How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in the UK?

Bathroom renovation cost by spec level

The biggest single factor in your final bill is spec level, not room size — that surprises most people.

How much does a small bathroom renovation cost?

A small bathroom or en-suite (under about 4m²) typically costs £3,000 to £5,500 for a full renovation. Smaller doesn't mean proportionally cheaper — a lot of the cost is fixed regardless of room size: removing the old suite, first-fix and second-fix plumbing, waterproofing, and an extractor fan all cost roughly the same whether the room is 3m² or 8m². What shrinks with room size is mainly tiling area and labour days.

How much does a new bathroom cost?

If "new bathroom" means a full strip-out and rebuild, you're looking at the same £5,000–£10,000 range as a standard full renovation. If it just means swapping the suite while keeping existing tiling and layout, that drops to £2,000–£4,000, since you're skipping the most labour-intensive parts — tiling removal, waterproofing, and re-tiling. Be specific about which one you're asking for when comparing quotes.

How much to fit a bathroom, labour only?

If you're supplying your own suite, tiles, and fittings, labour-only fitting typically costs £2,000 to £4,000 for a standard bathroom:

• Plumber (first and second fix) — roughly 3–5 days
• Tiler — roughly 2–4 days, depending on tiling extent
• Electrician (extractor fan, lighting) — usually 1 day
• Plasterer (if walls need making good) — 1–2 days

How long does a bathroom renovation take?

A standard full renovation takes 1 to 2 weeks on site:

Refresh vs. full renovation: what's the real difference?

A cosmetic refresh — re-grouting, repainting, swapping taps — costs £800 to £2,000 and takes 2–3 days. It won't fix a failing layout or waterproofing. A full renovation is the right call once tiling or waterproofing is genuinely failing — patching over that with a refresh just delays a more expensive repair.

A worked example: full bathroom renovation

A realistic line-item breakdown for a standard mid-spec bathroom (around 5m²) in a typical UK semi:

What actually affects the price

Property type

Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have older pipework and awkward layouts, adding plumbing cost. 1930s semis — common across Leicestershire — usually have predictable layouts but smaller original bathrooms. Modern builds tend to be cheapest to renovate, since plumbing is already sensibly placed.

• Moving plumbing — relocating a toilet or shower adds pipework and access cost
• Structural changes — combining rooms or borrowing space adds a stud wall or removal cost
• Underfloor heating — typically adds £600–£1,200
• Ventilation & building regs — an extractor fan is a requirement, not an optional extra

Local considerations for Leicestershire homes

Renovation costs in Leicestershire and the East Midlands generally sit at or below the UK national average — costs in London and the South East can run 20–40% higher for the same job. Hinckley and the surrounding area has a real mix of Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, and newer estate builds, and the age of your specific house will move your quote more than which town you're in.

How to avoid overspending

• Get at least 3 local quotes — costs can vary 20–30% for the same spec
• Decide your layout before getting quotes, not during the job
• Don't skimp on waterproofing to save money
• Budget the 10% contingency as standard, especially in older properties

Frequently asked questions