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Bathroom remodel - how much should it cost? (1 Viewer)

T J

T J

Footballguy
So I want to re-do the our upstairs bathroom that is pretty much exclusively shared and used by my two teenage sons.

Here's what I'm wanting to do:

It's probably 12' long by 5'-6'' wide. When you walk in, there's the vanity, approx. 65" long, then a small wall with a pocket door built in and on the other side of that is the toilet and tub. We're keeping the pocket door thing and leaving the toilet where it is and tub where it is.  

It's early 90's construction and there's carpet in there. Not good for teenage kids peeing all over the place so priority one is new flooring - probably ceramic tile. The whole thing needs painted. We want to redo the vanity so there's two sinks - either one large vanity, or two separate smaller ones. Either scenario they'd have to have some storage for their junk. All the fixtures are gold, so new lighting, new fixtures on the sinks and in the tub - probably the antique brass look.  Definitely a new shower door. Debating a new tub entirely with tiled walls. Adding some lighting to the area where the toilet/shower is. Keeping the trim work and all doors as is.  Adding some medicine cabinets for additional storage.

Curious what kind of dollars we might be talking. I got a bid, which I'll disclose later and I thought it was absolutely through the roof. The bid was for the max scope of work. I can scale back on some things.

 
belljr said:
so one sink to 2?

What type of shower enclosure now?  Just class and 3 regular walls?
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Right now it's a tub with the kind of fiberglass/plastic enclosure, but yes. three walls and a sliding door. One of the walls obviously with the fixtures.

 
I was thinking $7-$8k. Hoping for a little less - maybe in the $6k range.

My quote was slightly over $17k. I about ***t a twinkie.

 
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Also depends where you live. I did two bathrooms last summer. Between the demo, labor, parts, etc, I was about $30k all-in for the two of em.

ETA: These were also finished to provide happiness for a wife who likes really nice things, not two teenage boys. So you can probably knock at least 10-20% off of our cost because you don't necessarily need the VERY BEST tiles, vanity, fixtures, etc.

 
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Michael Brown said:
Also depends where you live. I did two bathrooms last summer. Between the demo, labor, parts, etc, I was about $30k all-in for the two of em.
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Yikes. I have a bathroom in the basement that needs some upgrading also - not along the same lines, but some upgrades.

 
T J said:
I was thinking $7-$8k. Hoping for a little less - maybe in the $6k range.

My quote was slightly over $17k. I about ***t a twinkie.
Click to expand...
Well, if you are ####ting twinkies, you can save a little cost by cutting out the toilet.  You won't need it.

 
T J said:
So I want to re-do the our upstairs bathroom that is pretty much exclusively shared and used by my two teenage sons.

Here's what I'm wanting to do:

It's probably 12' long by 5'-6'' wide. When you walk in, there's the vanity, approx. 65" long, then a small wall with a pocket door built in and on the other side of that is the toilet and tub. We're keeping the pocket door thing and leaving the toilet where it is and tub where it is.  

It's early 90's construction and there's carpet in there. Not good for teenage kids peeing all over the place so priority one is new flooring - probably ceramic tile. The whole thing needs painted. We want to redo the vanity so there's two sinks - either one large vanity, or two separate smaller ones. Either scenario they'd have to have some storage for their junk. All the fixtures are gold, so new lighting, new fixtures on the sinks and in the tub - probably the antique brass look.  Definitely a new shower door. Debating a new tub entirely with tiled walls. Adding some lighting to the area where the toilet/shower is. Keeping the trim work and all doors as is.  Adding some medicine cabinets for additional storage.

Curious what kind of dollars we might be talking. I got a bid, which I'll disclose later and I thought it was absolutely through the roof. The bid was for the max scope of work. I can scale back on some things.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you just need to rip everything out down to the studs and start over.  Often those bids are cheaper than trying to save a little here and there on some materials you want to save.  

A bathroom that's 12x6 in tile with a tub and shower I'm guessing will be in the 9-12k range depending on whether you get generic or custom cabinets.

 
culdeus said:
Sounds like you just need to rip everything out down to the studs and start over.  Often those bids are cheaper than trying to save a little here and there on some materials you want to save.  

A bathroom that's 12x6 in tile with a tub and shower I'm guessing will be in the 9-12k range depending on whether you get generic or custom cabinets.
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What would you estimate the manpower and time would be.  How about supply cost?

 
I think my parents paid $30k for theirs, but they are in the Bay Area and had a bit more going on than what you are describing.  I would guess $12-15k.

If you are semi-handy most bathroom remodel work is DIY.

 
Dickies said:
I think my parents paid $30k for theirs, but they are in the Bay Area and had a bit more going on than what you are describing.  I would guess $12-15k.

If you are semi-handy most bathroom remodel work is DIY.
Click to expand...
I can do demo like a champ, but that's where my semi-handiness ends, though I have put a few new toilets in and those went ok. Flooring? Forget it. For the most part I suck at handiwork.

 
T J said:
They want me to go to their showroom to see what they quoted, but at that price range, I'm not even going to waste my time. These folks are obviously high-end.
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Honestly, for a secondary bathroom, I'd go with all builder-grade stuff like you'd get at Lowes or Home Depot. It'll look fine and be way cheaper than specialty stores.

