How Much Does it Cost to Flip a Bathroom?

Updating a bathroom when flipping a house or remodeling is one of the best value adds you can do to a home. 

As updated kitchens and baths are at the top of almost every home buyer’s must-have list.

You might be wondering though just how much does it cost to flip a bathroom?

As someone who has flipped 16 houses and countless bathrooms over the years, I thought I would explain how much it costs to flip a bathroom, as well as provide a breakdown of the individual costs associated with flipping a bathroom.

While the cost of a bathroom flip or remodel can vary greatly depending on where you’re located, the size of the bathroom, and the type of finishes and features you choose, on average most bathroom flips cost between $4,000 and $10,000. 

With items like showers, tubs, vanities, and flooring creating the bulk of the cost when renovating a bathroom.

There’s way more to know about bathroom flips than just the average cost though, such as the cheapest way to remodel a bathroom, how to remodel a bathroom for $1,000, and how much a basic bathroom renovation costs.

So if you’re thinking about flipping or remodeling a bathroom soon, you definitely need to keep reading!

Cost Breakdown of a Bathroom Flip and Remodel

Now that we know it usually costs anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 to flip and remodel a bathroom,  let’s take a closer look at the cost breakdown of a typical bathroom remodel.  So you can get a better idea of how much each individual renovation costs and what to expect.

Keep in mind that these costs include both the materials as well as labor for a licensed contractor to perform the work.  

Bathroom Vanity Cost

The bathroom vanity is perhaps one of the most prominent and important features of a bathroom and can really help to set the overall tone and feel of the bathroom.  

Because of this, if you’re going to splurge on an item when remodeling a bathroom the bathroom vanity is a great place to do it.  

The cost of a bathroom vanity as with all items in a bathroom can vary greatly because of build quality, design, and features. 

With cheap standard bathroom vanities at Lowe’s or HomeDepot costing only a few hundred dollars, all the way up to custom-built high-end vanity cabinets that can cost in excess of $1,000 or more.  

To see the best affordable bathroom vanities, check out our article “10 Best Cheap Bathroom Vanities (Photos & Pricing)“.

Cost of a Toilet

While toilets can range anywhere from $100 to over $500 when remodeling or flipping a bathroom. 

I wouldn’t spend a great deal of money on a new toilet, as you won’t see any real return from it.  Think about it, can you even picture what your current toilet even looks like. 

Instead, I would just pick a middle-of-the-road toilet from a brand like Kohler or American Standard for a few hundred dollars.

Also, just because you’re flipping a bathroom, don’t assume you have to replace the toilet. 

Because usually with a little elbow grease and perhaps a new toilet seat, an old toilet can be made to look brand new.

Shower Surround / Tub Cost

The most expensive item of any bathroom flip or remodel is usually installing a new shower surround or tub in the bathroom, as it tends to require a lot of time and labor for both.

So if you are planning on installing a brand new walk-in shower with extensive tile work or a large soaking tub be prepared to spend thousands of dollars on these items.  

New showers, tubs, and shower surrounds can have a big impact on updating a bathroom though, so in less, you’re working with a tight budget it’s best to spend the money on these renovations.  

Sink / Counter Top Cost

We chose to break apart the sink and countertop from the vanity as there are a lot of options when it comes to these two items.

At the low end of the price range is your standard prefab cultured marble countertop that you can find at the big box stores for a hundred dollars or so. 

And at the high end, are custom countertops made from natural stone such as granite or marble which usually have under-mount or vessel sinks that can cost $800 or more.

When it comes to a bathroom flip, I would choose a style of countertop and sink that best fits the price point of the home and perhaps upgrade to a slightly higher standard than what’s typical for the neighborhood.

Bathroom Flooring Cost

Because bathrooms typically have a small footprint, the material cost for new bathroom flooring usually does not cost a lot of money, even when you choose a higher-end material like porcelain tile.  

