How Much Does A Small Bathroom Remodel Cost? (2024)

You can break down the cost of your small bathroom remodel by looking at the cost of labor, materials and any permits you may need to complete your project.

Labor

The type of labor for your bathroom remodel makes a difference in how much you dish out. Anticipate spending between $20 and $150 per square foot when you hire a general contractor and between $180 and $650 an hour for various plumbing and electrical work.

Materials

Material costs depend on what you plan on using for your remodel. You could spend $1,700 to redo everything in your small bathroom with low-end materials or spend up to $17,000 to use high-end options.

Any Permits

Not all small bathroom remodeling projects require permits, but if yours does, you could spend anywhere from $50 to $450 depending on where you live and local municipality requirements.

Completely renovating your small bathroom with the lowest-priced materials costs $1,700, while a total small bathroom remodel with high-end components such as marble tile and brass hardware can cost over $17,000. Refer to the following chart to help you determine which types of remodeling materials you should cut costs on and which you may want to splurge on:

Accessories

Your bathroom essentials include a shower head, towel rack, mirrors, hooks and lights. These items might not amount to much individually, but collectively, you could spend anywhere from $100 to $750 on average.

• Hooks: $5 to $15 each
• Lights: $50 to $250
• Mirror: $20 to $180
• Showerhead: $10 to $200
• Towel rack: $15 to $120

Bathtub

A new bathtub costs between $1,000 and $5,000 or $2,500 on average. You’ll spend the most to have a soak in a ceramic or granite bathtub and the least to relax in an acrylic, fiberglass or enameled steel bathtub.

Countertop

Countertops in a small bathroom cost between $90 and $1,250 or between $30 and $180 per square foot. The average small bathroom countertops have a width ranging from 24 to 48 inches and a depth of between 18 to 21 inches or 3 to 7 square feet. Laminate countertops cost the least while marble countertops cost the most.

Flooring

Flooring costs between $1 and $10 per square foot on average for the materials. You’ll pay between $35 and $400. With labor, you’ll spend closer to $3 to $17 per square foot or $100 to $675.

Paint

The cost to paint a small bathroom ranges from $60 to $250. One can of interior paint costs around $60 and covers up to 400 square feet, but you may need to apply several coats of paint or factor in the cost of painting your bathroom cabinets, trim, baseboards and ceilings.

Shower

A small shower remodel costs between $200 and $8,500 on average for the materials. Prefabricated shower inserts cost as little as $200, while walk-in showers start at $400 and increase up to $8,500 depending on the materials and quality. An average tub and shower combo costs around $3,000.

Toilet

A new toilet costs anywhere between $100 and $450 on average, depending on the type of toilet you choose. One-piece toilets cost slightly less than two-piece versions. With labor, you’ll spend closer to the range of $225 to $700.

Vanity

Installing a vanity costs between $150 and $700. A vanity includes the sink, countertop and under-sink storage space in your bathroom. The smallest, 24-inch-wide vanities cost the least, while a small full bathroom vanity costs between $500 to $700.

The style of your small bathroom can impact the price, with half baths or powder rooms coming in at half the cost of a full bath. Here’s what you need to know.

Half Bath or Powder Room

You’ll pay between $1,100 and $5,000 to remodel a half bath or powder room. These smaller spaces average around 16 to 20 square feet.

Full Bath

The average small, full-bath bathroom is between 35 and 40 square feet, so you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 to remodel a full bath.

You can face several factors that impact the cost of your small bathroom remodel, including the size of your bathroom space and the quality of the materials.

Bathroom Size

The average bathroom remodel costs between $70 and $225 per square foot. In other words, the bigger the bathroom, the higher the price. Most small bathrooms range from 35 to 45 square feet, meaning you’ll pay between $2,500 and $10,000 on average, but smaller half-baths or powder rooms that are 16 square feet may cost as little as $1,100.

Material Quality

With so many options for remodeling a bathroom, the types of materials you choose can make or break the bank. High-end materials like stone tiles, smart toilets as well as natural stone shower, bath and countertop materials can double or even triple the cost of your bathroom remodel.

You’ve calculated the cost of materials based on the size of your small bathroom, but there are still several additional costs to consider before you tally up a total price estimate. Check out the following extras that may increase your small bathroom remodeling budget.

Bathroom Design

Hiring an interior designer costs between $100 and $200 per hour on average. Since your space is small, your interior designer may only need two or three hours to design your bathroom. If you know what you want and communicate your project’s scope clearly, you can save time and money. On the other hand, if you’re unsure of your plan or have a complex design, it could take your designer longer and increase prices.

Plumbing

The cost to hire a plumber falls between $130 and $150 per hour for basic services and between $170 and $500 an hour for larger remodels like installing pipes, showers, bathtubs or toilets.

Electrical Wiring

If you need new wiring for light switches and light fixtures in your bathroom, you may need to hire an electrician near you on top of hiring a plumber. Electricians charge between $50 and $150 an hour on average.

Removal and Disposal

Junk removal costs between $100 and $600 on average, depending on the size of the waste. You may need to either haul the waste left from the remodel away yourself or hire a junk removal company to do the job.

Though small, even modest bathroom remodels have a way of stacking up in costs. For the most economical remodeling project, consider the following tips on how to save on a small bathroom remodel:

1. Choose the most important parts to remodel instead of trying to redo the entire bathroom.
2. Pick cost-friendly, durable materials.
3. DIY what you feel confident about remodeling.
4. Remove items in your bathroom yourself to save on labor costs.
5. Know your plan before you work with an interior designer.

DIYing your small bathroom remodel could save you anywhere from 40% to 50% on the total cost. If you choose the lowest-priced materials and install them yourself, you could spend just $1,700 to fully upgrade your bathroom, but if you choose high-end materials, this price could exceed $17,000.

Remember, hiring a general contractor costs anywhere between $20 and $150 per square foot. Since a small bathroom ranges from 16 to 45 square feet, DIYing your small bathroom remodel could save you between $320 and $6,000.

While you can DIY some of the material installations that you’d otherwise hire a general contractor for, you shouldn’t attempt to work with electricity or plumbing systems without experience. For installing a new toilet, shower, sink, electrical outlets and light fixtures, you’ll want to factor in $180 and $650 an hour for the costs of hiring a plumber and an electrician near you.

Keep in mind, DIYing a small bathroom remodel is no easy feat. Depending on the complexity of the project, you could spend days—if not weeks—remodeling your bathroom yourself. You’ll need to factor in the following:

• Collecting the right tools for the job
• Removing old flooring, countertops, vanities, showers, baths, toilets and more
• Gathering all of the correct materials from various suppliers and manufacturers
• Ensuring you have the correct sizing for all new materials
• Properly utilizing every square inch of space
• Disposing of old materials

To arrive at the average costs in this article, we surveyed nine contractors and retailers and five local and national cost databases. All averaged figures were correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.