I don’t recall ever hearing a customer say, “Cost is no object Lisa. The sky’s the limit on this bathroom remodel!” It just does not happen. Everyone is concerned about price, regardless of how much is in the bank.
So, it is important we draw up an estimate of our bathroom remodel costs. We do find that each customer has a vision and a short list of “Must Have’s” when we first sit with them. Often, homeowners are willing to “Trade Up” on key elements of their bathroom. The shower stall and the bathroom vanity are the areas that they trade-up on most often.
Our job as your bathroom designer is to deliver upon your expectations and staying within a pre-defined budget we agree upon. The best place to begin is with “The Consultation”. This is where you share your vision, we ask probing questions and together we learn what you can’t live without and what’s “Optional”
Estimating Bathroom Remodel Costs
If you are coming to our
Bathroom Design Center in New Jersey, we will require pictures of the current space from at least 4 different angles, a rough sketch of the bathroom layout with measurements and “Your Vision” of what you would like to accomplish. Your vision should include your thoughts on key elements like:
- The Bathroom Vanity
- The Shower & Bath Space
- Countertop Materials
- Bathroom Wall Cabinets or Storage Space
- Bathroom Fixtures such as toilets, sinks and hardware
- Flooring & Lighting
Some of the costs that we will be considering in this bathroom remodeling estimate are:
- Demolition costs
- Material costs
- Labor costs (Bathroom remodeling contractor, plumber, electrician, specialty installers)
- Design fees
- Permits (each township is different)
Sometimes the largest impact on bathroom remodeling costs are from the relocation of existing plumbing fixtures and increasing the size of a bathroom by taking over an adjacent room. So, we would need to understand your desire to expand the space, remove walls and rearrange the sinks, the tub and toilet locations. These requests are not unusual, just costly.
For example:
- Installing new plumbing costs: $1250-$3,000.
- Rerouting electrical wiring costs: $1500-$2,500.
- Installing plumbing costs: $1250-$3,000.
- Structural engineer fees: $500-$700.
- Drywall installation prices: $1,000-$2,500.
- Framing costs: $1000-$2,500.
Custom Bathroom Vanities & Wall Cabinets
Your bathroom vanity and bathroom wall cabinets can represent 20% - 40% of the overall budget. In this case, we have 5 separate semi-custom raise panel bathroom cabinets that have been arranged to appear as one.
The end unit on the left is devoted to bathroom linens and the glass panel mullion cabinet is equipped with interior lighting and required a little customization. As with most of our
custom kitchen cabinet makers, we start with a catalog of styles and can customize wood types, finishes, cabinet door hardware, lighting and trim. The marble countertop and the crown molding bring it all together and they were installed by our general contractor. This full wall bathroom vanity was a “Must Have” for our client and was included in the initial estimate. The material costs were just over $8000 for the cabinets, sink, countertop and mirror plus the labor costs from the contractor. From the customer’s perspective, well worth the investment.
Glass Shower Doors & Enclosures
Another area of the bathroom clients “trade up” on is the shower stall. Installing glass shower doors requires an expertise that a general contractor may have to hire a subcontractor for. Specialty installers like this will add to your bathroom remodel costs and needs to be budgeted for. The variety of materials used for shower walls and floors is vast. We have installed obviously ceramic and porcelain tiles, to exotic glass tiles and Corian. Each material has a different price point.
- Quality Ceramic & Porcelain tiles will cost on average $36.50/sq ft
- Glass Tiles will cost on average $46.50/sq ft.
- Corian shower wall material costs on average $65.00/sq ft
Glass shower doors come in several varieties. Often 3/8” clear tempered glass is the standard, but installation styles vary.
Framed – Exactly what it sounds like. Your door is held in a decorative frame. This is the most affordable option for glass shower doors.
Semi-frameless – These are most popular with people who want a fully frameless door, but they can’t quite do it for logistical or financial reasons.
Frameless – This is the modern, and chic look that gives you an unobstructed view of the interior of the shower using solid and tempered glass. This is obviously the most costly option.
Bathroom Designers Help Assemble Your Plan
As you can see,
how much to remodel a bathroom depends on many variables. The best place to start is understanding that your vision for your new bathroom will be different from another person’s vision. Therefore, it will be hard to compare costs with a neighbor because it will never be an apples to apples comparison. The best place to start is with a
bathroom designer near you that can help you map out a plan based upon what you absolutely “Must Have” in your bathroom and what are you willing to be flexible with. From there we can develop an actual estimate that includes all costs. Then weigh your options and stay on budget.
Ready to develop your plan? Call: 609.466.1445