Why a Small Bathroom Doesn’t Necessarily Cost Less to Renovate

There’s a common misconception that because a bathroom is small it’s going to cost significantly less to renovate. My clients are often surprised that that’s usually not the case and there are a few reasons for this.

Let’s take a typical full bathroom for example. The average would have the following components:

• (1) vanity

• (1) tub/shower combo

• (1) toilet

• Coordinating fixtures

• Tile

A typical “small” bathroom would also have the following:

• (1) vanity

• (1) tub/shower combo

• (1) toilet

• Coordinating fixtures

• Tile

All the major components for each are exactly the same. And the labor required to install all these items is roughly the same whether it’s a small or large bathroom. As a result, the cost difference between a small bathroom and average bathroom aren’t too different.

I find that bathroom costs differentiate most in regards to materials and finishes. For example, a bathroom with imported marble tile is generally going to cost much more than a porcelain tile.

That being said, all other things being equal, there is a threshold.

I’ve worked on high-end master bathrooms with the following:

• A double vanity

• Separate makeup vanity

• Toilet room

• Steam shower with multiple shower heads and controls

• Separate freestanding tub

• Coordinating fixtures

• Tile

This master bathroom is going to cost significantly more, because there are more components.

• More plumbing needs to be installed because their are more fixtures = more labor costs

• The cost of the fixtures themselves add up. You need multiple fixtures for the vanity, shower and a tub filler

• The room will be larger to fit all these items which means more tile = more labor and material costs

• A client for a higher end bathroom is typically going to demand a higher quality of work. High-end contractors are usually more expensive.

Consider the number of components and labor involved. These are the factors that ultimately influence the overall cost of your bathroom.

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