Understanding Bathroom Remodel Costs

Like all major remodeling projects, one of the keys to a successful bathroom remodel is careful planning. From the contractor you hire to the materials you choose, you’ll be faced with big decisions. To make sure you make the right ones, you need to know your budget. However, knowing how much to spend and what to spend it on are often some of the toughest decisions you’ll have to make. Understanding the cost-factors involved will help make them that much easier.

One of the first things you need to do is figure out how much you should spend on the entire project. (Note: this isn’t to be confused with how much you can spend. While you might have $50,000 to allocate to your remodel, it might not make sense to spend that much if the market won’t support the investment.) According to cost reports submitted by HomeAdvisor users, most homeowners spent between $8,342 and $11,568 on their bathroom remodels. How much you can expect to spend depends on a few key factors.

First, you need to decide how important it is that you get a return on your investment. If you want to maximize your ROI, you need to make sure you don’t over-improve for the market. In many cases this means spending no more than 5% of your home’s value on your bathroom remodel. For homeowners looking to maximize ROI, choosing mid-grade materials typically yields the highest returns.

What’s the (Floor) Plan?

Next, you’ll need to determine if you’ll be changing the room’s floor plan. If you’ve been dreaming of transforming your small bathroom into an expansive master bath, you can expect your costs to increase up to $6,000 (or more) if existing walls need to be removed and new retaining walls need to be installed. Add in the costs of installing or rerouting pipes and electrical wiring and you can quickly see your costs jump an additional $2000-$4000.

Factoring in Fixtures

From here you’ll need to factor in the costs of fixtures (these include toilets, sinks, tubs, showers, and faucets), flooring, tile, cabinets, countertops, and lighting. Not surprisingly, your costs will be directly tied to the quality of each. If you’re on a budget, you might find that it pays to be flexible. Know where you can compromise on quality and where you can’t. If this is a high-end remodel you’re obviously not going to want to install inexpensive, contractor-grade materials. That being said, just because you’re doing a high-end remodel doesn’t mean all your materials have to be high-end too, especially if you’re the only person who will notice.

Last but not least, you’ll need to factor in labor costs. While skilled DIYers occasionally tackle parts of the project themselves, hiring a licensed pro is the way to go. But here’s the thing: the quality of your remodel and the remodeling experience is dependent on the quality of the pro you hire. We can’t stress enough how important it is to find a pro you feel comfortable working with and who has the skills to bring your remodeling vision to life. If that means you need to talk to a half-dozen pros before you find the one you feel comfortable hiring, then talk to a half-dozen pros. The results will be worth it.