Bathroom Remodel Cost Calculator
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How much will your bathroom remodel cost? Pick your bathroom size, remodel scope, and fixtures — get a line-by-line estimate for tub/shower, tile, vanity, toilet and labor, with every step of the math shown. No email required.
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What this calculator estimates
This tool prices a full bathroom remodel from the decisions that actually move the number: your bathroom's size, the scope (refresh through luxury), tub/shower choice, toilet, vanity, tile material, fixture package, whether you're moving plumbing, and your region's labor rates. Every result shows the line-by-line math and a ±25% planning range — because this is a budgeting estimate, not a quote, and real bids move with what's behind the walls and local labor markets.
How the math works
- Tub / shower: installed flat — keep $0; tub-shower combo $2,500; walk-in tiled shower $6,000; soaker tub $4,500.
- Toilet: installed — keep $0; standard $450; comfort height $650; bidet-seat combo $1,200.
- Vanity: installed with top — keep $0; single stock $800; single semi-custom $1,800; double $3,500.
- Tile: tile area ≈ bathroom sq ft × 2.5 (floor + tub/shower surround walls), installed per sq ft — ceramic $10, porcelain $14, natural stone $22.
- Fixtures: faucet, showerhead, lighting, mirror, hardware — basic $500, mid-range $1,200, premium $2,500.
- Plumbing / electrical / drywall: flat allowance by scope — refresh $800, mid-range $2,500, major $5,000, luxury $10,000. Layout change adds $4,000.
- Labor: 30% (refresh) / 35% (mid) / 40% (major) / 45% (luxury) of the material subtotal, multiplied by your region rate (0.85–1.2).
Every figure is an October 2026 US planning estimate. Real quotes vary — that's why results show a ±25% planning range. This is a budgeting estimate, not a quote.
Worked example: 5×8 mid-range hall bath
Here's exactly what the calculator does with the most common US bathroom — a 40-sqft hall bath, mid-range scope, tub-shower combo, standard toilet, semi-custom single vanity, porcelain tile, mid-range fixtures, no layout change, South region labor:
| Line item | Math | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Tub-shower combo | installed flat | $2,500 |
| Toilet — standard | installed flat | $450 |
| Vanity — single semi-custom | installed flat | $1,800 |
| Tile — porcelain | 100 sq ft × $14/sq ft | $1,400 |
| Fixtures — mid-range | flat | $1,200 |
| Plumbing / electrical / drywall | mid-range flat | $2,500 |
| Labor | 35% of $9,850 materials × 1.0 (South) | $3,448 |
| Estimated total | $13,298 |
Planning range (±25%): $10,000 – $16,600. Tile + tub are over a third of the budget — that's where material choices move the total most. Switching to ceramic tile ($10/sq ft) and a stock vanity ($800) drops the same bath to roughly $11,000; going walk-in shower and stone tile pushes it past $20,000. Same 40 sq ft, $9,000 swing — fixtures are the budget.
Bathroom remodel costs by region: same job, different labor market
Materials cost roughly the same everywhere — labor doesn't. This table takes the worked example above (a 40-sq ft hall bath, mid-range scope) and scales only the labor portion by each region's labor multiplier, exactly as the calculator's ZIP adjustment does. Materials and fixtures ($9,850) stay fixed. The worked example uses South labor, so the national-equivalent labor is $3,448 ÷ 0.89 = $3,874; other regions scale from that national figure.
| Region | Labor multiplier | Labor cost | Total (pro install) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | ×1.18 | $4,572 | $14,422 |
| Midwest | ×1.01 | $3,913 | $13,763 |
| South | ×0.89 | $3,448 | $13,298 |
| West | ×1.05 | $4,068 | $13,918 |
Regional multipliers are the mean of this site's state labor multipliers (BLS OEWS May 2023, construction laborers — the same data behind the ZIP adjustment). The Northeast–South gap on this job is $1,124, all labor. Enter your ZIP in the calculator for your metro's exact multiplier.
Average bathroom remodel cost by scope (2026)
| Scope | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $3,000–$8,000 | Paint, new toilet seat, fixtures, mirror, lighting — same tub, tile, layout |
| Mid-range full remodel | $12,000–$25,000 | New tub/shower, tile, vanity, toilet, fixtures — same layout |
| Major remodel | $20,000–$45,000 | Gut to studs, layout tweaks, new plumbing runs, premium tile |
| Luxury | $35,000–$75,000+ | Stone tile, glass walk-in, heated floors, double vanity, designer fixtures |
Ranges assume a 35–60 sq ft bathroom with professional installation. Read the full cost guide for the 5×8 worked example and where every dollar goes.
