“How much does a bathroom remodel cost?” is the first question almost every Seattle and Eastside homeowner asks us. The answer depends on your room. Two bathrooms of the same size can land far apart on price because of what you are changing, what you are installing and what turns up behind the walls. These are the four things that drive the number.

1. The size of the room and how much you change

Square footage matters, but scope matters more. Replacing a shower or tub is a very different job from taking a bathroom down to the studs, and the time on site shows it:

• Shower or tub replacement: usually three to five days.
• Tub-to-shower conversion or layout update: usually five to ten days.
• Full remodel (flooring, vanity, lighting and tile): typically two to four weeks from demolition to final walkthrough.

More days on site and more trades involved mean a bigger quote. A larger room also means more tile, more flooring and more wall to waterproof and finish, so a primary bathroom costs more to redo than a powder room with the same finishes.

2. Whether the layout or plumbing moves

Keeping the toilet, shower and vanity where they are is the most economical way to remodel. Moving them is where costs climb: relocating a drain or supply line means opening floors and walls, rerouting pipe and finishing everything back. Electrical work such as new lighting, outlets or ventilation adds to the scope in the same way.

That does not mean you should not move anything. Sometimes a new layout is the whole point, like trading a tub you never use for a walk-in shower, or making room for a double vanity. We handle layout changes, plumbing relocations and electrical upgrades, and they are one of the biggest factors in price.

Before and after: a drop-in tub and travertine tile replaced by a walk-in glass shower and a freestanding soaking tub. See more of our recent work.

3. The materials you choose

Fixtures, tile, vanities and counters span a wide range of prices, and tile affects labor as well as materials: small or intricate patterns take longer to set than large-format pieces. A stock vanity costs less than a custom one, and the same goes for most fixtures.

We work with established names like Kohler, Delta, Moen, Toto and Schluter, along with regional tile and stone suppliers. You choose your finishes and fixtures during the design stage, so you can see how each choice moves the price before anything is ordered. If you would rather source something yourself, tell us and we will work it in where we can.

4. What is behind the walls

This is the one nobody can fully predict. Once a wall or floor is open, we sometimes find hidden water damage, or outdated plumbing that is no longer up to code.

What about permits?

Remodels that move plumbing or change electrical work often need a permit. We pull any required permits as part of the job and build them into your schedule, so you are not chasing paperwork.

How to get a real number for your bathroom

Online cost ranges can’t account for your bathroom. The quickest way to an accurate number is a free in-home consultation: we measure, listen to what you want, and then give you a clear, itemized quote in writing, with no guesswork and no pressure.

If you would like to spread the cost out, we partner with lenders to offer financing for qualified homeowners, and we can walk you through the options during your consultation. More answers about cost, timing and warranty are on our FAQ page, and you can see everything we build on our services page.