Cost estimate
Bathroom remodel (5 by 8 ft)
What remodeling one 5 by 8 foot bathroom can cost at three finish levels, built from published wages, shelf prices and contractor cost data.
Data last checked . Every input is dated below.
Typical cost
Planning range $4,000 to $10,300
typical
Where the money goes
- Labor$2,70038%
- Materials$1,55022%
- Permits and inspections$2003%
- Haul-away and disposal$3505%
- Contractor overhead and profit$2,35033%
For information only. A planning range, not a quote. We take care, but our sources can lag and so can we, so a figure may be out of date. It combines the low end of every input and the high end of every input, so it is deliberately wide. Real quotes can still fall outside it.
What moves the price
The same job can quote very differently. These are the usual reasons.
- Moving plumbing
- Keeping the toilet, tub and sink where they are is the lower-cost case. Moving drains or the shower is one of the biggest extras.
- Tile
- The amount of tile, how it is laid and how much cutting it needs change both materials and hours.
- What is behind the walls
- Rot, old pipes, knob-and-tube wiring or a failed tub pan found after demolition can add real money.
- Tub or shower
- A tub with a surround is the base case. A tiled walk-in shower with a waterproof base and glass costs more.
- Fixtures and finishes
- The same room can cost twice as much with premium fixtures and tile. The tiers here show the spread.
- Permits and older homes
- Plumbing and electrical permits vary by town. Homes built before 1978 may need lead-safe work practices.
The same job at other sizes, and in each state
Both tables use the same estimate as the calculator above and its first choice, basic. They are here to read across; the calculator takes your own size and state.
| Size | Typical | Range | Per bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bathrooms | $7,150 | $4,000 to $10,300 | $7,145 |
| 2 bathrooms | $14,000 | $7,900 to $20,100 | $6,995 |
| 3 bathrooms | $20,800 | $11,800 to $29,800 | $6,945 |
Small jobs cost more per bathroom because a contractor has a minimum charge, and the per-unit figure falls as the job grows until the minimum no longer applies.
Cost by state, at 1 bathrooms
| State | Typical | Range | Against the US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $5,900 | $3,400 to $8,400 | −17% |
| Alaska | $8,450 | $4,900 to $12,000 | +18% |
| Arizona | $6,600 | $3,700 to $9,450 | −8% |
| Arkansas | $5,950 | $3,400 to $8,500 | −17% |
| California | $8,300 | $4,800 to $11,900 | +17% |
| Colorado | $7,150 | $4,000 to $10,300 | about the same |
| Connecticut | $7,350 | $4,100 to $10,500 | +3% |
| Delaware | $6,850 | $3,850 to $9,850 | −4% |
| District of Columbia | $7,350 | $4,100 to $10,600 | +3% |
| Florida | $6,200 | $3,550 to $8,850 | −13% |
| Georgia | $6,050 | $3,450 to $8,600 | −15% |
| Hawaii | $9,100 | $5,300 to $13,000 | +28% |
| Idaho | $6,400 | $3,650 to $9,150 | −11% |
| Illinois | $8,400 | $4,800 to $11,900 | +17% |
| Indiana | $7,000 | $3,900 to $10,100 | −2% |
| Iowa | $6,400 | $3,650 to $9,200 | −10% |
| Kansas | $6,550 | $3,700 to $9,400 | −8% |
| Kentucky | $6,250 | $3,550 to $8,950 | −12% |
| Louisiana | $6,000 | $3,400 to $8,550 | −16% |
| Maine | $6,900 | $3,900 to $9,900 | −3% |
| Maryland | $7,450 | $4,200 to $10,700 | +4% |
| Massachusetts | $8,300 | $4,800 to $11,800 | +16% |
| Michigan | $6,800 | $3,850 to $9,750 | −5% |
| Minnesota | $7,500 | $4,200 to $10,800 | +5% |
| Mississippi | $5,900 | $3,400 to $8,400 | −18% |
| Missouri | $7,000 | $3,900 to $10,100 | −2% |
| Montana | $6,600 | $3,750 to $9,500 | −7% |
| Nebraska | $6,250 | $3,550 to $8,950 | −13% |
| Nevada | $7,350 | $4,200 to $10,600 | +3% |
| New Hampshire | $7,000 | $3,900 to $10,100 | −2% |
| New Jersey | $7,800 | $4,400 to $11,200 | +9% |
| New Mexico | $6,450 | $3,650 to $9,250 | −10% |
| New York | $8,100 | $4,600 to $11,600 | +13% |
| North Carolina | $6,000 | $3,450 to $8,550 | −16% |
| North Dakota | $6,500 | $3,700 to $9,300 | −9% |
| Ohio | $6,750 | $3,800 to $9,750 | −5% |
| Oklahoma | $5,850 | $3,350 to $8,350 | −18% |
| Oregon | $7,650 | $4,300 to $11,000 | +7% |
| Pennsylvania | $6,950 | $3,950 to $10,000 | −3% |
| Rhode Island | $7,000 | $3,900 to $10,100 | −2% |
| South Carolina | $6,350 | $3,600 to $9,050 | −11% |
| South Dakota | $6,000 | $3,450 to $8,600 | −16% |
| Tennessee | $6,200 | $3,550 to $8,900 | −13% |
| Texas | $6,050 | $3,500 to $8,650 | −15% |
| Utah | $6,350 | $3,600 to $9,100 | −11% |
| Vermont | $6,800 | $3,850 to $9,800 | −4% |
| Virginia | $6,600 | $3,750 to $9,450 | −8% |
| Washington | $8,300 | $4,800 to $11,900 | +16% |
| West Virginia | $6,300 | $3,600 to $9,000 | −12% |
| Wisconsin | $7,000 | $3,900 to $10,100 | −2% |
| Wyoming | $6,600 | $3,700 to $9,450 | −8% |
Each state's wages for this trade, material price level and permit level are applied to the same job. They are statewide averages; towns within a state differ, and an expensive city and a rural county can sit far apart.
