How Much Does A New Bathroom Cost?
So, you’re tired of the original cracked tile around toilet? Maybe there is a slow leak in the shower and in your heart, you know caulk shouldn’t be the only thing between the water and a growing stain in the living room ceiling. You’ve also been thinking about what your neighbors up the street did to their bathroom and the thought of heat in the floor during those cold Baltimore winters make your feet melt. How much is this new bathroom going cost? The bathroom has the second most products (behind the kitchen) and costs and budgets can have a wide range.
Unlike the kitchen, it is harder to do a minor update to the bathroom and get that update feel you get with new kitchen counter-tops or appliances. A new vanity and medicine cabinet can be a nice update, but if you get much more then that, the plumbing comes into play to a greater extent. If the bathroom has a mud set floor, meaning the tile is set in 3-4” mortar bed, the plumbing will need to be updated if it hasn’t already. Poor water pressure can be corrected by new risers (hot and cold water supply) to the basement. If the home is newer without a mudset floor, the remodel can be much easier.
Another major factor that can effect price is that if there is tile mudset in the wall, along with plaster over wire lath. During demolition, the removal of the wire lath, tile and plaster can be messy and time consuming.
Some of the factors that go into the costs of a new bathroom include:
- Demolition
- Plumbing by licensed plumber
- Carpenter’s labor
- Tile Setter
- Electrical work by licensed electrician
- Plumbing Fixtures
- Accessories and Hardware
- Number of fixtures (ie, tub, shower, toilet, etc.
- Type and style of tile
- Custom glass for shower
- Handshowers and body sprays
- Pocket doors
- Heated Floors
- Moving walls
- Tile or Prefab shower base
Choosing natural stone or marble can effect the costs, too. Expect to use more marble than ceramic as marble is prone to breaking. Considering fancy or diagonal patterns? These will increase the waste or amount of tile required to do the job and the amount of labor required. A tile shower floor will also require more labor and material than a simple prefabricated shower pan.
Other factors can play a role in the costs. Is the bathroom on the third floor? Is the bathroom in a condo where when the water is shut off, the entire condo looses water? Also, the finish of the fixtures will effect the cost, too. As one can imagine, many factors contribute to how much a new bathroom costs.
A modest three piece 5×8 bathroom can average $25,000-$30,000. A master bathroom can average $35,000-$40,000. A higher end bathroom can range from $40,000-$70,000. A new basement bathroom with shower, vanity and new toilet can average $20,000. Figuring out a budget, and designing the room to fit within that budget can be assisted using a wants and needs list. Heat should be high up on the needs list and how that need can be satisfied can be done in several ways. Wants might include special finishes, custom mirrors, and natural stone tile.
