How the calculator prices a bathroom remodel
A bathroom packs plumbing, wiring, waterproofing and tile into a few square feet, so it costs more per square foot than any other room. The calculator prices the fixtures, the labor to set them, the licensed trades and the paperwork, then adds the contractor's fee and a reserve. Here is the math with its starting values: a full mid-range remodel of a 40 sq ft bathroom in Texas, with 80 sq ft of wall tile around a new tub.
-
1
Price the fixtures and finishes
A new tub ($700), framed glass door ($750), porcelain wall tile (80 sq ft × $9), porcelain floor (40 sq ft × $6), a 48 inch vanity ($1,100), a comfort-height toilet ($500), valve, trim, lights and mirror ($1,500), a quiet fan ($250) and a waterproofing membrane ($160) come to $5,920 at national prices.
-
2
Add the labor to install them
Setting the tub ($1,800), tiling walls and floor at $18 and $10 per sq ft, and hanging the vanity, toilet and fan add $4,690.
-
3
Add the trades and tear-out
Plumbing ($2,500), electrical with a 20-amp circuit and GFCI outlets ($1,500), backer board, drywall and paint ($800), demolition ($1,000) and permits ($600) add $6,400.
-
4
Adjust for your region
The Cost vs. Value report prices a mid-range bathroom in the West South Central region at 0.88 times the national average. ($5,920 + $4,690 + $6,400) × 0.88 = $14,969 of work.
-
5
Add the contractor, a reserve, and the payback
A 15% contractor fee ($2,245) makes $17,214. A 15% contingency ($2,582) brings the budget to about $19,800, or $495 per sq ft. A mid-range bathroom recoups 80% at sale, so it adds about $13,800 to the home's value.
Refresh, full remodel or addition
A refresh keeps the walls, the tub and the pipes where they are. You get a new vanity, toilet, floor, lights and fixtures, and the tub is refinished. A full remodel guts the room to the studs on the same footprint, which is when new waterproofing, wiring and venting come in. An addition builds new space on a foundation, so it carries the cost of a small house extension plus a full bathroom. The Cost vs. Value report's 2025 national numbers:
| Project | Job cost | Resale value | Recouped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remodel, midrange | $26,138 | $20,915 | 80.0% |
| Remodel, upscale | $81,612 | $34,000 | 41.7% |
| Universal design | $42,183 | $25,812 | 61.2% |
| Addition, midrange | $60,645 | $32,347 | 53.3% |
| Addition, upscale | $111,255 | $40,526 | 36.4% |
The survey prices a 5 x 7 ft bathroom done by a contractor at full rates, so it runs high. Homeowners report less: in the 2026 Houzz & Home study, a major remodel of a primary bathroom under 100 sq ft had a median of $18,000 in 2025, one of 100 sq ft or more, $30,000, and a guest bathroom, $7,000. The calculator lands between the two. Tap a project to load it.
Prices per item
Typical installed ranges in 2025–2026 US dollars. Every price in the calculator can be edited.
| Item | Typical installed | Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Tub with shower | $2,000–$4,500 | $2,500–$3,100 |
| Custom tiled shower | $3,000–$20,000+ | $4,000 plus tile |
| Glass door, framed / frameless | $400–$1,100 / $600–$1,900 | $750 / $1,300 |
| Wall tile, ceramic / porcelain | $12–$40 / $15–$50 per sq ft | $20 / $27 |
| Vanity, ready-made / custom | $400–$1,700 / $1,000–$4,000 | $800–$3,400 |
| Toilet | $350–$800 | $550–$750 |
| Exhaust fan, new and ducted | $250–$950 | $450–$650 |
| Permits | $200–$800 | $200–$1,500 |
What the code asks for
Once a bathroom is opened up, the inspector will hold the new work to current code. These items are the ones that change the budget:
- Ventilation. The International Residential Code (R303.3) asks for a window of at least 3 sq ft that is half openable, or an exhaust fan. A fan must move at least 50 cfm when switched on, or 20 cfm running all the time, and it must vent outdoors, not into the attic.
- Outlets. The National Electrical Code requires GFCI protection for bathroom outlets and at least one 20-amp circuit for them. That is why a gut remodel carries an electrician's line even when the lights stay put.
- Waterproofing. A tiled shower floor needs a liner or an approved waterproofing membrane under the tile, and the walls need a water-resistant backer. Grout and tile alone are not waterproof.
- Shower size. A new shower needs at least 900 sq in of floor and room for a 30 inch circle, so a 30 x 30 inch stall is the practical minimum.
Plumbing and electrical work usually needs a licensed pro and a permit. A cosmetic refresh that swaps fixtures in place often needs no permit at all, but rules vary by city, so ask your building department.
