The short answer
- Homeowners reported a median of $18,000 for a major remodel of a primary bathroom under 100 sq ft in 2025, $30,000 for a larger one and $7,000 for guest bathroom projects (Houzz, 2026).
- Contractor-priced: $26,138 for a mid-range bathroom remodel and $81,612 for upscale (Cost vs. Value 2025).
- Our line-by-line budgets at national-average prices: about $10,800 for a refresh and $22,500 for a mid-range gut remodel of a 5 x 8 bath, and $47,800 for an upscale 100 sq ft primary bath.
- Labor and the trades are about two-thirds of a mid-range job. The tub or shower area is about a third.
- Moving the toilet or shower drain is the most expensive choice you can make. Keep 10% to 20% in reserve for what demolition uncovers.
What the surveys say, and why they differ
| Source | What it measures | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Houzz & Home 2026 | Primary bathroom, all projects, median (90th percentile) | $15,000 ($50,000) |
| Houzz & Home 2026 | Major remodel, primary bath under 100 sq ft | $18,000 ($44,000) |
| Houzz & Home 2026 | Major remodel, primary bath 100 sq ft or more | $30,000 ($75,000) |
| Houzz & Home 2026 | Guest bathroom, median | $7,000 |
| Cost vs. Value 2025 | Contractor price, mid-range / upscale / universal design | $26,138 / $81,612 / $42,183 |
| HomeGuide | Average-size bathroom, minor to full remodel | $3,500–$25,000+ |
| Harvard JCHS 2025 | Average bath remodel in federal housing data, 2023 | $9,032 |
Houzz counts what its users actually spent, DIY work and partial jobs included; a "major" remodel there means at least the vanity, countertop and toilet were replaced. Cost vs. Value prices one fixed project as a contractor would bid it, with full overhead, so it's the high case. The Harvard average includes every bath project in a national survey, from a new toilet up. For a contractor-run gut remodel of an ordinary bathroom, the realistic band sits between the Houzz major-remodel medians and the Cost vs. Value figure.
Three budgets, line by line
These come from our bathroom remodel cost calculator at national-average prices, each with a general contractor at 15% and a 15% contingency. The refresh keeps the tub, walls and pipes in a 5 x 8 ft (40 sq ft) bath and replaces everything you can unbolt. The mid-range remodel guts the same room to the studs, with a new tub and 80 sq ft of porcelain wall tile. The upscale job is a 100 sq ft primary bath with a tiled walk-in shower, frameless glass, a double vanity and 160 sq ft of stone tile.
| Line | Refresh | Mid-range | Upscale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tub or shower | Keep | $700 | $1,000 |
| Glass door | $750 | $750 | $1,300 |
| Wall tile | — | $720 | $4,000 |
| Floor | $240 | $240 | $1,500 |
| Vanity, top and faucet | $1,100 | $1,100 | $2,800 |
| Toilet | $500 | $500 | $1,800 |
| Valve, trim, lights, mirror | $1,500 | $1,500 | $4,000 |
| Exhaust fan | $250 | $250 | $250 |
| Waterproofing membrane | — | $160 | $590 |
| Installation labor | $2,050 | $4,690 | $9,820 |
| Plumbing | $600 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Electrical | $400 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Backer board, drywall, paint | $320 | $800 | $2,000 |
| Demolition and disposal | $240 | $1,000 | $2,500 |
| Permits | $200 | $600 | $600 |
| Contractor fee, 15% | $1,223 | $2,552 | $5,424 |
| Contingency, 15% | $1,406 | $2,934 | $6,238 |
| Total | $10,778 | $22,496 | $47,822 |
Line totals may differ from the total by a dollar because of rounding. A refresh with basic finishes (a curtain instead of glass, a stock 30-inch vanity, sheet vinyl or vinyl plank) comes to about $6,700 in the same room.
Per square foot, these work out to about $269 for the refresh, $562 for the mid-range gut remodel and $478 for the upscale primary bath. Yes, the small mid-range room costs more per square foot than the big upscale one: a 40 sq ft bath still needs a plumber, an electrician, a permit and a full set of fixtures. That's also why our mid-range figure lands near the top of HomeGuide's per-square-foot range for a full remodel ($250 to $500): ours includes the contractor's fee and a reserve. The calculator opens on Texas, where labor runs about 12% below the national average, so it shows about $19,800 for the same job there.
