Bathroom Renovation Cost Estimator: Build a Real 2026 Budget

There's a difference between a price and an estimate. A price is what one contractor will do it for. An estimate is what the work should cost anywhere — and once you can build one, no bid can surprise you.

The Eleven Line Items in Every Bathroom Renovation

• Demolition and disposal: $600–$1,800
• Rough plumbing (no relocation): $900–$2,200 · with relocation: $2,500–$6,000
• Electrical, GFCI and exhaust fan: $650–$2,000
• Framing and blocking: $300–$1,200
• Waterproofing and backer board: $500–$1,600
• Tile material: $3–$18 per sq ft · tile labor: $9–$22 per sq ft
• Tub or shower base: $450–$3,500
• Shower glass: $700–$3,200
• Vanity, top and faucet: $800–$4,500
• Paint, trim and accessories: $400–$1,200
• Permits and general conditions: $400–$1,500

A Worked Example: 45 Sq Ft Hall Bath

Keep the layout, replace everything, mid-range finishes. Demo $1,100 · plumbing $1,600 · electrical $950 · waterproofing $900 · tile 110 sq ft at $6 material and $14 labor = $2,200 · shower base and valve $1,300 · glass door $1,500 · vanity package $1,900 · paint and trim $700 · permits $600. Subtotal $12,750. Add 12% contingency: $14,280.

Where Estimates Go Wrong

1. Forgetting tile labor is usually double tile material.
2. Pricing a vanity but not the top, faucet, drain and install.
3. Ignoring the exhaust fan and code-required makeup air.
4. Assuming the shower glass is included — it's almost always a separate vendor.
5. No contingency. This is the single most common budget failure.

Trimming the Estimate Without Cheapening It

Tile the wet walls to ceiling and paint the rest. Choose a stock vanity in a standard width. Keep to 12×24 porcelain rather than mosaic fields. Reuse the existing toilet location. You can save $3,000–$5,000 on a mid-range bath with those four calls alone, and no guest will ever notice.

FAQ

How do I estimate a bathroom renovation cost?

Total the eleven standard line items — demo, plumbing, electrical, framing, waterproofing, tile, shower or tub, glass, vanity, paint and permits — then add a 10–15% contingency. That total should track within 15% of real bids in your market.

What percent of a bathroom renovation is labor?

Roughly 55–65% in 2026. In high-cost metros like San Francisco and New York it can reach 70%, which is why identical material lists produce wildly different totals across the country.

How much contingency should I hold?

Ten percent for a home built after 2000, and fifteen to twenty percent for anything pre-1980 where plumbing, wiring and subfloor surprises are common.