

A practical next step

Decide whether fixtures are moving, then set an allowance for hidden damage before you sign anything. Bathrooms surprise people more often than any other room.