Why labor is most of the bill
A kitchen is mostly things: cabinets, appliances, counters. A bathroom is mostly work. Here is the mid-range bathroom above next to the mid-range kitchen from our kitchen cost guide, both measured before the contractor's fee and the reserve.
| Share of the work | Mid-range bathroom | Mid-range kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| Fixtures, finishes and products | 35% ($5,920) | 66% |
| Installation labor | 28% ($4,690) | 11% |
| Plumbing, electrical, walls, demolition, permits | 38% ($6,400) | 24% |
Tile is the clearest case. In our mid-range example, 80 sq ft of porcelain wall tile costs $720, and setting it costs about $1,440 at $18 per sq ft. The tub costs $700 and setting it about $1,800. This is why upgrading the tile itself often adds less than people fear, while adding more tiled area, a niche or a bench adds labor at every step. It also means a bathroom's price follows local labor rates more than store prices. HomeGuide lists plumbers at $75 to $150 an hour, electricians at $50 to $130 and general contractors at 10% to 20% of the job.
The tub or shower zone (tub, glass door, wall tile, membrane and the labor to set them) is about $5,570, or a third of the work. Choices there move the total the most. To size the tile and its thinset and grout before you shop, use the tile calculator.
Tub, shower or conversion: what each costs
| Option | Installed cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Replace a bathtub | $800–$4,600 | Steel or acrylic at the low end; cast iron or soaking tubs at the top |
| Tub liner over the old tub | $1,700–$2,500 | Acrylic shell, no demolition; the old tub must be sound |
| New shower | $1,000–$15,000 | Prefab stall at the low end; custom tile with bench and niche at the top |
| Tub-to-shower conversion | $1,000–$15,000 | The drain often moves, which drives the cost |
| Shower pan replacement | $500–$3,500 | Often needed when an old tiled shower leaks |
| One-day bath companies | About $3,000–$20,000 | Liners, wall panels and conversions; quotes vary widely by company |
Ranges are HomeGuide's installed costs. If this is the only tub in the house, think about resale before converting it. And if you're adding a large soaking tub, check that your water heater can fill it with hot water; the water heater size calculator runs that math.
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What breaks bathroom budgets
In the 2026 Houzz study, 37% of homeowners who renovated in 2025 spent more than they planned. Higher prices for products and services were the top reason, followed by choosing pricier materials, projects turning out more complex than expected, scope changes and construction problems found along the way. In bathrooms, the problems behind the walls are predictable:
- Rotted subfloor or joists around the toilet and the tub, from years of slow leaks. You won't see it until the floor is up.
- Old drain and supply pipes. Once the wall is open, replacing corroded pipe is cheaper than closing it up and coming back.
- A fan that vents into the attic, or no fan at all. A new duct to the outside may need a roof or wall cap.
- Not enough electrical capacity. A gut remodel needs GFCI-protected outlets on a 20-amp circuit, and heated floors or a heated towel bar add load. A panel upgrade runs about $850 to $2,500.
- Lead paint and asbestos. In homes built before 1978, contractors who disturb more than 6 sq ft of painted surface in a room must follow the EPA's lead-safe rules. Old floor tile, sheet vinyl and some adhesives can contain asbestos; test before sanding or scraping.
- Upgrades that seem small. Heated floors add $500 to $2,800 with the new flooring, and each grab bar $100 to $350. If you might want grab bars later, ask for wood blocking in the walls now, while they're open.
How long it takes, and the order of work
HomeGuide puts a typical bathroom remodel at 3 to 8 weeks: 3 to 4 for a simple job, 6 to 12 or more for a larger one with moved plumbing or custom features. Homeowners in the Houzz study reported an average of 8.4 months of planning and 4.8 months of work on primary bathroom projects. The work itself follows a fixed order, and each inspection is a gate:
- Demolition, then repair of any rot or framing.
- Rough-in plumbing, wiring and fan duct, then the rough-in inspection.
- Backer board and waterproofing. A good crew flood-tests a tiled shower pan before tile goes on.
- Tile, then grout and sealing.
