11 min read
I renovated my first bathroom in 2017 for about $4,800 — and I overspent in all the wrong places. Dropped $600 on a fancy faucet that looked identical to a $180 one. Cheaped out on the tile and spent twice as long installing it because the quality was inconsistent. Hired a plumber for work I could have done myself, then did my own electrical work that I later paid an electrician to redo because it wasn’t up to code.
Since then, I’ve done four more bathroom renovations — two in my own homes and two helping friends. Every single one taught me something new about where money actually matters and where it’s wasted. The short version: spend on waterproofing, tile quality, and plumbing rough-in. Save on fixtures, vanities, and accessories. And know exactly which tasks belong to a licensed professional before you pick up a single tool.
Realistic Budget Tiers: What You Can Actually Accomplish
Bathroom renovation costs vary wildly depending on your market, but here’s what each budget tier realistically gets you in a standard 5×8-foot bathroom. These numbers are based on my own projects and verified against Angi’s cost data for mid-range markets.
The $2,000 Refresh
At this budget, you’re not gutting anything. You’re updating surfaces and fixtures to make the room feel new without touching the layout or plumbing locations.
What you can do: Paint walls and ceiling ($50-$80 for moisture-resistant paint). Replace the vanity with a pre-built unit from a big-box store ($200-$500). Swap the faucet ($80-$180). New toilet seat ($30-$60). Replace the mirror ($50-$150). Update light fixture ($60-$200). New shower head ($30-$100). Install a peel-and-stick tile backsplash or accent wall ($100-$200). New towel bars, toilet paper holder, and robe hooks ($50-$100).
What you can’t do: Replace the tub or shower. Retile. Move plumbing. Replace the toilet (though at $130-$250, a new toilet is worth stretching the budget for).
A $2,000 refresh done well can make a dated bathroom look modern. I did exactly this in a rental property — painted the walls a clean white, replaced the builder-grade vanity with a 30-inch Glacier Bay unit from Home Depot ($280), swapped the chrome fixtures for matte black, and added a framed mirror. Total spend: $1,850. The bathroom went from “1998 beige” to “2024 clean” in a weekend.
The $5,000 Renovation
This is the sweet spot for most homeowners. Five thousand dollars lets you replace nearly everything in a small bathroom without moving plumbing — and that “without moving plumbing” part is key, because relocating water supply or drain lines is where costs explode.
What you can do: Everything in the $2,000 tier, plus: tear out and replace the floor tile ($300-$700 for materials, DIY labor). Retile the tub surround or shower walls ($400-$1,000 for materials). Replace the toilet ($130-$250). Install a new tub-shower faucet valve ($150-$300 for a pro to swap the valve). New vanity with stone or quartz top ($400-$900). Add a bathroom exhaust fan or replace the existing one ($100-$250 including venting).
What you can’t do: Replace the tub/shower base itself (unless you find a great deal and do it yourself — tight but possible). Full custom tile work with complex patterns. Heated floors (materials alone are $400-$800).
The $10,000 Full Gut
Ten thousand dollars opens the door to a complete tear-down-to-studs renovation, as long as you’re not making major plumbing relocations and you’re doing most of the labor yourself. If you’re hiring everything out, $10,000 in a high-cost market might only cover a mid-range update.
What you can do: Demo everything to the studs. Replace or repair subfloor if needed. Since the walls are open, this is also the ideal time to add or upgrade insulation on any exterior walls before you close them up again. Full waterproofing with Kerdi membrane or RedGard. Floor-to-ceiling tile in the shower. New floor tile throughout. New tub or shower base ($300-$1,200). Full vanity upgrade with quartz countertop. New toilet. All new fixtures and accessories. Upgraded electrical with GFCI outlets. Proper ventilation. Heated towel bar ($150-$300). Possibly heated floor if you DIY the mat installation.
My most recent full gut came in at $8,900 for a 5×8 bathroom. That included a Kohler Villager alcove tub ($280), Schluter Kerdi waterproofing system ($350), floor-to-ceiling subway tile in the shower ($480 in materials), 12×24 porcelain floor tile ($320), a 36-inch vanity with quartz top ($650), and all new Moen fixtures in brushed nickel ($380 total). The remaining $5,440 went to a plumber for the rough-in ($1,800), an electrician for the fan and GFCI circuits ($600), cement board, thinset, grout, paint, and all the small stuff that adds up faster than you’d expect.
What to DIY and What to Hire Out
This is where most renovation guides get it wrong. They either tell you to DIY everything (bad advice — some tasks require licensing and expertise) or hire everything out (expensive and unnecessary for a capable homeowner). Here’s the honest breakdown.
Always Hire a Licensed Professional
Plumbing rough-in: Moving or replacing drain lines, supply lines in walls, and shower valve installation. In most jurisdictions this requires a permit and licensed plumber. Even where it doesn’t, getting the drain slope wrong (1/4 inch per foot minimum) or cross-connecting supply lines creates problems you won’t discover until there’s water damage. My rule: anything behind the wall is a plumber’s job. Budget $800-$2,500 depending on scope.
