How much does a new bathroom cost in the UK?
Updated 19 October 2026 · Reviewed by Steve Wolfe
A new bathroom in the UK typically costs £5,500 to £9,500 including VAT for a full refit in the same layout, with a mid-range suite and tiling. A basic refresh can be £4,000 to £6,000, and a high-end or redesigned bathroom £9,000 to £15,000 or more. Labour is more than half the cost.
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Typical costs
Typical UK prices including VAT, for a family bathroom of about 4 to 5 m², supplied and fitted with the old suite taken away.
| Type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Basic refresh £4,000–£6,000 New basic suite or just the toilet, basin and taps, part-tiled walls, keeping the layout. | £4,000–£6,000 |
| Full refit, same layout £5,500–£9,500 New mid-range bath with shower over, toilet and basin, floor-to-ceiling tiling, flooring and an extractor fan. On site: 5 to 10 days | £5,500–£9,500 |
| High-end or new layout £9,000–£15,000 Premium suite, larger tiles, underfloor heating, or moving the toilet, bath or walls. | £9,000–£15,000 |
Our reading of the published guides listed under Sources, rounded and including VAT. A bigger bathroom, or one with rot or old pipework behind the tiles, costs more.
What changes the price
- Keeping the layout. The cheapest refits put the new bath, toilet and basin where the old ones were. Moving the toilet means moving the soil pipe, and Checkatrade puts a new stud wall at about £1,750.
- How much you tile. Tiling around the bath and basin is much cheaper than floor to ceiling. Checkatrade puts wall tiling at about £950 to £1,250, and the tiles themselves vary a lot in price.
- Bath, shower or both. A separate bath and shower costs more than a bath with a shower over it. A walk-in shower or wet room needs the floor sloped and waterproofed.
- The suite and fittings. Taps, showers and vanity units range from budget to several thousand pounds each.
- Extras. Underfloor heating (about £100 per m² to fit), a heated towel rail and new lighting each add to the bill.
- What's behind the tiles. Rotten floorboards, old pipework or blown plaster only show up once the old bathroom is out. Re-plastering a bathroom is about £1,500.
Where the money goes
Labour is the biggest part. HomeBuilding & Renovating's example puts materials at about £2,000 to £3,000 and the fitter at about £3,000 to £5,000. Checkatrade breaks the work down as roughly £700 to rip out the old bathroom, £1,500 to £3,000 for plumbing, about £900 for electrics, £950 to £1,250 for wall tiling and about £700 for decorating.
London and the regions
Because a bathroom is mostly labour, where you live makes more difference than it does for a kitchen. In our example below, the same refit came to £6,500 to £9,500 in London against £5,500 to £8,000 in Birmingham and Newcastle.
Before you get quotes
- Measure the room and note where the bath, toilet, basin and window are now.
- Decide whether you're keeping the layout, and whether you want a bath, a shower or both.
- Ask each quote what's included: taking out the old suite, plumbing, electrics, tiling, flooring, plastering and decorating, and who supplies the suite.
- Get two or three quotes for the same specification.
An example Ballpark
What Ballpark gave for this job on 16 October 2026. It’s an example we worked out, not a customer’s price.
Full bathroom refit in a family bathroom in Birmingham, same layout: new bath with shower over, toilet, basin, tiling floor to ceiling, extractor fan.
-
Budget refit £3,750–£5,500
Strip out and replace bath with shower over, toilet and basin with a basic suite, part-tiled walls, new extractor fan.
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Refit, same layoutClosest to the job £5,500–£8,000
Strip out and fit a new mid-range bath with shower screen, toilet, basin, floor-to-ceiling wall tiling, tiled floor and extractor fan.
-
Higher-end refit £8,000–£11,500
Same layout with a premium suite, larger tiles, heated towel rail, underfloor heating, vanity storage and new spotlights.
Based on
- Standard family bathroom around 2 by 2.5 metres
- Same layout, no structural work
- Mid-range suite and tiles at around £30 per square metre
- Includes VAT and removal of the old suite
The same job in three places
| London (Southwark) | £6,500–£9,500 |
|---|---|
| Birmingham | £5,500–£8,000 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £5,500–£8,000 |
What a trade will ask you
Have answers ready and your quotes (and your ballpark) will be closer to the real price.
- Roughly how big is the bathroom?
- Keeping the bath, or swapping it for a walk-in shower?
- Is anything moving, like the toilet, basin or a wall?
- Tiled floor to ceiling, or just around the bath and basin?
- Underfloor heating, a heated towel rail or new lighting?
- Are you buying the suite yourself, or should the fitter supply it?
Common questions
What is the average cost of a new bathroom in the UK?
Checkatrade puts the average at about £7,000, with most people spending £5,500 to £8,000. HomeBuilding & Renovating settled on a rough average of £5,950 for a family bathroom in a three-bed semi.
How long does it take to fit a new bathroom?
Usually 5 to 10 working days, and as little as two days for a smaller refresh. Moving things around, re-plastering or tiling floor to ceiling takes longer.
How much does a wet room cost?
When we priced turning a small upstairs bathroom in Birmingham into a wet room (an example, not a customer's job), it came to £6,000 to £9,500, and an accessible wet room with a seat, grab rails and floor strengthening £9,000 to £14,000. The floor has to be sloped to a drain and fully waterproofed (tanked), and timber floors upstairs may need strengthening.
Can I get a grant for an accessible bathroom?
If you or someone living with you is disabled, your council may give a Disabled Facilities Grant towards changes such as a level-access shower: up to £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales and £25,000 in Northern Ireland. It usually depends on household income and savings. Scotland has separate support.
Do I need permission to replace a bathroom?
Not planning permission. Electrical work in a bathroom, such as lighting or a shower near the bath, should be done by a registered electrician who can certify it meets building regulations.
Are your prices including VAT?
Yes. Every price on this page includes VAT.
What would yours cost?
Describe your new bathroom and get a ballpark for your house in a couple of minutes. Free, and you don’t have to get quotes.
Get my ballparkSources
- Checkatrade, new bathroom cost guide (Mar 2026). Typical and average costs, prices for each part of the job, and how long it takes
- HomeBuilding & Renovating, new bathroom costs (Nov 2024). A family bathroom in a three-bed semi, split between materials and the fitter
- GOV.UK, Disabled Facilities Grants. What the grant covers and how much you can get