How much does a new bathroom cost in the UK?
A typical new bathroom in the UK costs £6,500–£12,000, supplied and fitted, including VAT. That range covers a mid-range suite, tiling, plumbing, electrics and labour for a family bathroom where the bath, basin and WC stay roughly where they are now.
A simple refit with a quality white suite, tiling around the wet areas and a vinyl or LVT floor starts from about £4,500. Large or luxury rooms can pass £15,000, and a full redesign in natural stone or microcement can reach £40,000.
These are national guide ranges, checked in October 2026. They help you set a budget, but they are not a quote. Your own price depends on the room: what is behind the old tiles, how far the waste has to run, the state of the floor and the products you choose. The most reliable figure comes from a measured survey followed by a written, itemised quote. Our bathroom prices page lists every service with its guide range.
Where does the money go in a bathroom refit?
The money in a bathroom refit goes on four things: taking the old room out, the hidden trades behind the walls, the tiling, and the suite and furniture you can see. The table shows typical guide costs for the main parts of a job, supplied and fitted, including VAT.
| Part of the job | Guide cost | What changes the price |
|---|---|---|
| Strip-out and waste removal | £600–£1,000 | £1,000–£1,800 if walls are boarded and the floor overlaid |
| Plumbing, same positions | £600–£1,500 | Moving the WC or adding a pump: £2,000–£4,000 |
| Wall and floor tiling | £45–£90 per m² | Large-format porcelain or stone: £85–£130 per m² |
| Lighting and electrics | £300–£600 | Layered lighting with a mirror light and shaver socket: £600–£1,200 |
| Extractor fan | £250–£450 | Continuous extract for a windowless room: £450–£900 |
| Electric underfloor heating | £700–£1,500 | Wet system linked to the heating: £1,500–£3,000 |
| Vanity unit | £400–£1,000 | Double basin or stone top: £1,000–£2,500 |
| Fitted furniture run | £1,200–£2,500 | Full run with tall storage: £2,500–£5,000 |
The suite, brassware and tiles vary more than anything else, because the same white basin can be bought at very different quality levels. If you supply them yourself, fit-only labour typically runs £2,200–£4,000 on the same layout and £3,500–£6,000 for a new layout.
How much does each type of bathroom cost?
Each type of room has its own guide range, because size and the amount of work change a lot between a cloakroom and a family bathroom. Supplied and fitted, including VAT:
- Family bathroom: £6,000–£11,000, usually 6–10 working days.
- En-suite refit or upgrade: £4,500–£9,000, usually 4–8 working days.
- Shower room: £4,500–£9,000, usually 4–8 working days.
- Small bathroom: £4,500–£8,500, usually 5–8 working days.
- Wet room: £6,000–£12,000, usually 5–10 working days.
- Cloakroom or downstairs WC: £1,800–£4,500, usually 2–4 working days.
- Loft bathroom: £6,500–£13,000, usually 6–12 working days.
- Accessible bathroom: £6,000–£14,000, usually 5–10 working days.
- Luxury bathroom: £12,000–£25,000, usually 10–15 working days.
Creating a room from scratch costs more than refitting one. A new en-suite formed inside a bedroom is typically £7,000–£14,000, because it needs stud walls, new drainage and ventilation. A new cloakroom under the stairs or in a utility is £3,500–£7,500, and a new loft bathroom £10,000–£18,000.
Do bathroom prices vary by region?
Yes. Bathroom prices follow local labour and living costs, so the same room costs noticeably more in London than in the North East.
As a rough guide, London runs about 25% above the national ranges, the South East about 12% above, the East of England about 6% above, and the South West is in line with the national figures. The Midlands, the North West, Yorkshire and Scotland sit between about 2% and 7% below. The North East, Wales and Northern Ireland come in roughly 7–12% below.
