How much does a bathroom renovation cost in the UK?
A bathroom renovation costs £8,000 on average in the UK. Most jobs fall between £4,000 and £16,000 for the room. Spec level: Budget £4,000 to £6,500; Mid-range £6,500 to £10,000; High-end £10,000 to £16,000. Prices reviewed June 2026.
A new bathroom is priced mostly by the spec of the fittings and tiles, and by how much you move around. Keeping the layout the same saves a lot.
Bathroom renovation cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your bathroom renovation in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Bathroom renovation cost breakdown
Typical bathroom renovation costs, by option:
| Spec level | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| Budget, same layout | £4,000 to £6,500 |
| Mid-range | £6,500 to £10,000 |
| High-end / re-plan | £10,000 to £16,000 |
| + Add underfloor heating | add £600 to £1,200 |
What's included in the price?
Typical bathroom renovation prices include:
- Strip-out and disposal
- Plumbing, electrics and ventilation
- Tiling, fitting and making good
- Standard suite, taps and shower
What changes the price?
The things that move bathroom renovation prices most:
Quality of the suite, brassware and tiles
Whether you move the bath, toilet or basin (moving soil pipes adds cost)
Underfloor heating, a walk-in shower or a freestanding bath
Room size and tile area
How the price is built up
Most of a bathroom quote is the labour to strip out the old room and run the work in sequence: rip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, tiling, fitting the suite, then sealing and finishing. A standard refit keeps the bath, basin and toilet roughly where they are and takes a small team around 6 to 10 working days, which is why a like-for-like job sits near the £4,000 end. The price climbs towards £8,000 and beyond once you add tiling to more walls, move waste pipes, or step up from a builders-merchant suite to mid-range fittings; a premium room with a walk-in shower, freestanding bath and underfloor heating is what pushes a job to the £15,000 top of the band. On a typical £8,000 bathroom, labour and materials land close to an even split, with fitting, tiling and plumbing usually taking 45 to 60 percent of the total and the suite, tiles and fittings making up the rest.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Keep the bath, toilet and basin in their existing positions. Moving soil and waste pipes adds plumbing time and is one of the biggest avoidable costs.
- Tile to shower height and around the bath rather than floor to ceiling on every wall. Fewer square metres of tiling cuts both labour and material spend.
- Buy a mid-range suite and save the budget for the brassware (taps, shower valve) and tiles, which are what you see and touch every day.
- Get the room emptied and any old units or flooring lifted before the fitter starts, and have all fittings on site, so you are not paying day rates for waiting or extra trips.
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, a bathroom renovation typically costs around £10,500, about 30% above the UK average of £8,000. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £7,400.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £4,000 | £8,000 | £16,000 |
| London | £5,200 | £10,500 | £21,000 |
| South East / South West | £4,600 | £9,200 | £18,500 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £3,700 | £7,400 | £14,500 |
Guide prices for the room, scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Bathroom renovation cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £3,400 | £6,800 | £13,500 |
| Birmingham | £3,900 | £7,800 | £15,500 |
| Bristol | £4,400 | £8,800 | £17,500 |
| Cardiff | £3,800 | £7,500 | £15,000 |
| Edinburgh | £3,900 | £7,800 | £15,500 |
| Glasgow | £3,600 | £7,200 | £14,500 |
| Leeds | £3,700 | £7,400 | £15,000 |
| Liverpool | £3,700 | £7,400 | £14,500 |
| London | £5,200 | £10,500 | £21,000 |
| Manchester | £3,800 | £7,700 | £15,500 |
| Newcastle | £3,600 | £7,200 | £14,500 |
| Sheffield | £3,700 | £7,400 | £14,500 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for bathroom renovation, not quotes.
The trades are what move, so the gap is labour rather than fittings.
Common questions
How much is a small bathroom renovation?
A small bathroom kept in the same layout with a mid-range suite typically costs £4,000 to £6,500 all in. A cloakroom or en-suite can be less.
What is the most expensive part of a bathroom?
