How much should fitting a bathroom cost?
Fitting a new bathroom is a great way to breathe new life into your home and can also add to its value. But how much can you expect to pay to have a new bathroom fitted?
A new bathroom can cost as little as £3,000 or as much as £15,000. On average, you can expect to pay about £6,000-8,000. The cost of a bathroom installation can vary significantly depending on several factors.
What can impact the cost of a bathroom installation?
The size of your bathroom
A large bathroom will generally cost more to fit than a small bathroom. The more wall space and floor space you have, the more there is to tile or the more flooring you will need to buy. As this will involve more work, your labour costs will go up, too.
The size and shape of your bathroom can also influence the way you choose to furnish it. Extra space creates opportunities for additional bathroom features. If you have the space, you might want to have a separate bath and shower. Alternatively, you may opt for a roomier shower enclosure, or a larger basin or towel rail. You may also want to add bathroom furniture such as vanity units and bathroom cabinets. While none of these extra features are necessary, they are tempting if you have the space and can cause costs to creep up.
The cost of your fittings
Some kinds of basin, toilet, bath and shower are cheaper than others. Some types of fittings will also take longer to install, adding to your labour costs. In addition, there can be major price differences between designer or premium products and simpler, functional alternatives. Therefore, we would recommend shopping around to find the best combination of fittings for your budget and requirements.
Where you live
Plumbers charge different rates, and these rates vary depending on where you live in the UK. As you might expect, a plumber costs more in London than in other areas. In 2022, a plumber may cost as much as £80 per hour in London when the UK average is only £50 per hour. It’s a good idea to get a few different quotes from plumbers in your area to ensure you are getting a good deal.
Costs for basic bathroom fittings
Below, we’ll take you through some basic costs for installing all the staples of a bathroom in 2022: toilets, basins, showers and baths. These costs include installation and materials. For a more detailed cost breakdown, check out our article on plumbing cost estimates.
Cost of fitting a toilet
You can have a basic close-coupled toilet fitted for £200-400. Premium models and other types of toilets, such as back-to-wall toilets and toilets with wall-hung cisterns, will cost more to buy and install.
Cost of fitting a basin
On average, it costs about £250-300 to have a basin fitted. Basins usually cost between £100 and £150, but you can find pedestal basins and washbasins for under £99.
Cost of fitting a shower
You can have a shower installed for £250-300. This price is for a basic electric or mixer shower. Other showers, such as power showers and digital showers, will cost more to supply and fit.
Cost of fitting a bath
Whilst baths are available in various materials, acrylic is a classic, popular option that is usually the most cost-effective. Including materials, an acrylic bath can be installed for about £250-300. Other kinds of baths, such as stone, iron or steel, will typically cost much more.
Tiling and flooring
Tiling and flooring are two other expenses you are likely to incur for your bathroom installation.
Cost of tiling a bathroom
The cost to tile your bathroom depends largely on the shape and size of the room and how much tile coverage you would prefer. It can take anywhere between 1 and 5 days to tile a bathroom. The bigger the job, the more you can expect to pay in labour costs.
Material costs will also increase, because the more coverage you want, the more tiles you will require. Ceramic tiles can be as cheap as £12 per square metre, but other types, such as granite, marble or porcelain, will cost much more than this. In addition, you will require a surplus of tiles, especially for an oddly shaped bathroom, as tiles will need to be cut down to suit the dimensions of the room, resulting in wastage.
To tile a medium-sized bathroom in ceramic tiles, you can expect to pay:
- £200 to £500 for the floor only
- £800 to £1,600 for full wall coverage
- £1,000 to £2,100 for full wall and floor coverage
All costs above include labour and materials. You may also need to pay additional costs for grouting and adhesive (£50-100), as well as for tiles to be removed if you would prefer a tradesman to do this for you.
Cost of having bathroom flooring installed
Looking for an alternative to tiled floors? There are several different options available, including linoleum, hardwood, laminate, vinyl and stone.
- Linoleum costs about £20-25 per square metre with installation costs falling anywhere between £200 and £800, depending on the size and shape of your room.
- Hardwood floors cost roughly £35-45 per square metre. It is more expensive to install, with costs ranging from £500 to £1,800.
- Laminate costs around £7-25 per square metre and costs £175-800 to install.
- Vinyl is available in two options: sheet vinyl, which comes in rolls like carpet, and luxury vinyl tiles or planks, which can be much more expensive. Sheet vinyl is a particularly cost-effective choice and costs £200-400 to buy and install. While regular vinyl will generally cost between £6 and £15 per square metre, luxury vinyl planks or tiles can cost up to £80 per square metre with installation costs of £600 to £2,400.
- Stone floors are another great flooring option, albeit an expensive one. Materials costs vary wildly due to the price of the stone. Stone floors can range from £30 per square metre up to a whopping £500 per square metre. Installation costs are also higher, coming in at £1,000-1,500.
Other bathroom features
Don’t forget to budget for any other bathroom features you may require, such as furniture, accessories and heating. Costings will vary depending on the brand, features and quality of the products you choose.
How to save money on a new bathroom
Bathroom installations aren’t always straightforward and can incur unforeseen costs. If you’re on a tight budget or hoping to keep costs down, here are a few things you can do to ensure your lovely new bathroom doesn’t put too much of a dent in your finances.
Pay for the job, not plumber’s rates
Where possible, agree on a price for the whole job rather than using a plumber’s hourly or daily rate. This means that you won’t have to pay extra if a job takes a bit longer than expected. Do bear in mind that the price you are given is not necessarily set in stone – some complications will still incur extra costs.
Get the whole job done together
It’s cheaper to get the whole job done at once, rather than doing it piecemeal over a longer period. A bigger job produces fewer overheads for your tradesperson, such as travel expenses between jobs, so he or she has more leeway to pass savings on to the customer.
DIY
Not all plumbing jobs can be done without professional assistance. But for the DIY savvy, it’s possible to cut back on some labour costs. You may want to tile or install the flooring yourself or install your own bathroom furniture. With all that said, it’s better to pay a professional to do any jobs you aren’t confident you can do yourself. That way, you can be sure everything is fitted safely and to a high standard.
Buy basic
There are some brilliant options on the market. Swanky designer shower enclosures, gorgeous freestanding designer baths, digital showers with all the gadgets. As enticing as these may be, however, they do add to your costs.
Material costs are much easier to control than labour costs and present a great opportunity to make savings. Swap out premium models for bog-standard alternatives where possible. Simpler models are not only cheaper to buy but can also potentially reduce labour costs by being cheaper to install.
Like-for-like replacements
Don’t worry, you don’t have to replace that awful beige toilet with something equally as hideous. However, there is a lot to be said for replacing fittings like-for-like, such as replacing a close-coupled toilet with another close-coupled toilet. If your new fittings can be installed in the same way as your old fittings, then you’re less likely to face complications, such as needing to reroute pipes.
The same is also true for the location of your fittings. Leave your toilet, sink, bath, shower and radiators in their original positions. Costs can start to spiral when you move things around – the farther you move your fittings, the steeper the cost and the messier the job becomes.
If you're looking for more bathroom inspiration take a look at the following posts - How to Design a Small Bathroom - Four Things to Consider When Renovating Your Bathroom - Bathroom Organisation Ideas: Store more in your bathroom.
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