HOW TO REMODEL A BATHROOM: COST & PRIORITIZING THE BUDGET
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Bathroom Remodeling: The skinny on national averages and how they stack up in the Coachella Valley
They can be a little misleading. If you have been thinking about remodeling your bathroom and are just about to pull the trigger, you've probably been doing research. You've probably been researching the fixtures, lighting, and features you want to add to your new space. You've probably been checking the cost of materials and trying to get a general idea of what labor will run. You may have even been trying to figure out how much sweat equity you are willing to put into the project so you can have everything you want on the wish list. Guaranteed you have been looking at a lot of national averages and big differences in numbers. Methodology: Kitchens And Baths By Lynn have curated data from the most relevant sites so you can get a more accurate snapshot here. As an added bonus, Lynn has added her truth, wisdom, and skill to that data so you can closer to a true budget when it comes to remodeling your bathroom in Coachella Valley. Hint: Most of the national averages are way off making those numbers a little misleading.
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Before the deep dive into specific costs, the averages should be addressed. The national average is going to include DIY homeowners in remote states. In other words, unless you are doing ALL of the work yourself, don't expect anything near the national average. The Average cost is much more realistic if you are remodeling a powder room but certainly not a full bathroom or even a 3/4 bathroom. The National Average Range is just too broad. That said if you set your sights on a mid-level remodel of a full bathroom you can expect to start around $50k and go up from there.
If that took the wind out of your sales a bit, take heart. Data from the 2022 State of Remodeling in U.S. report helps justify the cost. Mid-range remodeling projects have an average ROI rate of 70% whereas luxury renovations have an average ROI of 60%. Regardless of which you have in mind for yourself both have good returns. Consider the value of your home. Now increase it by 3% with your remodel. Not bad for something you wanted to do anyway.
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The biggest advantage you can have for not going over budget is having a realistic budget in mind going into a project. Do your homework. If you are reading this post then you are already on the right track for success and an enjoyable experience. Before getting granular, let's take one more look at industry averages for the type of bathroom renovation you are looking to do.
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Keep in mind, the blue numbers represent sweat equity vs the gold numbers that reflect a pro install. Pro install is materials, labor + design. Uniquely, Kitchens And Baths By Lynn is a design-build firm. Design-build firms often save homeowners on costs due to the efficiency of the designer and contractor installation all being under the same roof. This allows for more oversight and fewer errors on the job. Often times homeowners get a discount rate because the services are wrapped up as opposed to a-la-carte services. Using full services has many benefits:
- Less Stress: Remodels are stressful. Being able to just make decisions about finishes, fixtures, and furnishings helps alleviate most of the stress.
- Project Manager: The pros are the project manager. They are the ones to schedule subcontractors for installation, order materials for the project, check them, install them, and handle any returns.
- Licensed: Often times homeowners that try to project manage their own remodel hire subcontractors that aren't licensed or do the work themselves to save money. While some work, like painting, is okay, more technical work like plumbing and electricity comes with consequences. Any installation that might be covered by your homeowners' insurance could be negated if not done by a licensed contractor. That includes any other part of the home that is affected by a poor installation job like; fire damage from wiring or water damage from plumbing leaks. Where a homeowner might have tried to save money...they are now out much more than they bargained for.
- Industry Knowledge: This is what these professionals do for a living. While that seems obvious it means they will see solutions due to years of experience where homeowners often do not. They are also able to look down the road and see potential challenges that can be addressed early on. Lastly, they can recommend finishes, fixtures, appliances, etc that you may not even know about that will give you much better results than you would have imagined.
You are getting a lot of peace of mind, service, and experience for $450sq ft. This is why it costs more but there is a lot of value in it both now and in the future. You will have to decide for yourself how much risk you are willing to take on. An area where you can work on saving money during the planning stage is choosing materials.
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We talked about general costs so you have a ballpark regarding the budget, let's look at how to allocate it based on percentages. The illustration below show how to split the materials and labor. It further breaks down how materials and labor should be allocated respectively.
