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Typical UK bathroom renovation costs (indicative)
Bathroom renovation prices vary widely — the size of the room, the specification of the fittings and how much building work is involved all push the figure significantly. The ranges below are typical 2026 UK prices for a complete bathroom renovation including labour, materials, plumbing and electrics. They're indicative, not fixed — every project should be quoted properly after a site visit.
Small bathroom / en-suite (basic spec) Like-for-like rip-out, mid-range fittings, standard ceramic tiles, no layout changes. | £5,000 – £8,000 |
Standard family bathroom (mid-range) Quality fittings, porcelain tiles to floor + walls, possibly small layout tweaks. | £8,000 – £15,000 |
Premium / spa-style bathroom Walk-in shower, freestanding bath, large-format porcelain or natural stone, underfloor heating, premium hardware. | £15,000 – £30,000 |
Luxury / wet room with full rebuild Structural changes, bespoke joinery, top-tier brassware (e.g. Vola, Lefroy Brooks), full tanking, smart controls. | £30,000 – £60,000+ |
What actually drives the cost
Two bathrooms of the same square-metre can quote very differently. The big drivers are usually a combination of building work, fitting choices and tile spec.
- Walls or services moving. Knocking out a stud wall, repositioning soil pipes or moving the toilet across the room adds builder + plumber days and almost always needs Building Control sign-off.
- Tile choice. Standard ceramic walls can be tiled in a day; large-format porcelain on the floor with herringbone walls is 3–5 times the labour at a higher material cost.
- Walk-in shower vs enclosure. A walk-in or wet room needs proper falls in the floor, full tanking and frameless glass — premium look, premium cost. A standard quadrant enclosure is a fraction.
- Underfloor heating. Electric mat retrofit on top of the existing floor is the most affordable; wet UFH from a manifold is more expensive but more efficient long-term.
- Brassware brand. A full set of premium taps + shower mixer + waste from a brand like Hansgrohe or Vola can be £2,000–£8,000 of the budget alone.
- Bath choice. A standard acrylic bath is £200–£400; a freestanding stone-composite bath is £1,500–£4,000+ and needs a stronger floor.
Cost breakdown by trade and material
For a typical £10,000–£15,000 mid-range bathroom renovation in the UK, here's roughly how the budget splits. Percentages vary, but the proportions are a useful sanity check when comparing quotes.
Labour (plumber, tiler, builder, electrician) | 40–50% |
Tiles + waterproofing materials | 15–25% |
Sanitaryware (bath, basin, toilet, shower) | 12–18% |
Brassware (taps, mixer, waste) | 8–15% |
Underfloor heating + electrics | 5–10% |
Sundries + waste removal | 2–5% |
How long it takes
Most full bathroom renovations take 1–2 weeks on site once trades start. A simple like-for-like swap can be done in 4–5 days; a walk-in shower with underfloor heating and large-format porcelain typically runs closer to 10–14 days. Wet rooms or projects with layout changes can stretch to 3 weeks with the curing time for waterproofing membranes and screeds.
Getting a realistic quote
Online cost calculators give you a rough range but a real quote needs a site visit. A good contractor will measure up, ask what fittings you have in mind (or recommend ranges to suit your budget), check the existing pipework and walls, and come back with a written quote that itemises labour, materials and any provisional sums for things that can't be confirmed until the room is stripped.
Beware of quotes that don't break down the cost — you'll have no way to compare like-for-like with the next builder. And ignore anyone who gives you a fixed price over the phone before they've seen the room. The variance between bathrooms is too high for that to be honest.
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