If you are planning a bathroom renovation project in the UK, cost is one of the biggest factors to consider when undertaking any home modernisation project, and a bathroom remodel is no exception.

To help you plan your bathroom renovation project, we have created a comprehensive guide to typical bathroom renovation cost in the UK. Our bathroom renovation UK guide will help you break down each element of bathroom design and provide you with specific information on the cost of fittings and labour in the UK market.

With our bathroom renovation UK guide, you can easily achieve your dream bathroom without spending a fortune. You'll be able to see what's involved in the renovation process and how much it will set you back. Whether you want to update your fixtures and fittings or completely renovate your bathroom, our guide will give you the information you need to make informed decisions.

How much does it cost to fit a new bathroom?

A complete bathroom renovation may seem like a big ask, but the great news is, there’s no reason why the cost of your bathroom remodel needs to get out of our control. You can easily achieve your dream bathroom without spending a fortune; our bathroom renovation cost guide will break down each element of bathroom design in order to help you to see what is involved and how much this will set you back.

Bathroom renovation cost can vary widely from project to project, but the average cost of new bathroom remodel is around £6,500. This includes everything from replacing outdated plumbing and fixtures to completely renovating the space.

Whilst you will only be able to determine the exact cost of your bathroom renovation after comparing quotes and prices for fittings and labour, it helps to approach things logically by listing cost factors to assess your priorities.

Decide on your budget

When deciding on your bathroom remodel budget, it's important to consider all the potential costs involved. Putting together a spreadsheet, or even just a list with a pencil and paper, will help you to keep track of all estimated and actual costs for your bathroom renovation.

You might have to compromise on a few aspects to accommodate your budget depending on your flexibility – be sure to always research your options, as there may be viable alternatives that you haven’t thought of.

Nonetheless, some bathroom renovation costs are unavoidable, and it’s essential not to neglect the basics.

Breakdown of bathroom renovation costs

Let’s breakdown the average bathroom renovation cost in the UK, so you can plan your project effectively and avoid any unexpected expenses.

• Plumbing costs: water supply, heating and drainpipes
• Electrical costs: wiring, lighting and ventilation
• Bathroom fittings: baths, taps, toilets, basins, showers, storage
• Wall décor: bathroom wall panels, tiles, paint, wallpaper
• Waterproof flooring
• Labour: preparation and installation

Factors affecting bathroom renovation cost

Bathroom size

Large bathrooms provide more space, but you’ll need more fittings and fixtures to fill It up. This will naturally make your final cost considerably larger, however, small bathroom renovation costs can still get out of hand if not correctly managed.

Structural changes

Installing skylights, new windows, transferring plumbing or electrical points, replastering walls etc are all considered a structural change. These will also add value to the overall cost.

Quality of materials and fittings

There is a wide variety of different options and fittings available when it comes to bathroom fittings and choosing better quality products comes at a price.

Desired look

A smaller budget can clean, polish and upgrade your current fixtures, but for a complete renovation, you will need a bigger budget.

The most common form of bathroom wall décor is tiles, but they are also the most expensive option. Depending on the type of tile you choose, labour costs, and the size of your bathroom, the cost to tile a bathroom can range from £1,500 to £5,000 or more.

The type of tile you select will have the greatest influence on the overall cost of your project. Ceramic tiles are generally the most affordable option, while porcelain, marble, and natural stone tiles are more expensive. They come in at around £25 per square meter at the lowest end of the spectrum.  When factoring in bathroom installation cost as well as adhesive and grout, these can be an extremely expensive option.

To help prevent spiralling bathroom remodel costs, we much prefer to use bathroom wall panels – they’re cheaper, easier to install, waterproof and come in a wider variety of styles and aesthetics to fit your plans for the perfect bathroom. You can even install them yourself with one of our handy installation video guides.

Plumbing costs

Whether you can do it yourself or need to use professionals, you should carefully plan the plumbing layout for your bathroom. It’s always a good idea, where possible, to use your existing plumbing layout.

Doing something so small as moving the toilet could escalate costs more than you might think. Moving the water supply and drainpipes alone will require skilled labour and means breaking into a lot of walls and floors. However, moving the suite around in a small bathroom renovation can be quite challenging. It requires a lot of planning and careful consideration when deciding the best layout for the bathroom. You must consider the size of the suite, the amount of space available, the type of plumbing and electrical work required, and the design of the bathroom itself. Taking all these factors into account can help you create the most efficient and cost-effective layout for your bathroom renovation.

When it comes to moving the suite around during a bathroom renovation, it is essential to take into account the access points of the suite. If the suite has limited access, it may be necessary to use more creative solutions such as wall-mounted fixtures or smaller pieces of furniture. Also, you should think about how the existing fittings will fit within the new layout. If you are planning on replacing existing fixtures with new ones, you should make sure that you have enough space to accommodate them.

If you do have to move the suite around during your bathroom installation, pipework may need to be moved. There isn’t really a set price for the plumbing requirements of a bathroom remodel – it depends entirely on the amount of piping that needs to be installed as well as the labour requirements. Steel or copper pipe prices start from around £2.60 in the UK, and galvanised pipes have an average cost of around £6.70.

If there are any significant changes to the existing plumbing layout, the cost for plumbing services can jump by hundreds of pounds.

Electrical costs

The price for electrical wiring alterations can be kept to a minimum, depending on the fixtures that you choose. A luxury bath or shower can require additional wiring if they use a pump. Electrical fixtures to consider when calculating renovation costs are:

• Lighting
• Ventilation fans
• Power outlets
• Circuits

How much does it cost to install a bathroom suite?

The cost of to install a bathroom suite can be considerably less than buying each item individually. However, you may not want fixtures that match each other perfectly, or you may not need a whole suite if you are replacing specific items.

Bath prices

Our full guide on how to choose the perfect bath for your bathroom can help guide you with this, but generally speaking, baths start at around £80 and can be as expensive as £1500. The average cost of a bath will be between £250 and £700, and this doesn’t include any installation costs.

How much should you pay for a shower?

There are many different kinds of showers and costs that come along with these, but for the physical shower itself, expect costs starting at £50. More expensive showers can cost as much as £2000, but on average, cost will be between £70 and £500.

Basin costs

Our full guide on how to choose the ideal basin for your space can be found here. A simple ceramic pedestal basin will start at around £50, but for more expensive materials and basin shapes, you can expect to pay around £300.

How much does a toilet cost?

First, you have to decide on the perfect toilet design for your space, as matching your bathroom suite can create a consistent style. Toilets usually start at around £50, but can cost as much as £500 for particularly sophisticated models.

Cost of new taps

Again, there are a wide variety of different taps on offer – our guide to taps can be found here. Taps are a relatively inexpensive feature, starting at £30, but they can cost in excess of £100 for particularly intricate models.

Heating options

You will also need to consider where you will install a heating source, and how that will function. A heated towel rail is usually the most common option, but underfloor heating is becoming more popular over time. These costs will depend entirely on your personal preferences, with average towel rail prices starting from around £50.

Then, installation costs will apply too.

What are the bathroom installation costs?

If you're planning a bathroom renovation, it's essential to keep the bathroom installation cost in mind. A bathroom renovation should take around 2-3 days, even for a bigger bathroom. However, the bathroom installation cost will depend on the individual labourer, the complexity of the renovation and the amount of work required.

Labour estimations are impossible to work out, so we recommend asking around for quotes to get a general idea of how much the labour will cost for your bathroom renovation.

There are plenty of things to consider when hiring a bathroom fitter, so make sure you shop around and do your research before making any final decisions.