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Cost Breakdown Based On Bathroom Features (including materials and labor)
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The Cost Of Labor If You Supply The Materials
Sometimes homeowners will supply the materials. This happens when they are able to get a good deal on materials, fixtures, finishes, etc. Other times it's because they happen to have something that has been in the family and they get to have it installed. Whatever the reason, the following graphics will illustrate labor costs for installation. The more complex the installation, like moving the plumbing, doing repairs, or the complexity and care of the installation, the more expensive the cost of labor will be.
Generally speaking, the national averages suggest homeowners budget $50 to $75 per hour in labor. Kitchens And Baths By Lynn caution that homeowners should expect to pay more in Coachella Valley $75 - $160 which translates into 40% to 60% of your budget. That said if you go with a design/build firm you could see that percentage drop as low as 35%. The bigger your bathroom, the more you’ll pay. Always ask for a detailed bid and invoice that covers all the materials and labor fees, including demolition and disposal. If you hire a General Contractor (GC) you can expect that they will charge 10% - 20% of the overall cost of the project. Your GC will then orchestrate timelines, purchases, and subcontractors.
The following is a breakdown of subcontractors and their labor costs based on the project:
- Plumbing (national average): $7,000
- Plumber hourly average range: $80 - $130
- Rough In
- Breakdown by fixture type
- Faucet: $230 - $480
- Double faucet: $400 - $600
- Toilet: $350 - $3,500
- Sink: $300 - $5,500
- Bidet: $1,500 - $2,900
- Bathtub: $500 - $2,750
- Shower: $1,500 - $3,500
- Towel Bar installation: $45 - $80
- Grab Bar installation: $35 - $60
- Electrician:$50 - $100 per hour or $95 - $130 in the Coachella Valley.
- Interior Designer hourly: $50 - $200 $250+
- Starting at a $250 flat fee for small spaces (ie small bathroom) $600 - $2,000
- Demolition & Prep: $1000 - $2,300
- National Average: $50 per structure
- Disposal: $30 - $120
- Bathroom Demolition: Interior bathroom demolition costs $1,000 to $2,300. Prices can go higher if you remove and move walls to create a different footprint. Be mindful of removing load-bearing walls or damaging electrical or plumbing. Repairs are pricey.
- Structural Engineer: $100 - $200 per hr / $300 - $500
- Cleaning Service: $70 - $170. Typical cleaning of the house due to dust migrating through rooms and the HVAC system is $650 - $850.
- Junk Hauling: $240. Expect that to be per load with an average of 3 hauls depending n the size of the job.
FAQ: Just In Case You Have A Question We Missed
Q: How much does a one-day bathroom remodel cost?
A: Such a creature doesn't really exist. When you do come across one it is a kit job. Everything needed is on site prior to demolition. Also, it takes a team. Expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 - $15,000.
Q: How much is it to repair a shower room?
A: $200 - $5,000 Depending on the complexity. Tile repair will be on the low end whereas a fiberglass tub replacement is up to $5,000
Q: What does it cost to refinish or retile a bathroom?
A: $3 - $20 per sq ft. Custom tile work can run $100 per sq ft.
Q: How long does it take to renovate a bathroom?
A: A small bathroom is 3-4 weeks. A large bathroom is 4-9 weeks. Make a contingency plan for delays due to shipping, supply chain, and labor shortages.
Q: What kind of hidden costs might I find?
A: Here are a few things to keep in mind and consider having a reserve budget for:
- Changing the floor plan: Making your bath larger, like converting a half-bath to a full bath, costs $5,000 or more. Lynn recommends keeping most or all of the plumbing in its original position if budget is a concern. Doing an expansion or changing the layout will drive up costs.
- Bathroom Demolition: Demolition costs for a bathroom can run $1,000 - $2,300. They increase if you start removing walls to create a different layout or footprint. They go up even more if you are removing a load baring wall or damage any electrical or plumbing in the process.