Labour and tiling are usually the biggest line, followed by the shower and any layout changes. Moving the toilet or bath adds the most because of the soil pipe work.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
A standard bathroom renovation takes around 6 to 10 working days for a small team, covering rip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, tiling, fitting the suite and finishing. A simple like-for-like refit near the £4,000 mark can be done in under a week, while a typical £8,000 job runs closer to two weeks once tiling and a shower enclosure are involved. Moving the bath or toilet, fitting underfloor heating or building a wet room adds days, so a £15,000 project can take three weeks or more. Tile drying and grout curing also add unavoidable waiting time.
How much does it cost to convert a bath into a walk-in shower?
Converting a bath into a walk-in shower usually adds £1,500 to £3,500 on top of a standard bathroom quote. That covers removing the bath, tanking (waterproofing) the area, fitting a tray or a tiled floor with a linear drain, and adding a glass screen. A shower tray with a glass panel sits at the lower end, while a fully tiled walk-in area with a flush drain costs more in both labour and materials. If you are renovating the whole room anyway, doing the conversion as part of the £8,000 typical job is cheaper than as a standalone change later.
How much does underfloor heating add to a bathroom?
Electric underfloor heating, the usual choice for a bathroom, costs roughly £60 to £85 per square metre installed, so most bathrooms add around £300 to £500 once you include the heating mat, an electrician to wire the thermostat, and fitting time. On a typical £8,000 renovation that is a small extra for a noticeable comfort gain on tiled floors. It is far cheaper to fit while the floor is already up during a full refit than to retrofit later, which means lifting tiles and flooring again.
Can you renovate a bathroom for £5,000?
A £5,000 budget can cover a bathroom renovation if you keep the layout the same and choose mid-range fittings. Reusing the existing positions for the bath, toilet and basin avoids moving soil pipes, which is a common cause of higher costs. At this level expect a standard suite, part-height tiling and a shower over the bath. Moving fittings, adding underfloor heating or fully tiling the room pushes the figure toward the £8,000 typical mark.
How much does it cost to rip out and replace a bathroom?
Ripping out and replacing a bathroom typically costs around £8,000 for a family-sized room, with most jobs falling between £4,000 and £15,000. The strip-out itself is a small part, usually £400 to £1,200. Most of the spend goes on labour, tiling and the new suite. Keeping the layout unchanged holds the cost down; moving the bath, toilet or basin adds plumbing work and pushes the total toward the higher end.
What is a good budget for a new bathroom?
For a straightforward family bathroom, £6,500 to £10,000 is a sensible budget: it covers a mid-range suite, tiling and the trades without forcing cheap fittings. If you keep the layout and choose budget fittings you can land £4,000 to £6,500, while a high-end re-plan runs £10,000 to £16,000. Whatever the number, hold back around 10 percent for surprises behind the old suite.
How much do B&Q or Wickes charge to fit a bathroom?
The big retailers price bathroom installation through an in-home survey, so there is no single list price, and the final bill usually lands in the same £4,000 to £10,000 band as a good independent fitter once the suite, tiling and prep work are included. You are partly paying for project management and a single guarantee. Get their itemised quote alongside two independent ones for the same spec; the comparison tells you quickly whether the convenience is worth the premium.
Can I renovate a bathroom myself?
Parts of it, yes. Tiling, painting and fitting simple units are within reach for a confident DIYer, and since fitting, tiling and plumbing take 45 to 60 percent of a typical £8,000 job, doing some yourself saves real money. But any new electrics must go to a Part P electrician, and getting waterproofing and falls wrong causes leaks that cost far more to fix. Many people DIY the finishing and pay a pro for first-fix plumbing and wiring.
Does a new bathroom add value to a house?
A tired, dated bathroom puts buyers off, so a clean, well-fitted one helps a sale and can support the asking price. But you rarely get the full £4,000 to £15,000 back as added value, especially at the high end. A sensible mid-range refit that looks fresh is the safer spend; a top-end re-plan is mostly for your own enjoyment while you live there.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.