Keep in mind though that most of the cost for new flooring in bathrooms is due to the labor, as installing a new tile floor is both labor and time-intensive.

So when flipping a bathroom be prepared to spend anywhere from $500 to $1,500 for a new tile floor.

Bathroom Light Fixtures Cost

Lift fixtures whether your remodeling a bathroom or any other room in your house can really run the gambit in regards to cost, costing anywhere from $100 dollars to well over $600.  

And while I enjoy a nice light fixture as much as the next person, in my experience you don’t usually get a huge return on investment for higher-end light fixtures in a bathroom.

So when looking for light fixtures for a bathroom flip, it’s best to stay in the $200 to $300 price range, if you are looking for the most bang for your buck.  

Plumbing Fixture Cost

As with light fixtures, there can be a wide range in the cost of plumbing fixtures for a bathroom flip. 

However, just like light fixtures, in my opinion, you typically don’t get a lot of bang for your buck if you spend a ton of money on high-end plumbing fixtures.

So when flipping a bathroom it’s best to stick with plumbing fixtures that are towards the middle of the price range at around $400 or so for the best value based on cost.  

Paint Cost

The last piece of the puzzle for a bathroom flip and remodel is the paint you choose to put on the walls.

Ironically even though painting is one of the cheapest of all the bathroom renovations, picking a modern and bright paint color for the bathroom can make a huge impact on the overall bathroom flip.

When painting a bathroom for a flip, be prepared to pay a painter around $300 to $400 to paint the bathroom. 

And while you might think that is a lot of money for such a small room.  Painting bathrooms can be very time-consuming because it’s all pretty much just cut in work.

How Can I Save Money in a Bathroom Renovation?

If you’re working with a tight budget when renovating a bathroom there are many ways you can save money including keeping the current bathroom’s size and layout, opting for a prefabricated shower and tub, refinishing bathroom fixtures instead of replacing them, leaving all the existing electrical and plumbing rough-ins where they are, and doing some or all of the work yourself.  

Keep the Bathroom Size and Layout

Bathroom remodeling budgets can quickly get out of hand when you start knocking down walls and moving plumbing features around.   

So if you’re trying to save money when renovating a bathroom it’s best to stick with the original bathroom size and layout to avoid big construction, plumbing, and drywall costs.   

That way you can spend your money on the finishings of the bathroom as opposed to general construction and rough-ins that no one sees anyway.  

Opt For a Prefabricated Shower and Bathtub

One of the most expensive renovations of any bathroom is by far the installation of a walk-in shower or a tub-shower combo.  

So to save some money when remodeling a bathroom, opt for a prefabricated shower and bathtub, instead of a custom walk-in shower that can cost thousands of dollars or more.  

And depending on what type of prefabricated shower and bathtub you choose you might be able to go right over the existing shower-tub combo if it’s not in too bad of shape.  Saving you, even more, time and money by avoiding a lot of the demo that is usually involved in extensive bathroom renovations.  

Refinish Bathroom Fixtures Instead of Replacing Them

One of the best updates you can do when updating and renovating a bathroom is to change out all of the outdated fixtures for more modern versions.  

However, oftentimes it might just be the finish on the fixture that is dating them instead of the design of the fixture itself.

So if your old bathroom fixtures are in good shape but are an outdated brass color. 

You can easily fix this by picking up a brushed nickel or oil bronze spray paint at your local hardware store for a few bucks and spray painting the fixture to look like a brand new bathroom fixture.   

Breathing new life back into those old bathroom fixtures without spending a lot of money.  

Keep All the Electrical and Plumbing Rough-Ins Where They Are

Another great way to save money when renovating a bathroom is to keep all the electrical and plumbing rough-ins where they are, instead of moving them around the bathroom.

Because even though it might be tempting to add an electrical outlet here or move the toilet over there, this often leads to a large electrician and plumbing bill as well as additional construction costs.  