Electrical work beyond fixture swaps: Adding new circuits, moving outlets, installing exhaust fan wiring — these require a permit and inspection in most areas. An electrician charges $200-$600 for a typical bathroom electrical update. Cheap insurance against a house fire.
Structural changes: If you’re removing a wall, enlarging a doorway, or altering any framing, get a contractor involved. What looks like a non-load-bearing wall might carry ceiling joists or roof loads. I’ve seen too many DIY disasters where someone knocked out a wall and the ceiling sagged.
Sometimes DIY, Sometimes Hire Out
Fixture installation (faucets, toilets, shower heads): Most homeowners can handle these. Toilets are straightforward — wax ring, two bolts, water supply line. Faucets range from easy (single-hole) to annoying (widespread with pop-up drain). While you’re at it, this is a good time to tackle any slow drains — our guide on how to unclog a drain covers the techniques you’ll need. If you’re comfortable following instructions and own a basin wrench ($12 at any hardware store), save the plumber’s service call fee ($150-$250) and do it yourself.
Tile work: This one depends entirely on your patience level and expectations. A simple subway tile layout on a flat wall is achievable for a first-timer — I’d recommend watching a few hours of NKBA-certified installer videos and practicing cuts before starting. Complex patterns, large-format tiles (24-inch and up), and shower floor tile with proper slope are significantly harder. My first shower tile job took me 40 hours. My most recent took 12. Experience matters enormously.
Great DIY Tasks
Demolition: Tearing out the old bathroom is physically demanding but technically simple. Protect the tub if you’re keeping it (drop cloth and cardboard), turn off the water, disconnect fixtures, and start removing tile, drywall, and the vanity. Rent a dumpster ($300-$500 for a 10-yard) rather than making 15 trips to the dump.
Cement board installation: Hanging cement board (Durock, HardieBacker) on the walls is basically the same as hanging drywall, just heavier and dustier. Score and snap, screw to studs with cement board screws, tape joints with alkali-resistant mesh tape and thinset. Takes a few hours.
Painting: Use a quality bathroom-specific paint with mold resistance — Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa or Sherwin-Williams Emerald are both excellent. Two coats on properly primed surfaces. Budget a full day including prep and cleanup.
Vanity and mirror installation: Pre-assembled vanities from Home Depot, Lowe’s, or?”most pre-built units are level enough to install with just a few shims, some silicone, and basic tools. Find the studs, screw the vanity to the wall, hook up the drain and supply lines. A couple of hours, tops.
Best Value Upgrades: Where Your Money Shows
Not all bathroom upgrades are created equal. Some deliver a huge visual or functional impact for minimal cost. Others are expensive and barely noticeable. Here’s where I’d spend strategically.
Tile: The Biggest Visual Impact
Tile is the single most transformative element in a bathroom renovation. Good tile makes a cheap vanity look intentional. Bad tile makes an expensive vanity look out of place.
For the shower walls, classic 3×6 white subway tile runs $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot. At that price, you can tile floor-to-ceiling for under $200 in materials. Bump up to a 4×12 or 3×12 format for a more contemporary look at $2-$4 per square foot — still affordable.
For floors, 12×24 porcelain tile in a stone or concrete look gives you an upscale appearance for $2-$5 per square foot. A 40-square-foot bathroom floor costs $80-$200 in tile. Skip the small mosaic tiles for floors unless you enjoy spending three times as long on installation and grout maintenance.
Spend on your grout. Unsanded grout for narrow joints under 1/8 inch, sanded for wider joints. Epoxy grout (Spectralock or similar, about $40-$60 per box) is dramatically easier to maintain than cement grout — it doesn’t stain, doesn’t need sealing, and stays looking new for years. The upfront cost is higher but the lifetime value is better.
Lighting: Cheap to Upgrade, Massive Effect
Replacing a single builder-grade “Hollywood bar” light fixture with a pair of sconces flanking the mirror costs $120-$300 and completely changes the feel of the room. Side-mounted lights at eye level eliminate the harsh shadows that overhead lighting creates — your face actually looks good in the mirror, which is the whole point of bathroom lighting.
Add a recessed light or flush-mount LED in the shower area ($30-$80 for a rated fixture) and you’ve got layered lighting that makes the room feel larger and more polished. Use 2700K to 3000K color temperature for a warm, flattering light. Anything above 4000K turns your bathroom into a clinical exam room.
Fixtures: The Smart Splurge Zone
You touch your faucet and shower valve every single day. These are the fixtures worth spending a bit more on — both for durability and for the tactile satisfaction of a quality product.
For the shower, a Moen Posi-Temp valve ($60-$90 for the valve, $100-$200 for the trim kit) with a rain shower head ($40-$80) is the best mid-range setup I’ve found. Moen’s cartridge has a lifetime warranty, and the pressure-balancing valve means nobody gets scalded when someone flushes a toilet. Delta’s Monitor series is equally solid.
For the vanity faucet, skip the $30 builder-grade and skip the $600 designer piece. The $100-$200 range from Moen, Delta, or Kohler gets you a solid brass body, ceramic disc cartridges that last 10+ years, and a finish that won’t corrode. I’ve had a Moen Align in brushed nickel for five years — still looks and works like new.
