The cost of bathroom remodeling often surprise homeowners.  I believe it must stem from the size of the room and therefor the perception that it must be inexpensive.  There are a few ways to tackle a bathroom remodel and it’s first a good idea to understand what the definition of a remodel is. RemodelWest approaches a bath remodel by completely removing all existing materials within the space.  This means we tear out all the cabinetry, tile, flooring, sheetrock and even the plumbing and electrical wiring.  It’s common for bathrooms to have water damage at the tub/shower locations and around the toilet.  So this is not a face lift approach but more about getting access to the skeleton of your home to be sure it is sound before you cover it up with thousands of dollars in finish materials.  Smart homeowners obtain a building permit from the city to insure that work is completed per code.  This also protects a homeowner should they decide to sell the home in the future.  Along with this comes complying to current building codes.  A few examples of the new codes are upgrading the electrical to allow dedicated circuits to the outlets that are built in breakers for safety.  This solves the all too common problem of circuits tripping and lights dimming when the hair dryer turns on.  Ventilation fans are now a requirement regardless if there is a window in the room.  No only to ventilation fans improve the indoor air quality of the room it also removes moisture created from those steamy showers.  Moisture can be very damaging and unhealthy to a space as mold and mildew can accumulate.  When you walk into many bathrooms evidence of moisture exists on the ceiling and walls as spotted black and yellow stains. Finish materials in a bathroom represent a large percentage of the cost of the project.  These materials consist of tile and stone on the floors, in the showers, at the tub surrounds and on the counters.  Cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, towel bars and accessories, and glass work represent the remainder of most bath projects.  A homeowner can drive the cost of then project by making these selections but in reality all of these cost components need to be included and the budget can only be controlled so much.  So whats the cost of a bathroom?  Attempting to determine the cost of the project before it is designed can be a bit scary for a homeowner but many attempt this with disappointing results.  Regardless I am asked this inevitable question every day and how I answer it is based on past projects.  Over the past twenty years I have amassed hundreds of projects and have a very good sense of what a successful project may cost.  So here it goes. I break bathroom remodel projects down to two types of common size and scope of work. The Hall Bath:  A hall bath typically consists of  room on an average size of 5′ x 9′, the tub at the far end across the 5′ back wall, toilet and vanity cabinet.  Each of the homes in the bay area may vary a bit in size and configuration but because they are so similar the costs come in very close.  So keep in mind what I consider a bathroom remodel.
  • Complete removal of all material and gutting down to bare studs behind the sheetrock.
  • Replacement of all mechanical systems such as plumbing, electrical, ducting.  This includes addition of electrical circuitry, lighting, ventilation fans, and new plumbing.
  • Tile or stone material on floors, shower/tubs, and counters.
  • New vanity and linen cabinetry.
  • New glass tub/shower enclosures and mirrors.
  • All labor and material to install the materials included in the contract and customer provided materials as well.
For a comprehensive and quality hall bathroom project expect to pay on average $25,000 – $30,000 The Master Bath:  The Master Bath is a bit tougher to pin down because in some homes the Master is about the same size as the hall bath and in others it’s quite larger.  You can be the judge of this when evaluating the project.  Other factors that come into play with a Master Bath is homeowners commonly upgrade the materials above a hall bath and often desire to make bigger changes.  So in addition to the typical items listed above here is what I see homeowners desiring in their Master Bath.
  • Relocation and/or addition of sinks.
  • Addition of multiple shower heads, rain heads, body sprays and hand held shower units.
  • Steam showers, heated tile flooring.
  • Skylights, Sun Tunnels and new windows.
  • Wall removal and re-location.
  • Custom closets.
For a comprehensive and quality Master bathroom project expect to pay on average $40,000 – 50,000 Some other hints when considering your remodel project.
  • The design can make or break a project whether it’s sticking to a budget or creating a beautiful room for you to enjoy.  Visit a few of my posts realted to the Value of Design to learn more.
About the author

Bill Reid

Founder and Owner of Remodel West, a residential design and construction firm, originally established as Cupertino Kitchen Design in 1992. I have created a very progressive company with a high level of quality standards. Over the years, the company has built revenues to 8.5 Million and scaled operations as we rolled with the times. By re-branding the business in 2007 to Remodel West, we aimed to better align our name with the scope of work performed. I am a Certified Graduate Remodeler through NAHB and Certified Green Building Professional through Build It Green and most recently Certified Renovator through the EPA which is now a federal requirement. My primary goals are to design and build more eco-friendly projects, to do projects for those clients seeking high quality. My professional background stems from twenty-six years of hands on experience beginning in 1985 in cabinetry design and sales, and progressed to my involvement with a startup company from 1987-1991. In 1992, at age 26, I started Cupertino Kitchen Design/RemodelWest. My strengths are creating a vision for our company, planning, and empowering our employees to accomplish our goals. Sue and I have been married 26 years with three wonderful children, Jessica, Michael and Adam and of course our dog Ellbee. We live in Los Gatos and enjoy visiting our home in Lake Almanor, fishing, brewing beer, reading and relaxing.

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