Bathroom remodel cost

Two numbers matter more than the headline average: median spend and your scope. Houzz surveyed 1,737 U.S. homeowners and found a median of $13,000 across all bathroom renovations in 2024, $22,000 for major remodels, and $7,500 for minor ones. The top 10% of major projects hit $60,000 — and $70,000 when the bathroom is over 100 square feet and the shower is fully rebuilt.

Scope drives the number far more than finishes do. Keeping fixtures where they are is cheap. Moving the toilet, tub, or shower means opening the floor and rerouting drain lines, and NerdWallet puts plumbing relocation in the four figures on its own. Houzz found 82% of renovated bathrooms keep the same footprint — that is not a lack of ambition, it is people avoiding the single most expensive decision.

Ignore any quote that is one number on one page. A real estimate itemizes demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile setting, fixtures, and a contingency. NerdWallet notes permits alone can run $100 to $1,000 and that hidden water damage repairs are billed separately. Ask what happens to your price if the crew opens a wall and finds rot — before you sign, not after.

Set aside 10-20% on top of the contract. This Old House reports that roughly 70% of homeowners doing a tub-to-shower conversion hit unexpected costs. Older houses hide more.

How to choose

Get three itemized bids, not three totals

A single lump sum hides where the money goes and makes comparison impossible. Insist on line items for demo, plumbing, waterproofing, tile, and fixtures.

Decide the footprint first

Moving drains is the expensive choice. If you can get what you want without moving the toilet or shower drain, you will save thousands.

Budget a real contingency

10-20% held back. In a pre-1980s house, closer to 20%. Rot behind a tub is common and nobody can quote it blind.

Buy the invisible things well

Waterproofing membrane, valve quality, and the exhaust fan are what fail. A cheaper vanity is a cheaper vanity; cheap waterproofing is a demolition in five years.

Treat same-day discounts as a warning

A price that only exists if you sign tonight is a sales tactic, not a deal. Real contractors will honor a bid for weeks.