- Water Damage Repair: Discovering an unknown faucet leak, cracked bathtub, leaking shower, or failing toilet can easily become a costly and time-consuming problem. Damaged material is bad to start, if there is mold growth as well that can be even more expensive to remediate. As annoying as it can be to shell out an additional $175 - $550, this is something you can't skip over and cover up for health and homeowner's insurance reasons. It could potentially save you thousands in the long run.
- Permits: California is particularly strict about permits due to Title 24 energy conservation. Your contractor will be well aware of the permit costs and advise you on them. Make sure to ask because there are a variety of factors, especially in a bathroom, that could trigger the need for a permit. Expect anywhere from $175 - $2,000.
listening to their designer's advice?
A: You hired a pro for a reason. Be open to their experience and skills when it comes to their suggestions:
- Poor layout: Space planning is one of the first things that a kitchen and bath specialist learns. Add years of experience seeing mistakes made and they are apt to give you incredibly good advice on how your bathroom will function.
- Taking the lowest bid: Living with inferior craftsmanship and installation techniques. In the case of Kitchens And Baths By Lynn, that is precisely why Lynn decided to have a design/build firm. Often there is a disconnect between designers and contractors. In this case, your designer is your general contractor which gives her a lot more control over the craftsmanship of the project.
- Poor lighting especially over the vanity: Kitchen and bath specialists aren't necessarily lighting specialists. That is a niche skill within the industry. Lynn just happens to have that skill set making her boutique firm a one-stop-shop. It is important to have good ambient and task lighting. Consider the use of tweezers, shaving, and inspecting cuts, scrapes, or infections.
- Not enough storage: Some homeowners can feel their designer is trying to over-sell them on storage but, more often than not, not enough storage is a huge regret. This is why your designer will recommend a certain level of storage based on your lifestyle. You can discuss how to reduce it if it is out of budget or takes away from your design. It is recommended to build it somewhere.
- Not working with a designer to select materials etc: Homeowners often get overwhelmed with all of the selections. Without experience, they are often not informed about which to avoid and accidentally select inferior products that don't perform well or are of poor quality. Due to a lack of confidence and again, experience, they select fixtures and finishes that look good individually but lack harmony when together in the space. This can be highly disappointing considering the financial investment.
- Getting wet when turning the shower on: Not only are there codes in place that require that this not happen but, a designer can recommend ideal options that are often not considered. Add to that not knowing about all of the different amenities and accessories that are available increases the disappointment.
- Not including the hand shower: This is a standard with Lynn. It will never get overlooked. If a homeowner is considering leaving it out she often points out the hygienic benefits as well as convenience when healing from injuries.
- Forgetting accessories: like towel racks, towel hooks, soap dishes and dispensers, shampoo dispensers, etc.
- Being too trendy for your lifestyle: For example, having an open shower with no door or curtain if you don't like being cold can be a challenge. Know your lifestyle and comfort zone.
- Performance: Not understanding how fixtures and their finishes perform in a bathroom environment. For example, gold finishes are not recommended in a steam shower but are perfectly fine anywhere else in the bathroom.
- Ergonomics: Not knowing the proper heights for fixtures and cabinetry. Most people forget they need a lower countertop for vessel sinks.
- Purchasing: Failing to let the contractor purchase the products which can lead to extra costs for additional parts or negated warranties.
- Unnecessary Sacrifice: Homeowners often make unnecessary sacrifices because they don't know how to leverage the rest of the design costs to compensate for the purchase.
- Wrong size tub: Purchasing a soaking tub that is too big for the water heater or buying products that aren't compatible with the system. Make sure to consult with a pro to discover if upgrading the water heating system is the answer or downgrading the tub.
This should help give a more realistic view of what you will actually be budgeting for living in the Coachella Valley. It can be challenging doing your due diligence based on national averages. Lynn wants to ensure that your remodeling project is an enjoyable experience. Giving you accurate numbers for practical expectations. This post was also intended to give homeowners a more accurate understanding of what goes into a remodeling job and help to avoid remodeling pitfalls.
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