So when renovating a bathroom on a budget, the best thing you can do is work with the existing electrical and plumbing locations that already exist in the bathroom.

Do Some or All of the Work Yourself

A large portion of the cost associated with remodeling and renovating a bathroom is the labor cost.

So if you’re willing to do some or all of the work yourself this can cut the cost of a bathroom renovation in half or more.  

Don’t get in over your head though if you don’t have a lot of DIY skills or know what you’re doing, as some things are best left to professionals.

But even if you don’t do the heavy lifting in a bathroom renovation, just doing some of the simple things like painting or installing some of the plumbing fixtures can save you a lot of money.  

What is the Cheapest Way to Remodel a Bathroom?

While we all might love to completely gut our old outdated bathroom and build out a brand new bathroom, often times this is just not feasible due to budget constraints and time limitations.

Luckily though there is a way to remodel a bathroom super cheap if you spend your money wisely and are willing to put in a little elbow grease.

Even though this type of bathroom remodel is probably more accurately referred to as a bathroom refresh, you will be surprised at how much of a difference a few hundred bucks and a little bit of time can make. 

Below are some of the best tricks when you want to update and remodel a bathroom for cheap.  Keep in mind that these below prices reflect material cost only, as it is assumed you will be doing the work yourself.  

• Paint the bathroom a neutral modern color. ($30 – we use Sherwin Williams agreeable gray)
• Paint the vanity cabinet. ($20)
• Replace old and dated cabinet hardware for new. ($40)
• Change out the bathroom faucet with a new modern version. ($80)
• Takedown large old plate glass mirror and replace with a framed one. ($60)
• Install a new towel bar and toilet paper holder. ($40)

How Much Does a Basic Bathroom Renovation Cost?

While most bathroom remodels usually cost between $4,000 and $10,000, this is just an average as obviously, you can spend much less and way more when remodeling a bathroom.

So if you’re thinking about doing a basic bathroom renovation or remodel you’re probably wondering how much this type of renovation might cost.

In general, a basic bathroom renovation should cost between $2,000 and $5,000 depending on the scope of work being done and the finishes that are chosen.

Keep in mind though when trying to budget for a basic bathroom renovation, that this is just an average, as the type of renovation work you’re going to do as well as the finishes you choose can have a big impact on the overall cost of a basic bathroom renovation.  

In a basic bathroom renovation, you typically:

• Keep the existing bathroom layout.
• Keep all electrical and plumbing rough-ins where they are.
• Replace all lighting and plumbing fixtures as well as hardware.
• Potentially replace some of the main elements of a bathroom such as the vanity or vanity top, the toilet, and the shower tub combo, but not necessarily all of them.  

How Do You Remodel a Bathroom for $1,000?

As you can see from the above video if you want to remodel a bathroom for $1,000 or less, you have to be very conscious of where you spend your money and do all or most of the work yourself.

But if you’re not the handiest person in the world don’t panic, as many of these basic renovations do not require a lot of skill or know-how.  

Below is our simple 8 step process to remodel and completely transform your bathroom for $1,000 or less.

1. The first thing you want to do is start with a clean slate so remove all personal items out of the bathroom.
2. Then remove the dated vanity as well as the old plumbing fixtures and hardware.
3. You should now be left with a nice clean slate to work with.  So take this opportunity to repair any tile work or drywall that might need to be repaired.
4. Paint the bathroom a modern and bright color but make sure to do the prep and if you are going to be painting in a wet area be sure the paint is rated for this.
5. Add a new vanity in the bathroom.  The best place to pick this up when working with a tight budget is at Lowe’s or Home Depot, as they sell nice vanity top combos for a few hundred bucks.
6. Install new plumbing fixtures in the bathroom including a new bathroom faucet and a new shower kit.
7. Add a new framed mirror above the bathroom vanity.
8. Install new bathroom accessories such as a towel bar, a toilet paper holder, drawer pulls, and doorknobs.