How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?

What you'll actually pay

Let's cut to the number that matters. A standard full bathroom remodel, 40 square feet at average quality, plans at $11,338 to $17,433. If you want one figure to budget around, use $14,386. That comes from Thumbtack's 2026 Xactware estimating data, which is the most granular dataset we found.

Zoom out and the market gets wider. The same Thumbtack data shows complete remodels nationally at $5,196 to $17,269, with most homeowners paying around $9,521, though that figure blends full and half baths. HomeAdvisor's 2025 survey of more than 10,000 customers lands at $6,651 to $17,657, averaging $12,151. Different methods, same ballpark.

Scope is what moves you across that market. A half bath or powder room refresh runs $1,500 to $15,000 per HomeAdvisor, or $5,809 to $9,604 for an 18 sq ft half bath per Thumbtack. A standard full bath spans $3,500 to $20,000 per HomeAdvisor, or $9,809 to $18,640 per Thumbtack. Primary bathrooms run $7,000 to $30,000 per HomeAdvisor, and a 100 sq ft master bath runs $19,974 to $59,433 per Thumbtack. At the very top, Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs Value 2025 report, which prices fixed defined scopes across 119 markets instead of surveying homeowners, reports a midrange bath remodel job at $26,138 and an upscale job at $81,612.

For perspective, a full bathroom remodel is the second most expensive project in our 2026 Home Improvement Cost Index, ranked #2 of 33 common projects by typical installed cost.

Sources: Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost, HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data], Journal of Light Construction (Zonda), Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value: 2025 Cost vs Value Report

How much does a bathroom remodel cost?

A standard full bathroom remodel, 40 square feet at average quality, plans at $11,338 to $17,433 in 2026, per Thumbtack's Xactware estimating data. Budget $14,386 if you want a single planning figure. Nationally, Thumbtack reports complete remodels at $5,196 to $17,269, with most homeowners paying around $9,521, while HomeAdvisor's 2025 survey of more than 10,000 customers lands at $6,651 to $17,657, averaging $12,151.

Scope is what moves you across that market. A refresh of a standard full bath spans $3,500 to $20,000 per HomeAdvisor, or $9,809 to $18,640 per Thumbtack. A defined-scope midrange project averages $26,138 across 119 markets per Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs Value 2025 report, and upscale scope hits $81,612. Thumbtack breaks the same 40 square foot bath into quality tiers: low $7,457 to $11,712, average $11,338 to $17,433, high $14,925 to $22,924.

Labor and materials split the total, though the exact mix depends on layout. For the 40 square foot average-quality bath, Thumbtack publishes labor at $4,878 to $6,876 and materials at $3,896 to $10,796. HomeAdvisor frames labor at 40 to 65 percent of the total, with plumbers at $45 to $200 per hour when you change the layout. Budget demolition ($1,000 to $2,300) and permits ($100 to $1,000) separately, since they often sit outside the installed quote.

Sources: Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost, HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data], Journal of Light Construction (Zonda), Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value: 2025 Cost vs Value Report

Where the money goes: labor vs materials

For that 40 sq ft average-quality bath, Thumbtack publishes the component split: labor $4,878 to $6,876, materials $3,896 to $10,796, against the installed $11,338 to $17,433. Notice the component highs add up past the installed high. That's because the splits exclude labor markups, minimums, equipment, and market price swings. We quote them verbatim instead of forcing them to fit. HomeAdvisor frames labor more broadly at 40 to 65 percent of the total project, with pros at $50 to $75 per hour and plumbers at $45 to $200 per hour when you change the layout.

Here's what the installed range actually covers: baseboards, bathtub, cabinets, counters, flooring, hardware, heating, lighting, painting, shower, sink, faucet, tiling, toilet, towel rails, and vents, per Thumbtack's listed inclusions. Two things sit outside or at the edge, so budget them separately: demolition at $1,000 to $2,300 and permits at $100 to $1,000, per HomeAdvisor. Don't assume they're included.

To price your own project before you get quotes, use our bathroom remodel cost calculator to estimate materials, labor, and fixture allowances for your scope and square footage so the budget holds.