In regards to resale,any potential buyers would be much more interested in the master bath anyway.

 
T J said:
They want me to go to their showroom to see what they quoted, but at that price range, I'm not even going to waste my time. These folks are obviously high-end.
Click to expand...
I saw they quoted 17k.  With tile prices what they are there isn't much delta from low end to high end once it's installed.  

The fact that they have their own showroom is trouble.  This tells me they are probably overbidding the project to meet a certain profit per job number.  

 
proninja said:
For very basic stuff, from a contractor I know, I got an 8k quote for a very small bathroom. 

We don't have a tub in that bathroom and my wife wants one to bathe kids. So I just need to wait her out for like two more years before they're old enough to be able to shower. 
Click to expand...
Ok, so here was the other thing I asked these folks.... If I wanted to take out the tub in the basement and turn it into a walk in shower only - a decent one, tiled walls, but nothing fancy on the fixtures - no massaging or multi spray points, but in the same footprint as the tub, what kind of number do you think I was ballparked on for that? Also one I thought was very high to just turn a tub into a walk in shower.

 
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T J said:
Ok, so here was the other thing I asked these folks.... If I wanted to take out the tub in the basement and turn it into a walk in shower only - a decent one, tiled walls, but nothing fancy on the fixtures - no massaging or multi spray points, but in the same footprint as the tub, what kind of number do you think I was ballparked on for that? Also one I thought was very high to just turn a tub into a walk in shower.
Click to expand...
$4k

 
We did a pretty nice remodel of a similar sized bathroom in 2013 - cost us $15K.  We had a few "perks" that probably pushed it higher, including some custom built-in's where a closet used to be, nicer granite counter tops, etc.  Tile wasn't anything special. 

For context, we re-did our master bath and went pretty high end and it cost us $35K (maybe a tad more).  Huge space - 2 vanities, 35 sq. ft. shower, etc.

I think, honestly, you can do a small bathroom from anywhere from $8K up - it just depends on what you want.  If you're not changing the layout, and you're just tearing up carpet, putting down tile, and maybe replacing a vanity, it shouldn't be more than $10K TOPS.

 
Replacing the tub and tiling is going to add like 4k.  I'd say 4k for the rest depending the cost of the vanity you choose.   

 
If you're not replacing the tub, just do it yourself and save a few grand.  Only the tiling is a little challenging.  Just watch a few YouTube videos. 

 
$150-225 per square foot if the contractor is sourcing all of the materials.  You're plumbing a second sink, so that will get you.  

ETA, I see what he bid. Slightly high.  I would tell him you'll buy the materials, and see what he comes back with.  You aren't adding a second sink so much as plumbing for 2 sinks, so keep that in mind.  The plumbing for the first will be scrapped.  

 
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T J said:
I can do demo like a champ, but that's where my semi-handiness ends, though I have put a few new toilets in and those went ok. Flooring? Forget it. For the most part I suck at handiwork.
Click to expand...
I think you'd be amazed how easy it is to install tile flooring.  Not gonna try to convince you to do work you aren't comfortable with, but the materials are cheap and it's a rewarding job, even if slow for the DIYer

 
You are not moving plumbing or electrical.  Basically all cosmetic stuff that you could DIY.  $3k and a couple of weekends. 

 
Nick Vermeil said:
$150-225 per square foot if the contractor is sourcing all of the materials.  You're plumbing a second sink, so that will get you.  

ETA, I see what he bid. Slightly high.  I would tell him you'll buy the materials, and see what he comes back with.  You aren't adding a second sink so much as plumbing for 2 sinks, so keep that in mind.  The plumbing for the first will be scrapped.  
Click to expand...
What does that even involve?   I put in a double sink and all i did was split the hot and cold at the valve. Pretty much the same for the pvc drainage.  I could see if it was going to be exposed b/c you had some type of pedestal so that would involve opening the wall, but if its all within the vanity, does it matter.   

 
NutterButter said:
What does that even involve?   I put in a double sink and all i did was split the hot and cold at the valve. Pretty much the same for the pvc drainage.  I could see if it was going to be exposed b/c you had some type of pedestal so that would involve opening the wall, but if its all within the vanity, does it matter.   
Click to expand...
I see what you're saying.  I'll bet the plumber bid for two sinks, two faucets, materials and time to plumb new from where the supplies come in and the drain goes out.  

 
NutterButter said:
What does that even involve?   I put in a double sink and all i did was split the hot and cold at the valve. Pretty much the same for the pvc drainage.  I could see if it was going to be exposed b/c you had some type of pedestal so that would involve opening the wall, but if its all within the vanity, does it matter.   
Click to expand...
This project is not that difficult. 

 
do it yourself (completely) - $2-5k, depending on your tastes, fixtures

do it yourself some, hire a plumber for difficult work - 4-8k, again depending on above

have it done completely by professionals, 10-18k

 
oh, and doing some of the labor yourself doesn't really change it much a lot of the time.  The contractors want their margin, regardless, and won't do smaller jobs just because some guy wants to do part of it himself.  Some guys just don't bid small jobs, and the guys you can get to do small jobs, you shouldn't want to do your job.  