Region is only part of the picture. Older houses are more likely to hide rotten joists, old pipework or uneven walls that need attention before fitting. Access matters too: a top-floor flat with no parking takes longer to strip out and supply than a house with a drive. In hard-water areas, which cover much of London, the South East, the East of England and parts of the Midlands, it is worth budgeting for easy-clean glass and fittings that are simple to descale. You can check guide prices for your town on the areas page.
What makes a bathroom cost more than expected?
Moving fittings, problems hidden behind the old tiles and changes made after ordering are the usual reasons a bathroom costs more than planned.
- Moving the WC. The toilet has to reach the soil stack with enough fall. Moving it can mean new waste runs, lifting floors or a macerator, which is only acceptable where there is another WC on gravity drainage in the home.
- The floor and walls. Rotten boards, joists notched by past trades and blown plaster are often only found at strip-out. A back-to-brick strip-out costs £1,500–£3,000.
- Asbestos. Homes built before 2000 can have asbestos in textured ceilings, old floor tiles, cistern lids or boxing panels. Test before strip-out if in doubt.
- A new electric shower. Most need their own dedicated circuit, often 40–45 A, which is notifiable work in England and Wales.
- Water pressure. A low-pressure gravity system may need a shower pump, or a bigger change to the hot water system.
- Flats and listed buildings. Leases often need freeholder consent, and listed buildings need consent for internal alterations that affect their character.
How can you save money on a new bathroom?
The most effective way to save is to keep the layout, because pipework and waste that stay where they are cost far less than new runs.
- Keep the positions. Same-layout plumbing is £600–£1,500; a new layout can be £2,000–£4,000.
- Tile the wet areas only. Full-height tiling looks better, but tiling around the bath, shower and basin cuts both material and labour.
- Choose standard tiles. Ceramic tiles run £45–£65 per m² fitted, against £85–£130 for large-format or stone.
- Spend on the valve, save on the extras. A good thermostatic valve behind the wall is hard to change later; a mirror or towel rail is easy to upgrade.
- Keep what still works. A sound steel or cast-iron bath can stay if it suits the new design.
- Decide before ordering. Changes once products are ordered or tiles are up cost time and money.
Don't cut corners on what you can't see. Waterproofing around the shower, the extractor fan and the boarding behind the tiles are the parts that protect the room for years.
How do you get an accurate price for your bathroom?
You get an accurate price from a measured survey of your room, followed by a written quote that lists every product and every trade.
Guide ranges and online calculators are useful for setting a budget, but they can't see your floor joists, your water pressure or the route to your soil stack. At the survey we measure the room, check the drainage, hot water, ventilation and electrics, and talk through how you use the space. The home survey and the written, itemised quote are free.
When you compare quotes, check that each one includes the same things: strip-out and waste removal, boarding and tanking, the tiled area in m², electrical testing and certification, and making good afterwards. Once the layout and products are agreed, our price is fixed in writing. You can get an instant estimate on the quote page, or read how the process works from survey to handover.
Questions about this guide
What does a basic bathroom refit cost?
A simple refit on the same layout, with a quality white suite, tiling around the wet areas and a vinyl or LVT floor, starts from about £4,500 supplied and fitted. Our Essential fitted bathroom tier runs £4,500–£7,000 including VAT.
Do these bathroom prices include VAT?
Yes. The guide prices on this site include VAT at 20% and cover supply and fit. Building work to adapt a home for a disabled person's condition can be zero-rated under HMRC VAT Notice 701/7. The customer signs an eligibility declaration, and it is not means-tested.
How long does a new bathroom take to fit?
A typical bathroom takes 6–10 working days from strip-out to handover. An en-suite usually takes 4–8 days, a cloakroom 2–4 days and a wet room 5–10 days. Problems found at strip-out can add time.
Is it cheaper to buy the suite myself?
It can be. Fit-only labour costs £2,200–£4,000 on the same layout. The trade-off is that you take on the risk of wrong sizes, missing parts or damaged items, and the delays while replacements arrive. Check every size and the delivery date before the fitter is booked.
Guide prices include VAT and were reviewed in October 2026. Rules summarised here are general information, not legal advice; we check what applies to your home at the survey.
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