What it costs in your region
These factors compare each region's price for the same mid-range bathroom remodel with the national average, with the share of cost recouped at sale in 2025.
| Region | Cost factor | Recouped |
|---|---|---|
| New England | 1.05 | 90.5% |
| Middle Atlantic | 1.15 | 79.9% |
| South Atlantic | 1.00* | n/a |
| East North Central | 0.95 | 70.9% |
| East South Central | 0.90 | 85.1% |
| West North Central | 1.03 | 76.8% |
| West South Central | 0.88 | 81% |
| Mountain | 0.95 | 69.4% |
| Pacific | 1.06 | 91% |
* We could not confirm the South Atlantic figure, so the calculator uses the national average there.
Ways to spend less
- Leave the drains where they are. Moving a toilet or shower drain means opening the floor and rerouting vents, the most expensive change in a bathroom.
- Tile where water hits. Full-height tile on every wall looks great but doubles the tile line. Tile the wet walls and paint the rest with a bathroom-rated paint.
- Refinish instead of replace. A sound cast-iron or steel tub can be refinished for a fraction of the cost of tearing it out.
- Buy a stock vanity. Ready-made vanities with a top come in standard widths and cost far less than custom cabinetry.
- Don't skip the fan or the membrane. They are small lines, but mold and leaks from skipping them cost more than the whole remodel.
- Keep the contingency. Rotted subfloor around an old toilet or tub is common, and you won't know until the floor is up.
Common questions
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in 2026?
A refresh can cost a few thousand dollars. Homeowners in the 2026 Houzz study reported medians of $18,000 to $30,000 for major primary bathroom remodels, and the 2025 Cost vs. Value report puts a midrange remodel at $26,138 and an upscale one at $81,612.
Does a bathroom remodel add value to a home?
A midrange bathroom remodel recouped 80% of its cost at resale in 2025, and an upscale one 41.7%. A bathroom addition recouped 53.3% at midrange. Most of the value is in the years you use it.
Is a bathroom exhaust fan required by code?
Under the International Residential Code, a bathroom needs either a window of at least 3 sq ft that is half openable or an exhaust fan vented outdoors. A fan must move at least 50 cfm when on, or 20 cfm if it runs continuously.
Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom?
You usually need one for new plumbing, wiring, ventilation or structural work. Swapping a vanity, toilet or faucet in place often does not. Bathroom permits commonly cost $200 to $800.
Is it cheaper to convert a tub to a walk-in shower?
Not always. A tub-to-shower conversion often costs $2,000 to $12,000, depending on whether you use a prefab pan and walls or a custom tiled shower. A new tub with an acrylic surround can cost less.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
A refresh can take a few days. A full gut remodel usually takes several weeks once work starts, because each trade has to finish and pass inspection before the walls close and the tile goes up.
Sources and assumptions
Prices are US ranges checked in October 2026. Remodeling prices vary a lot by city, contractor and season, so treat this as a budget, not a bid. Every material price can be edited.
- Project costs, resale value and regional prices: Cost vs. Value 2025, national data (Zonda, published September 2025) and its regional pages, such as Pacific. The regional factor is the region's cost for a midrange bathroom remodel divided by the national cost. The West South Central figure comes from the region column on a city page; we could not find the South Atlantic figure and use 1.00.
- Homeowner spending: 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study, renovation trends (median spend on projects done in 2025) and Harvard JCHS, Improving America's Housing 2025 (2023 average bath remodel $9,032).
- Unit prices: HomeGuide guides to shower installation, glass shower doors, tile installation, vanities, toilets, exhaust fans, GFCI outlets, permits and bathroom remodels (contingency of 10% to 20%).
- Contractor fee: general contractors commonly charge 10% to 20% of the project (Angi, general contractor pricing); the calculator uses 15%.
- Checked against HomeGuide cost guides, read November 1, 2026: bathtub refinishing costs $350 to $600 for a standard tub (updated August 2025), and the calculator uses the top of that range, $600. Bathroom demolition runs $600 to $2,000; home additions average $125 to $250 per sq ft, and the calculator uses $250 for a bathroom, since wet rooms sit at the top; a premade shower pan costs $500 to $1,550 installed. Plumbers charge $75 to $150 an hour and electricians $50 to $130 (HomeGuide, bathroom remodel).
- Our estimates, built inside those ranges but not taken from a single source: the split between fixture price and install labor, waterproofing membrane ($2 per sq ft of tiled wet wall plus $350 for a shower pan kit), plumbing ($600–$6,000, plus $2,500 to move a drain), electrical ($400–$3,000), walls ($8–$20 per sq ft of floor) and demolition ($6–$25 per sq ft, or $240 to $1,000 for a 40 sq ft room).
- Code: International Residential Code 2021, sections R303.3 and M1505 (bathroom ventilation), P2708.1 (shower size) and P2709 (shower liners and membranes), on ICC Digital Codes; NFPA 70, National Electrical Code sections 210.8(A) and 210.11(C)(3). Your city may adopt a different edition or local amendments.
- Resale value uses the national cost-recouped share for the matching project (a refresh uses the midrange remodel figure) and is applied to the cost before contingency.