How much?
That's always the first thing. Always. And it's a fair question, but it’s like walking onto a car lot and asking how much for a vehicle? Okay... you want the little hatchback or the four-door truck with the heated steering wheel?
The answer is always it depends. The final price tag is nothing more than the sum of the choices you make.
But I know, it depends doesn't help you fill out the paperwork for a home equity loan, does it? Fine. Let's get into it. I'll break down the different kinds of jobs, tell you where the money *really* goes, and point out the stupidly common mistakes that will wreck your budget. This isn't some garbage number a blogger in California pulled out of thin air. This is what it actually costs to get work done.
Understanding the Three Tiers of Bathroom Remodel Costs
From a simple facelift to a complete overhaul, the scope of your project is the biggest factor in its final cost.
When someone calls, I’m mentally sorting their project into one of three boxes. Are we just painting and swapping a faucet? Tearing it down to the bare wood? Or are we building a palace you can shower in?
The money difference is… well, it’s a lot.
To make it simpler, here's a quick cheat sheet I use to explain the different job levels to people.
| Job Level | What It'll Cost You | What You're Really Getting | The Number One Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cosmetic Refresh | $3,000 - $7,000 | Paint, new vanity, faucet, toilet. A facelift. | Pipes and wires do not move. Period. |
| Full Gut and Replace | $10,000 - $25,000 | New everything: tub, tile, vanity, fan. Down to the studs. | The layout stays exactly the same. |
| The Luxury Overhaul | $30,000 and up | Custom work, moving plumbing, high-end materials, heated floors. | Your imagination (and wallet) is the only limit. |
My Take: For ninety percent of the people reading this, you're going to be in that Full Gut and Replace category. It's the most common job, and it delivers the best value for your money.
The Cosmetic Refresh: $3,000 to $7,000
This is the lipstick on a pig job. But sometimes that’s all you need. The absolute, number one rule here is we do not move plumbing. And we do not move wires. The second you do that, you're in a completely different ballpark. Instantly.
For this kind of money, you're getting paint, a new vanity you picked up from a big box store, a new toilet. Maybe a new light fixture and faucet if you're feeling fancy.
We can sometimes slap that new vinyl plank flooring right over what you’ve got, as long as the floor isn't rotted out. I remember a house, the one with the floor that sloped a full inch, couldn't do it there. But most of the time? It works. And reglazing a good, old cast-iron tub can save you a fortune. It’s a good way to get a new-looking room without the dust and chaos of a full demolition.
The Full Gut and Replace: $10,000 to $25,000
Alright, this is the one. The project most people are actually talking about when they say remodel. We bring in the dumpster. Everything goes. Down to the studs, down to the subfloor. Everything.
For your standard, small five-by-eight-foot bathroom, this is where you're going to land. Don't let anyone on TV tell you otherwise. We're talking ten grand on the absolute low end, up to twenty-five if you've got expensive taste in tile.
At this level, everything means *everything*. New tub. New toilet. A decent vanity with a real countertop, not that flimsy plastic junk. New tile on the floor and all the way up the shower walls. And we're using stuff from brands you've actually heard of—stuff that has some weight to it. We'll also rip out that noisy old fan and put in a quiet one that actually gets the steam out. The toilet stays where it is. The shower stays where it is. But the room is brand new. Solid. This is the kind of job I did for Marie over on Rolling Green Rd. Just a clean, solid bathroom that'll last.
The Luxury Overhaul: $30,000+
Okay. Now we're in funny money territory. Starts at thirty grand. And believe me, it can go up from there. Fast.
Two things make a job like this expensive: custom everything, and moving pipes. The minute you say I want the toilet over *there* now, you've just thrown a pile of money on the fire. This is where you get the big, curbless walk-in showers. The frameless glass doors that cost more than my first car.
The price of the materials goes nuts. Real stone like marble. Custom-built cabinets. A faucet that looks like some kind of sculpture. Then come all the toys. Heated floors. Steam generators. Toilets that have a remote control. The labor cost just explodes because moving a main drain is a miserable, time-consuming job that takes a high level of skill. And my time isn't free. Neither is Bob the plumber's.
Where Your Budget Goes: Labor vs. Materials
A large portion of your budget goes to the crucial, skilled work that happens behind the walls.
People get fixated on the shiny things. The tile they saw in a magazine. The cool-looking faucet. Then the invoice hits their inbox and they act all surprised. Your money goes to two places: the stuff you see, and the stuff you don't. And the stuff you don't see often costs more.
If you're a visual person, this might help you see where the money actually goes. It's not always what you think.
Data visualization showing Typical Bathroom Remodel Budget Split.
Pro-Tip: Don't get sticker shock from that labor number. Good, reliable tradespeople are worth every penny. Paying for skill upfront saves you from paying to fix a disaster later.
Labor. That's your number one expense. Almost every single time. It's easily half the project budget. Sometimes more, up to 65 percent. Look, you're not just paying me. You're paying the plumber. You're paying the electrician to make sure the place doesn't burn down. You're paying the tile setter who actually knows how to make things level and waterproof. Good people cost money. Bad people cost a whole lot more in the long run.
And then there’s the stuff inside the wall. The guts of the job. The right kind of backer board, the right mortar, and the waterproofing. God, the waterproofing. I had a client try to get me to skip the membrane in the shower. To save a few hundred bucks. I told him to find another contractor. I'm not putting my name on a guaranteed disaster. You want to save money? Fine. Buy a cheaper faucet. Don't you dare skimp on the stuff that keeps water out of your walls. That's the fastest way to rot your house from the inside out. A terrible, terrible idea.
How to Avoid Common Bathroom Remodel Budget Killers
Changing your layout? Moving major plumbing lines like the toilet drain can dramatically increase labor costs.
You want to know the quickest way to double your labor bill? Say this sentence to me: I was thinking we could move the toilet over here.
Done. Budget destroyed.
Moving that big drain pipe is a nightmare. It means cutting into the floor joists, re-venting, all of it. It's not like moving a lamp. The same goes for the shower drain. Just learn to love your current layout. Seriously. It will save you thousands of dollars.
Then there’s the obvious stuff. A bigger bathroom costs more. More floor, more wall, more work. Duh. And your taste. Picking real natural stone instead of a good porcelain tile is a huge price jump. Some of the porcelain they make these days looks exactly like marble. And it’s harder to stain, too. But hey, it's your money.
And the last thing. The big one. We are going to find something nasty when we open up the walls. I have been doing this since '98, and I have never, ever opened up an old bathroom and found everything perfect. Never. There's always some rot from a slow leak. Bad plumbing from the last guy. Scary electrical. Always.
This is why you *must* have a contingency fund. At least 15 percent. Don't even start the job without it. It's not a slush fund for upgrades; it's the fix the rot fund. You will use it.
Planning Your Bathroom Remodel for Success
A successful remodel starts with careful planning and a realistic budget.
So, yeah. It’s a big investment in your house. The final number on the invoice comes down to three things: what you're asking for, the fancy stuff you pick out, and the crew you hire.
Be realistic about what you can afford. Get a few quotes from contractors who actually answer their phone and show up on time.
And if you hear nothing else I say, hear this: do not save money on the things that go inside the walls. Just don't.