Save money on the toilet. A $130-$180 Toto Drake or American Standard Cadet will outperform most $400 toilets. Both flush reliably, use 1.28 gallons per flush, and meet EPA WaterSense certification standards. The Drake has been the best-selling toilet for professionals for years because it just works.
Waterproofing: The Part You Can’t Afford to Cheap Out On
This is the least glamorous topic in bathroom renovation and by far the most critical. A beautiful tile job over a leaking shower will destroy your framing, subfloor, and potentially the ceiling below within a few years. I’ve torn out showers where the studs behind the tile were black with mold — all because someone tiled directly over drywall without any waterproofing.
There are two main approaches for shower waterproofing, and both work well when installed correctly:
Liquid-applied membranes (RedGard, Hydroban, Mapei AquaDefense): Paint-on waterproofing that goes directly over cement board. Two coats, let each dry to the color specified on the label (RedGard turns from pink to solid red when dry). Reinforce all seams, corners, and fastener heads with fabric membrane tape embedded in the first coat. Cost: about $80-$120 for a full tub surround.
Sheet membranes (Schluter Kerdi, Laticrete Hydro Ban Sheet): Thin waterproof sheets bonded to the substrate with unmodified thinset. More labor-intensive to install but creates an absolutely reliable waterproof layer. Kerdi is the system I use — it integrates with Kerdi-Band for seams, Kerdi-Seal for pipe penetrations, and the Kerdi-Drain for the shower floor. The full system runs $250-$400 for a standard shower but I sleep well knowing there’s zero chance of a leak.
Whichever system you choose, extend the waterproofing at least 6 inches above the shower head height and across the entire shower floor. The shower curb gets waterproofed too — water hits it constantly and it’s a common failure point. And test your waterproofing before tiling: plug the drain, fill the pan with a couple inches of water, and wait 24 hours. If the water level drops, find and fix the leak before a single tile goes up.
The Renovation Timeline: How Long This Actually Takes
Every bathroom renovation takes longer than you expect. Plan for it so you’re not caught off guard with your only bathroom torn apart and no end in sight.
$2,000 refresh: One weekend for paint, vanity swap, and fixture updates. Two weekends if you’re adding a tile accent wall.
$5,000 renovation with tile: Two to three weekends for a dedicated DIYer. Demo and prep in weekend one. Cement board, waterproofing, and shower tile in weekend two. Floor tile, grouting, vanity, toilet, and fixtures in weekend three. Add buffer time for thinset and grout curing — don’t rush these steps.
$10,000 full gut: Three to five weekends, assuming you have professionals handling plumbing and electrical during the week. Coordinating subcontractor schedules is the biggest variable. My last full gut took four weekends of my labor plus two weekday visits from the plumber and one from the electrician.
If this bathroom is your only one, have a plan for the downtime. A gym membership with shower access, a neighbor’s goodwill, or a temporary camping shower in the garage can keep the household functional while the renovation drags on.
Mistakes That Blow the Budget
I’ve made most of these. Learn from my expensive education.
Moving the toilet location. Relocating a toilet means moving the 3-inch drain line — which often means cutting concrete if you’re on a slab foundation. Budget $1,500-$3,000 just for the plumbing. If the existing toilet location works, keep it there.
Changing the shower from a tub to a walk-in. This involves new drain work, potentially a new shower pan (custom or prefab), and waterproofing a larger area. It’s worth it if that’s your goal, but budget accordingly — $2,000-$4,000 for the conversion alone.
Discovering hidden water damage. When you pull off old tile and find rotted studs or subfloor, the renovation stops while you deal with structural repairs. I budget an extra 15% contingency for every bathroom project specifically for this possibility. In the five bathrooms I’ve done, three had some level of hidden damage.
Over-buying tile. Buy 10% overage for cuts and waste — standard practice. But 30% overage “just in case” ties up hundreds of dollars. Most stores accept returns of unopened boxes within 30-90 days. Buy what you need plus 10%, keep your receipt, and return the extras.
Choosing trendy over timeless. That bold geometric tile pattern is going to look very 2024 in 2030. White subway tile, simple floor patterns, and neutral colors have looked appropriate for decades and will continue to. Save the bold choices for easily replaceable elements — paint color, towels, accessories — not permanent tilework.
Start With a Plan, Not a Sledgehammer
Before you swing a hammer, measure your bathroom and sketch the layout. Note the locations of the drain, supply lines, electrical outlets, and vent stack. Decide what’s staying and what’s going. Make a materials list with quantities and prices. Then add 15% to the total for surprises.
Order materials at least two weeks before your planned start date. Tile, vanities, and specialty items have unpredictable stock levels, and nothing kills renovation momentum like waiting three weeks for a backordered shower valve. Check everything when it arrives — damaged tile and incorrect vanity sizes are shockingly common with shipped orders.
A bathroom renovation done right adds real value to your home — mid-range bathroom remodels typically recoup 60% to 70% of their cost at resale, and you can use an ROI calculator to estimate the return for your specific budget tier. The daily quality-of-life improvement starts the moment you finish. Take your time, spend where it matters, save where it doesn’t, and don’t skip the waterproofing.
