Remodeling A Bathroom: How Much Will It Cost?

Whether you plan to take on a full bathroom overhaul or to carry out such a project in parts, it’s important to know ahead of time how much you'll be spending, and what to include in your budget. The average cost of a bathroom remodel is $9,200, but costs will vary greatly based on bathroom size and other factors. If you plan to gut your entire bathroom, you may be paying upwards of $12,000; if you have a small bathroom or plan to partially remodel, your costs may be closer to $5,000. (For related reading, see article: Bathroom Remodeling On A Budget.)

Bathroom remodeling is a labor-intensive project, so a large part of your total spending will consist of payments to professionals you hire. Research shows that 60-70% of costs cover labor and expenses, while 30-40% is spent on the bathroom itself.

Here is more on the costs you’ll have to consider when budgeting for a bathroom remodel:

Budgeting for a Bathroom Remodel

When deciding what you want to include in your bathroom remodel, it’s important to break down the costs. How much money can you spend on the bathroom remodel -- $1,000, $5,000, $10,000? Your budget will determine what you can do, as well as whether you should do it yourself or hire a pro to do it for you. Here are some common bathroom remodeling projects and what those projects cost: (For related reading, see article: Top Easy Bathroom Improvements With Big Payoffs.)

• Installing a shower ($1,100 - $5,100)

• Adding a new sink ($260 - $1,300)

• Building more storage ($400 - $600)

• Replacing the lights ($50 - $200)

• Installing cabinets ($2,100 - $7,200)

• Installing a new faucet ($150 - $330)

• Installing a new bathtub ($1,000 - $4,600)

• Installing or replacing a toilet ($210 - $500)

• Installing new countertops ($1,700 - $4,100)

If you decide to complete all of these projects, you might spend upwards of $8,470 to $28,430. If you want to save money -- and avoid replacing everything in your bathroom -- you could choose not to install a new bathtub/shower or new countertops and cabinets as part of your renovation. Instead, you could hire a local contractor to reface or refinish your cabinets and countertops, depending on the material they’re made of. The cost to reface cabinets is about $6,700, which is less than installing new, high-end cabinets. The cost to refinish them is only about $2,500, on average.

If you decide to keep your old bathtub, you can refinish your porcelain tub for about $470. That’s about half of what you’d pay to replace it on the low end of the spectrum.

How to Save in the Long Term

When remodeling your bathroom, think about some investments you can make that pay back in the long term. Why invest so much in a new bathroom if you can’t derive some returns from that investment? According to an infographic from Allstate & HomeAdvisor, some eco-friendly, energy-efficient improvements include: (See article: How To Save With Energy-Efficient Home Improvements.)

• Low-flow showerheads ($25 - $90): save up to 1.2 trillion gallons of water each year, and 25-60% in residential water savings.

• WaterSense toilets ($100 - $400): save about $2,000 every year in water bills for a family of four.

• WaterSense faucets ($90 - $350): cut down on 30% of unnecessary water usage in homes and save 60 billion gallons of water every year.

• CFL/LED lightbulbs ($20 - $70): consume 75% less electricity than other types of bulbs and save $40 in utility bills over the lifetime of the bulb.

The Bottom Line

The cost of remodeling your bathroom will depend greatly on key decisions you make, including whether to do the project yourself or hire a professional, and what types of fixtures you'll install. In any case, there is always an opportunity to get some returns from the investment you make in this project, if you are mindful of potential savings when you make purchasing decisions.

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