- Vanity, toilet, glass, trim, lights and fan, then the final inspection.
Tie payments to these stages, not to dates. California caps the down payment on home improvement contracts at 10% or $1,000, whichever is less; other states have their own rules. Keep the last payment until the final inspection passes and the punch list is done.
DIY, trades or a general contractor
HomeGuide puts a mostly DIY bathroom remodel at $1,500 to $10,000. The parts that are realistic for a homeowner: demolition, painting, swapping a vanity, faucet or toilet in place, and a floating vinyl plank floor. The parts that aren't: moving drains, new circuits and shower waterproofing. A leak from a bad membrane can cost more than the whole remodel, and most of that work needs a permit and a licensed pro anyway.
How people hire varies. In the Houzz study, 48% of renovating homeowners hired specialty trades directly, and 41% hired a construction pro such as a general contractor, design-build firm or bath remodeler. Hiring the trades yourself saves the contractor's fee ($2,552 in our mid-range example) but makes you the scheduler. In a bathroom, where the plumber, electrician, inspector, tile setter and glass installer must follow each other in order, a missed handoff can stall the job for a week.
Whoever you hire, ask how they waterproof the shower, where the fan will vent, which items are allowances and what's excluded (haul-away, permits, paint and fixture install are common gaps). Picking the paint for the rest of the room? The paint calculator sizes it.
Common questions
How much does it cost to remodel a 5x8 bathroom?
At national-average prices, our calculator puts a full mid-range gut remodel of a 5 x 8 ft (40 sq ft) bathroom at about $22,500 with a contractor and a 15% reserve, and a refresh that keeps the tub and walls at about $10,800. HomeGuide's ranges for a full remodel are $8,800 to $17,500 for a 5 x 7 room and $12,500 to $25,000 for a 5 x 10 room.
What is the most expensive part of a bathroom remodel?
The tub or shower area. In our mid-range example, the tub, glass door, wall tile, waterproofing and the labor to install them make up about a third of the work before the contractor's fee. A custom tiled walk-in shower with frameless glass costs more than a tub with a surround.
What percentage of a bathroom remodel is labor?
More than in most rooms. In our mid-range example, installation labor plus plumbing, electrical, wall prep, demolition and permits come to about two-thirds of the work before the contractor's fee. Plumbers commonly charge $75 to $150 an hour and electricians $50 to $130, according to HomeGuide.
How much does a guest bathroom remodel cost?
Homeowners in the 2026 Houzz study reported a median of $7,000 for guest bathroom projects done in 2025, up from $6,000 a year earlier. That median includes DIY work and partial updates. A full gut remodel of a guest bath with a contractor usually costs far more.
How much should I budget for surprises in a bathroom remodel?
Set aside 10% to 20% of the project cost. Older bathrooms often hide rotted subfloor around the toilet or tub, failing drain pipes or a fan that vents into the attic, and none of it shows until demolition. Our calculator uses 15% by default.
Can I save money by doing part of a bathroom remodel myself?
Yes. HomeGuide puts a mostly DIY bathroom remodel at $1,500 to $10,000. Demolition, painting and swapping a vanity or toilet in place are reasonable DIY jobs. Moving drains, new circuits and shower waterproofing are better left to licensed pros, and most of that work needs a permit.
Sources
Prices and survey figures were checked in October 2026. Bathroom costs vary a lot by city and contractor; use these as planning ranges, not bids.
- 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study, Renovation Trends (primary and guest bathroom spend for 2025, budget overruns, timelines, professional hiring)
- Cost vs. Value 2025, national data (Zonda, published September 2025): mid-range, upscale and universal design bathroom remodels
- HomeGuide, bathroom remodel cost (cost by size and per sq ft, tub, shower, liner and conversion prices, hourly rates, panel upgrade, heated floors, grab bars, timeline, DIY cost, contingency)
- Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Improving America's Housing 2025 (2023 average bath remodel)
- California Contractors State License Board, Home Improvement Contracts consumer guide (down payment limit)
- US EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (pre-1978 homes)
- Line-by-line budgets: HomeOutlay bathroom remodel cost calculator, set to Georgia, where it uses the national average (factor 1.00), October 2026. Its unit prices and sources are listed on the calculator page.