Bathroom Pricing Guide
How Much Should It Really Cost To Renovate Your Bathroom?
If you’re interested in updating your bathroom, one of the first questions you may find yourself wondering is, “how much does it cost?” The answer to this question can vary greatly depending on the specifics of your bathroom. This article will serve as a general guide, providing you with important factors to consider when determining the total cost of your project.
On average, our bathrooms range from $25,000 to $65,000. However, the budget can easily reach $75,000+ if you want luxury fixtures, moving walls to add square footage to the existing bathroom, putting in windows or skylights, as well as using the highest quality building materials.
What Is The Average Cost?
Keep in mind the average cost of renovating your bathroom can vary widely, so it’s wise to set an investment budget beforehand to get an idea for the scope of your project. The total price of your bathroom project will depend on its scope, the size, and the quality of the materials you choose. Based on our past projects, the following is the average cost:
Small bathroom under 50 Sqf: $25,800 - $38,400
Medium bathroom between 51 - 100 Sqf: $38,500 - $64,800
Large bathroom over 120 Sqf: $65,000 - $120,000
Why Does The Prices Vary So Much?
Despite the obvious costs associated with the square footage of your bathroom (bigger space consume more time, labour, and materials ex. floor tiles, bigger vanity, painting areas, etc.), a major contributing factor to the total cost of your bathroom renovation will be your taste and the durability you’re looking for from your tiling, fixtures, vanity, bathtub, tub, shower head, faucets etc.
Made-in-China plumbing is not the same price at those fancy Italian thermostatic faucets! It can be tempting to save costs with a bathroom project by doing a lot of the work yourself, however, hiring a specialized bathroom contractor can provide you with huge advantages and may end up costing you less in the end.
What Factors Impact The Cost?
Changing the Layout and Configuration – Any changes made to the internal electrical or plumbing systems inside your walls/ underneath your floor will increase the cost considerably because the work must be done by a licensed plumber/ electrical contractor and increasing the project time which results in higher project cost. Making any drastic moves requires major work and reconfiguration of the water, drainage and vent pipes.
This is where the cost skyrockets into thousands of dollars, and can start out at $3,500 to $8,000+ to move electrical fixture/ drainage. This will also require at least 3 days of additional work and extend the total project timeline. Keep this rule of thumb in mind: if you don’t absolutely have to move it, don’t. Use existing plumbing, drainage, and electrical systems when possible unless you have enough room in your budget for this expense
Quality of Design, Installation, and Construction – Regardless of all other considerations, there is almost always a cost difference between a low-level design with poor craftsmanship for the installation when compared to a carefully thought out bathroom design that is built with care and high-quality craftsmanship. When renovating your bathroom involves moving walls, removing or adding doors or windows; the design and quality of construction will also impact cost, sometimes considerably. But sometimes these costs are worth the investment. They can both make your bathroom and home better to live in.
Project Management and Client Service – At MKC Renovations, we typically charge more than one that doesn’t provide professional project management and attentive client service. It’s because it takes a higher calibre of staff members and managers to provide this. BUT, the small cost for this higher level of service, provides you with an enormous advantage.
This is because a basic standard company with no project management, and a lower customer service level, often leads to higher, hidden and unexpected costs. These costs come in the form of you spending more time dealing with problems, the likelihood of more delays, surprise costs, and headaches.
What Is The Return On My Investment (ROI)?
In most cases, you can count on your new bathroom to boost the value of your home. According to the Remodelling 2020 Cost vs. Value Report, you’ll recoup a 87% return rate in the real estate market.
A 50K bathroom will increase your home’s resale value by approx. $43,500. A new bathroom can help your house stand out for prospective buyers, which can help you sell faster and for more money. That’s great news if you’re thinking about selling in the next 10 to 15 years.
What is the 5-10% Rule?
The 5 to 10 percent rule means your master bath should cost no less than 5 percent of your home’s value and no more than 10 percent. Here’s what that looks like. If you own an $800,000 home, for example, the lowest number you likely want to spend on your new bathroom will be $40,000 (5 percent). But you probably wouldn’t want to exceed a budget of $80,000 (10 percent).
Spend less than 5 percent and you may decrease the value of your home. Investing more than 10 percent of your home’s value, however, could put you at risk of lowering your ROI when you sell your home. Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule, but when you’re trying to set a budget for your bathroom remodels, the 5 to 10 percent rule is a good place to start.
The 10% Buffer
We also recommend adding 10% on top of your budget to handle surprises and unexpected costs. A healthy buffer should be at least $5,000 to cover anything surprising that pops out of the woodwork or lurking behind your bathroom walls.
Renovation Permits
Typically bathroom renovations do NOT need a permit when the work consists of minor cosmetic upgrades. However, electrical and plumbing permits may be required and in some situations, the city of Calgary will require a building safety approval (building permit). If the renovation is extensive and the design does not meet land use bylaw specifications you will also require planning approval (Development Permit).
At MKC Renovations, we’ll take care of all the permits including the plan review, inspections, and fees. Additional fees may occur if your home is in a historic neighbourhood. Without the right permits, it could be challenging to sell your home later.
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Bathroom Renovation
We offer a wide range of services to help you renovate your bathroom. Including bathroom design, custom shower, bathtub installation, and floor replacement.
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Bathroom Ideas
From traditional to farmhouse and contemporary—and everything in between–we’ve got all the bathroom ideas you could ever need.
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FAQ
We have put together some of the most popular questions from our previous clients so you can find the answer to whatever it is that's on your mind.