Between a mix of both personal and guest use, your bathroom is going to be one of the busiest rooms in your home. With the action it’s expected to see over the years, it’s incredibly important that you keep the space looking and feeling great, remodeling it whenever necessary.
For most homeowners, the prospect of completely remodeling their bathroom can appear daunting. With so many variables in play, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with what to change, where to start, and how to budget accordingly.
Depending on the size of your bathroom, you should expect your remodeling costs to start in the $3,000-5,000 range, that budget covering the requirements of an essential upgrade to a small or medium-sized space. The average complete remodel costs just south of $11,000, with most homeowners spending somewhere between $6,500-$16,000 to update and refresh a variety of different items. If you’re trying to renovate a large bathroom space with high-end fixtures, you can run the tab as high as $25,000. For most remodeling projects labour will account for 50% of the overall cost, with the average contractor charging $65 per hour.
For the remainder of this article, we’re going to explore bathroom renovations – including powder, guest, and master – in great detail, ensuring that you have the information you need to create the bathroom of your dreams.
What Matters Most When Remodeling Your Bathroom?
Before diving into a bathroom remodeling project, you should first consider a few key items.
First, what is the purpose of your remodel? Whether you’re looking to modernize the space, make it more functional, or completely change its layout, it’s important that you’ve considered your remodel desires and prioritized them for decision making.
Second, what is your timeline? Depending on the size of the remodeling project, you can expect construction to take anywhere from a few weeks upwards of a few months. Consider if it’s better to dive into the entire remodeling at once or if it would make more sense to slowly tackle items over time.
Third, what’s your budget? Determining how much you’re willing to spend on your bathroom remodeling prior to jumping into the project is an incredibly important step of the process. To ensure that you maximize the dollars you’re spending and achieve a beautiful space without going beyond your means, it’s critical that you set an upper cost limit and stick to it.
Average Cost by Bath Size
When it comes to understanding a complete bathroom remodel cost, one of the most important factors will be the size and type of the space. In most cases, homeowners will focus their efforts on keeping the master bathroom and powder rooms in wonderful order, as they will have the largest impact on both the living experience and resale value. Here is a breakdown of what you should expect to spend depending on the bathroom you’re working on:
- Powder Room Remodel
Average cost: $5,000-10,000
Some items you may include in your powder room remodeling include new faucets, toilets, and vanities, new flooring and lighting fixtures, and new wall paint or wallpaper. - Guest Bathroom Remodel
Average cost: $14,000-20,000
Some items you may include in your guest bathroom remodeling include upgraded bath and shower fixtures, new faucets, flooring, and light fixtures, a new vanity, and new wall paint or wallpaper. - Master Bathroom Remodel
Average cost: $25,000+
Some items you may include in your master bathroom remodeling include upgraded bath and shower fixtures, new cabinets (and potentially a double vanity), new faucets, flooring, and light fixtures, and new wall paint or wallpaper.
Bathroom Remodel Cost Breakdown
Remodeling projects have many moving parts, and as such, it’s important that you understand the bathroom remodel cost breakdown of each to ensure that you’re making the most of each dollar invested. Below are some of the more common costs associated with a remodeling project alongside expected ranges:
Bathroom Materials
Materials will, on average, make up 50% of the total remodeling project cost. From fixtures to floors and beyond, the table below outlines some of the most common materials and the costs you should expect to pay for them.
| Line Item | Typical Range | Percent of Total Budget |
| Fixtures (toilets, sinks) | $200 – $1,800 | 10% – 20% |
| Showers | $300 – $3,000 | 5% – 25% |
| Bathroom vanity | $300 – $3,800 | 10% – 30% |
| Countertops | $200 – $1,000 | 5% – 10% |
| Lighting | $100 – $400 | 5% – 7% |
| Bathroom fan | $50 – $300 | 2% – $5% |
| Flooring | $200 – $1,350 | 10% – 15% |
| Entry doors and windows | $200 – $1,800 | 8% – 10% |
| Painting | $150 – $550 | 5% – 6% |
| Faucets and plumbing | $250 – $1,450 | 12% – 16% |
Labour Costs
Without the support of good labour, your remodeled bathroom project is doomed for failure. As such, you should expect roughly 50% of your project budget to go towards the individuals that are responsible for bringing your dream bathroom to life. Most contractors will charge between $50-75 per hour, and you can expect your daily cost to be in the range of $300-400. In addition to your general contractor, you’re likely going to need the support of a plumber ($1,000-2,000 per project), an electrician ($50-100 per hour), a drywaller ($30-50 per hour), and an interior designer ($200-500 per project).
Demolition Costs
The bathroom remodelling costs associated with demolishing your old bathroom and making way for the new will range between $1,000-2,300. Depending on the complexity of the demolition – with some involving wall removals and the like – your demolition costs may come in higher than the estimate above. Although it’s tempting to do demolition on your own, it’s best to get the support of an expert to prevent any major damage.
Permits
Your remodeled bathroom building permits will cost anywhere from $350-1,800 for the project. This price is dependent on the location of your home and will vary as such, but your contractor will typically be responsible for handling all permit requirements and they’ll simply include the cost in the total project price.
At Top Home Builders, we take pride in being an expert home remodeler that San Jose residents can rely on. We are also more than just a construction company – we provide our customers with exceptional home remodeling services to suit their every need. We’re happy to serve many locations across California including Fremont, Hayward, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Atherton, Cupertino, San Carlos, Belmont, Saratoga and the rest of the Bay Area.