Sources: Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost, HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data]

Fixtures and tile: the levers that move your budget

Fixtures and surfaces decide where you land inside the range. Thumbtack's quality tiers for the same 40 sq ft bath tell the story. Low tier: $7,457 to $11,712, with laminate counters, sheet vinyl flooring, and a fiberglass tub or shower. Average tier: $11,338 to $17,433, with a pre-finished vanity, granite countertop, ceramic tile flooring and tub surround, and brushed nickel finishes. High tier: $14,925 to $22,924, with a custom vanity, premium stone, and oil-rubbed finishes. Same bathroom, three very different checks. Considering an accessible upgrade instead? Our walk-in tub installation cost guide covers the therapeutic models.

Tile is the single biggest surface lever. Ceramic is the average-tier baseline; premium stone pushes you toward the high tier. HomeAdvisor adds that countertops, flooring, and fixtures are the line items most likely to move a quote, and simply keeping your existing tub instead of replacing it shifts both material and labor costs. For shower-specific numbers, our shower tiling cost guide prices tile, labor, and waterproofing separately.

Tile is usually the biggest material line in a bathroom budget, so price it separately before you commit: our bathroom tile installation cost guide breaks floors, walls, and showers into per-square-foot bands and room-size totals, including the pattern and prep costs that catch most budgets off guard.

The tub itself moves both material and labor costs: a standard alcove replacement plans at $1,500 to $2,000 installed, with freestanding and walk-in models reaching $15,000, and the surround adding $500 to $3,500. Simply keeping your existing tub and refinishing it instead is the cheapest fixture line item in the bathroom. Our bathtub replacement cost guide breaks down tub types, materials, removal, and the replace vs refinish decision.

Sources: Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost, HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data]

The plumbing trap: why moving pipes costs so much

Here's the most expensive decision you'll make: moving plumbing. HomeAdvisor prices plumbers at $45 to $200 per hour specifically for layout changes. Keep your fixtures where they are and you avoid opening walls and rerouting supply and drain lines. That one choice can save you thousands. Electrical work for lighting, heating, and ventilation adds labor but rarely dominates the bill. Price the vent fan and any in-floor heating explicitly, and you'll be fine.

Two allowances belong in every budget, no exceptions: demolition at $1,000 to $2,300 and permits at $100 to $1,000, per HomeAdvisor. Thumbtack's ranges don't itemize permit fees, and its labor splits exclude markups and minimums. So when a quote comes in below the planning range, it's often missing items, not a better deal. Swapping the tub for a shower is the most common layout change; see our breakdown of tub-to-shower conversion cost.

Sources: HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data], Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost

A real example: your standard 5x8 bathroom

Let's make it concrete. Standard 5 by 8 foot full bath, 40 sq ft, average quality, fixtures staying put, sound subfloor and walls. Low: $11,338. Typical: $14,386. High: $17,433. The published labor split for this exact scope runs $4,878 to $6,876 (midpoint $5,877) and materials $3,896 to $10,796 (midpoint $7,346). Those midpoints sum to $13,223 against the $14,386 typical. We leave the remainder unlabeled rather than inventing overhead to fill the gap.

Does it check out? Thumbtack's national typical of $9,521 blends full and half baths, so a full 40 sq ft bath planning above it is exactly what you'd expect. HomeAdvisor's $12,151 survey average sits between our low and typical. Add allowances only for what the base range excludes: demolition if you're gutting, permits per your local rules, and a contingency if you're moving the layout.

Sources: Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost, HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data]

What these numbers can and can't tell you

A quick note on where these figures come from, because it matters. This guide rests on contractor marketplace estimating data plus one tier-one industry publication, which is why we rate confidence MEDIUM, not HIGH. Thumbtack's figures are Xactware estimating data, not a survey of finished jobs, and its typical values are computed midpoints rather than published averages. HomeAdvisor surveyed 10,000-plus customers, a totally different method, which is why its typical of $12,151 differs from Thumbtack's $9,521 even though the ranges line up.

The Cost vs Value figures ($26,138 midrange, $81,612 upscale) are defined-scope job costs from 119 markets, not what homeowners actually spent, so treat them as fixed-specification benchmarks. Watch out: third-party pages have misread that report's prior-year reference column as current figures. We use only the independently verified 2025 national averages from the official publisher page. These ranges carry no regional price multipliers, permit fees aren't itemized, and we found no verified premium-finish rates beyond the quality tiers shown. Re-verify before you sign anything; this record is due for re-verification by 2027-03-29.

Sources: Thumbtack: 2026 Bathroom Remodel Cost, HomeAdvisor: Bathroom Remodel Cost [2025 Data], Journal of Light Construction (Zonda), Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value: 2025 Cost vs Value Report