 
Just redid my bathroom. 5' x 10' bathroom. Took it down to the studs, but I did leave the tub as it's in awesome shape and an old cast iron tub. Here is what I did:

Demo: Me. $25.00 for 30 pack of Bud Light.

Light Fixture: $125

Vanity and Top: $600 (bought a decent one at Lowe's)

Toilet: $400 (bought the one that can suck a child down the hole. almost lost my 6yo. luckily she is strong and pulled herself out.)

Flooring: $375. (included durarock, mortar, screws, and this tile. . looks awesome)

Sheetrock: $700. (I hung the sheetrock but had a guy tape and mud and knockdown texture the ceiling. He cost me $600 of the $700.)

Paint: $90.

Shower tile: $200 (did white subway tile with grey grout. looks cool)

Shower and sink fixtures: $250

Misc plumbing stuff: $100

Extra beer: $50

Wood trim: $100

Total Cost: $3015

I did all the work except the taping and mudding of the sheetrock. Bathroom looks great. I used to do this for a living, so I bought decent finishes, but everything was off the shelf from Lowe's. 

Tell the guy who bid you $17k to pound sand. Hell, I'll come do it for 17k.

 
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T J said:
So I want to re-do the our upstairs bathroom that is pretty much exclusively shared and used by my two teenage sons.

Here's what I'm wanting to do:

It's probably 12' long by 5'-6'' wide. When you walk in, there's the vanity, approx. 65" long, then a small wall with a pocket door built in and on the other side of that is the toilet and tub. We're keeping the pocket door thing and leaving the toilet where it is and tub where it is.  

It's early 90's construction and there's carpet in there. Not good for teenage kids peeing all over the place so priority one is new flooring - probably ceramic tile. The whole thing needs painted. We want to redo the vanity so there's two sinks - either one large vanity, or two separate smaller ones. Either scenario they'd have to have some storage for their junk. All the fixtures are gold, so new lighting, new fixtures on the sinks and in the tub - probably the antique brass look.  Definitely a new shower door. Debating a new tub entirely with tiled walls. Adding some lighting to the area where the toilet/shower is. Keeping the trim work and all doors as is.  Adding some medicine cabinets for additional storage.

Curious what kind of dollars we might be talking. I got a bid, which I'll disclose later and I thought it was absolutely through the roof. The bid was for the max scope of work. I can scale back on some things.
Click to expand...
It honestly depends on the level of finishes that you plan on doing.  You can get vanities for a couple hundred dollars--and you can get some that are in the thousands.   Luckily for you--it doesn't sound like you are re-locating any plumbing--so thats good.  However--being that you are on the second floor--it also depends on if you need to do some sub floor work before you put the tile back on.   My best guess is that you could probably get the job done for $5-6k using low to medium end finishes.   If you wanted to go to finishes that are higher end--you could put yourself closer to the $8-9k range.  

 
ChiefD said:
Just redid my bathroom. 5' x 10' bathroom. Took it down to the studs, but I did leave the tub as it's in awesome shape and an old cast iron tub. Here is what I did:

Demo: Me. $25.00 for 30 pack of Bud Light.

Light Fixture: $125

Vanity and Top: $600 (bought a decent one at Lowe's)

Toilet: $400 (bought the one that can suck a child down the hole. almost lost my 6yo. luckily she is strong and pulled herself out.)

Flooring: $375. (included durarock, mortar, screws, and this tile. . looks awesome)

Sheetrock: $700. (I hung the sheetrock but had a guy tape and mud and knockdown texture the ceiling. He cost me $600 of the $700.)

Paint: $90.

Shower tile: $200 (did white subway tile with grey grout. looks cool)

Shower and sink fixtures: $250

Misc plumbing stuff: $100

Extra beer: $50

Wood trim: $100

Total Cost: $3015

I did all the work except the taping and mudding of the sheetrock. Bathroom looks great. I used to do this for a living, so I bought decent finishes, but everything was off the shelf from Lowe's. 

Tell the guy who bid you $17k to pound sand. Hell, I'll come do it for 17k.
Click to expand...
So $2415 for materials.  If you had to price your labor, what would it have been?

 
ChiefD said:
If I had to guess my actual hours worked, I would say I worked 40 hours.  At say $20/hour = $800.
Click to expand...
Lol.  Ain't nobody doing a good job around here for that.  But your point stands.  Even at $100 an hour, you're into it for more like $7, all in.  Not $17k.

 
Otis said:
Lol.  Ain't nobody doing a good job around here for that.  But your point stands.  Even at $100 an hour, you're into it for more like $7, all in.  Not $17k.
Click to expand...
Right. I based it off what a worker would get paid if you just hired him off the street in this market. Not including overhead, insurance, profit, etc.

So yeah, 17k for a bathroom that small is stupid.  One key for people looking to remodel is make sure to buy your own materials and pick them up. For two reasons:

1. You avoid markups.

2. You avoid a supply house putting a lien on your house because your contractor didn't pay his bill.

 
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