How we got these numbers
Labor, parts, overhead and permits, added up. Each assumption below says how solid it is.
Checked sourcePublished, secondhandOur estimate
- Checked sourceThe wage is a time-weighted blend of five trades: carpenters 40%, plumbers 25%, floor layers 15% (standing in for tile setters), electricians 10% and painters 10%, using BLS OEWS May 2025 25th to 75th percentile wages. The state factor uses carpenter wages.
- Our estimateLabor hours of 55 to 85 for a basic bathroom (demolition, rough-in, backer board, tile, fixtures, paint and cleanup) are our estimate: we found no time study.
- Checked sourceMaterials of $1,100 to $1,700 for a basic bathroom come from our parts list at Lowe's shelf prices on 5 Nov 2026: vanity $259, toilet $99, tub $219, surround kit $119, faucet $49, shower trim $89, fan $90, light $49, floor tile about $185 with mortar and grout, plus fittings and paint. The quantities are our arithmetic.
- Our estimate10% waste covers tile cuts and breakage.
- Our estimateDisposal of $200 to $500 covers a dumpster or haul-off for demolition debris.
- Checked sourcePermit fees of $100 to $300: Pleasanton CA charges a flat $120 for a bathroom remodel including the trades (plus plan review of 75% and technology of 5%) and Albany NY charges $100 plus $8 per $1,000 of cost over $5,000.
- Checked sourcePayroll costs of 17% to 24% of wages follow the Census 2022 figure for residential remodelers (fringe benefits 19.1% of payroll).
- Checked sourceOverhead and profit of 35% to 55% is added on top of wages with payroll costs, materials, permits and disposal. Census 2022: residential remodelers' receipts were 43.2% above direct cost, matching NAHB's remodeler study at 43%.
- Checked sourceCross-check: the Census figure for residential remodelers puts the value of work at about $211 per field labor-hour, but these firms subcontract 19% of what they sell, and subcontracted hours are not counted, so that figure is overstated. Our figures per labor-hour are about half of it. No federal cost database covers bathroom remodels.
- Not includedMoving walls, a larger room, heated floors, a steam shower, custom glass or stone slabs, structural repairs, mold or asbestos work and permits for structural changes are not included.
- Our estimateMid-range: Hours of 75 to 115 a bathroom (more tile work than basic) are our estimate.
- Checked sourceMid-range: Materials of $1,950 to $3,100 come from our parts list at Lowe's shelf prices: vanity about $500, toilet $280, tub $340, tiled surround about $290 (tile, backer board, mortar, grout), faucet $130, tub and shower trim $138, fan $115, light $90, porcelain floor about $216, plus fittings and paint. The quantities are our arithmetic.
- Our estimateHigh-end: Hours of 110 to 170 a bathroom (tiled walls, glass door, more detail work) are our estimate.
- Checked sourceHigh-end: Materials of $3,900 to $6,500 come from our parts list at Lowe's shelf prices: vanity about $1,000, toilet $340, tub about $900, tiled walls about $700, frameless door $500, faucet $180, valve trim $219, fan $135, light $170, floor about $324, plus fittings and paint. Items beyond Lowe's range, such as custom glass or stone slabs, are not priced.
Sources
Where each input comes from, and when we last looked.
- Checked sourceU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data year 2025, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceU.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census, table EC2223BASIC (Construction: Summary Statistics), NAICS 236118 Residential Remodelers, United States; fringe benefits are 19.1% of payroll and revenue is 43.2% above direct cost. These firms subcontract 19% of receipts, so their work per field labor-hour ($211) is overstated for our purpose. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-05.
- Checked sourceLowe's shelf prices read on lowes.com, Columbus OH store, 5 Nov 2026, sampled across the results for each item: 36 in vanities $259 to $849, toilets $99 to $347, 60 in alcove tubs $219 to $903, tub surrounds $119 to $759, faucets $34 to $184, tub and shower trim kits $64 to $219, 80 CFM fans $90 to $139, porcelain floor tile $3.29 to $4.55 a sq ft, frameless tub doors $368 to $519. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
- Our estimateNo official or trade time study found. The hours are our estimate for a small crew working through demolition, plumbing and electrical rough-in, backer board, tile, fixtures, paint and cleanup on a 5 by 8 ft bathroom. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-05.
- Published, secondhandNAHB Remodelers' Cost of Doing Business Study, 2026 edition (fiscal 2024), as reported by NAHB's Eye on Housing blog, 8 Apr 2026: revenue about 43% above direct cost (33% in 2021). Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceOfficial city building permit fee schedules read 5 Nov 2026: City of Auburn CA (building fees, 24 May 2025), City of Pleasanton CA (building permit and plan review fees) and City of Albany NY (building and zoning permit application fees, revised Feb 2026). Three small or mid-size cities, not a national survey; fees in larger cities and valuation-based schedules can be higher. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
- Our estimateOur working assumptions, marked as estimates on this page; not checked against contractor quotes. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
- Published, secondhandU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (US = 100), as republished by FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). Goods parity is used for materials and all-items parity as a rough stand-in for permit fees. Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.