Where the money goes (typical mid-range breakdown)
| Category | Share of budget |
|---|---|
| Tub / shower + tile | ~35% |
| Labor | ~25% |
| Plumbing / electrical / drywall | ~15% |
| Vanity | ~10% |
| Fixtures | ~8% |
| Toilet | ~4% |
| Paint, accessories, misc | ~3% |
How to save $5,000 on your bathroom remodel
- Keep the layout. Moving a toilet means rerouting a 3–4" drain through the floor — ~$4,000+ for the plumbing move alone. The classic 5×8 three-fixture layout exists because it works.
- Choose a tub-shower combo over a tiled walk-in. $2,500 installed vs. $6,000+ — and in a home's only full bath, the tub protects resale.
- Pick porcelain over natural stone. Porcelain ($14/sq ft installed) mimics marble at a third of stone's price ($22/sq ft) with zero sealing maintenance.
- Refinish instead of replacing the tub. Professional tub refinishing runs $400–$600 vs. $2,500 for a new combo — if the tub is sound, reglazing buys a decade.
- Keep the vanity boxes, replace the top and hardware. A new quartz top and soft-close hardware transform a dated vanity for hundreds, not $1,800.
- Bid in winter, pay in milestones. Contractors discount in slow months, and a milestone payment schedule (never more than 10–15% up front) keeps leverage on your side.
How your region moves the total
The calculator multiplies labor by your region: rural 0.85×, South 1.0×, Midwest 0.95×, Northeast 1.15×, West Coast 1.2×. On the $13,298 worked example above, labor is $3,448 in the South — the same job prices at ~$2,930 in a rural market and ~$4,140 on the West Coast. Fixtures and toilets are nationally priced, so the regional swing lands almost entirely on the labor and tile-setting lines. If a bid's labor share looks wildly different from these multipliers, ask why — it's a fast gouge detector.
Bathroom line items people forget to budget
The big fixtures get all the attention, but these smaller lines add up fast. A shower door — frameless glass runs $900–$2,000 installed and must be measured AFTER tile is set. An exhaust fan vented to the outside ($150–$400) prevents the mold that destroys bathroom drywall. Waterproofing behind the tile (membrane or backer board, $300–$800) is invisible but non-negotiable — skip it and you'll remodel twice. Grab bars and blocking ($100–$300) are cheap during a gut, expensive later. A heated floor mat ($600–$1,200) is the luxury line item with the highest satisfaction per dollar in cold climates. And permits ($200–$600) — most full remodels need one, and unpermitted plumbing can void insurance claims (October 2026 planning estimates).
Bathroom remodel cost FAQs
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in 2026?
Most US bathroom remodels land between $6,000 and $35,000. A cosmetic refresh runs $3,000–$8,000, mid-range $12,000–$25,000, major $20,000–$45,000, luxury $35,000+. Punch your size and fixtures into the calculator above.
What costs the most in a bathroom remodel?
Tile work plus the tub/shower — roughly 35–40% of a typical budget. Then labor (~25%), plumbing/electrical (~15%), and the vanity (~10%). The calculator shows every line item so nothing hides.
How much does a 5x8 bathroom remodel cost?
A standard 5×8 hall bath (40 sq ft) runs roughly $12,000–$25,000 for a mid-range full remodel — about $300–$625 per sq ft. A cosmetic refresh can be done for $3,000–$8,000. Our 5×8 bathroom guide has the full budget breakdown.
Is a walk-in shower cheaper than a tub?
A prefab tub-shower combo ($2,500 installed) is cheaper than a tiled walk-in shower ($6,000+). But removing a home's only tub can hurt resale — families with small children want one. In a master bath with a second tub elsewhere, the walk-in usually wins.
How accurate is this calculator?
It's a budgeting estimate built on October 2026 US planning prices — good for budgeting and sanity-checking bids. Results carry a ±25% planning range because quotes move with region, layout changes, and what's behind the walls. See how we compute costs for the full method.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
A cosmetic refresh: 1–2 weeks. A mid-range full remodel: 2–4 weeks. A major remodel with layout changes: 4–8 weeks, plus 2–4 weeks of planning and permitting before demo starts. Tile setting and custom glass are the usual bottlenecks — order the shower door after tile is set.
What's the ROI of a bathroom remodel?
Mid-range bathroom remodels recoup roughly 60–70% at resale — among the best returns of any room. Keep it clean and mainstream: white fixtures, neutral tile, good lighting. Bold colors and ultra-trendy tile date fast and narrow your buyer pool.
Should I move the plumbing in my bathroom remodel?
Only if the layout is genuinely broken. Moving a toilet means rerouting a 3–4 inch drain line through the floor — budget $4,000+ for the move alone, plus the flooring and subfloor repair around it. In a 5×8 bath, better fixtures and lighting fix most complaints for far less.