How much does bathroom renovation cost in United Kingdom?
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Key takeaways
- Most bathroom renovation jobs in United Kingdom land between £2,000–£20,000 — known locally as bathroom fitting / new bathroom.
- The UK requires Part P compliance for bathroom electrical work (new circuits, electric showers) via a registered electrician or Building Control, and Building Regulations approval when drainage is altered or a new bathroom is formed. There is no licence for bathroom fitters themselves, so scheme memberships and references carry the weight.
- Prices below are researched national ranges, updated July 2026 — not quotes.
Bathroom Renovation prices by job size in United Kingdom
| Job size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget refresh New suite fitted in the existing layout, minimal tiling | £2,000 | £3,500 | £5,000 |
| Standard full refit Strip-out, new suite, full retile, new flooring | £5,500 | £7,000 | £8,500 |
| Large/high-end bathroom Layout changes, premium sanitaryware, underfloor heating | £10,000 | £14,000 | £20,000 |
Per-unit rates
| Unit | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| per day (bathroom fitter) | £180 | £250 | £350 |
What affects the price
- Job size and scope — bigger or more complex jobs move you up the ranges above.
- Access and condition — hard-to-reach areas, older properties or neglected maintenance add labour time.
- Materials and quality level — where materials are involved, the grade you choose often matters more than labour.
- Urgency — same-day or out-of-hours work usually carries a premium.
- Where you live — large metros in United Kingdom typically run above the national range; smaller towns below it.
How to save
- Get at least three quotes and compare like-for-like scopes, not just totals.
- Be flexible on timing — off-peak slots are often cheaper.
- Bundle related tasks into one visit to spread call-out costs.
- Agree the scope in writing up front to avoid change-order surprises.
How to hire a bathroom renovation pro in United Kingdom
- Check reviews and past work on Checkatrade or MyBuilder, and ask for two recent local installs to contact
- Confirm any new circuits or electric showers are installed by a Part P registered electrician who can self-certify
- If a gas combi boiler or gas water heating is affected, use a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Notify Building Control if drainage is altered or a new bathroom is created — like-for-like refits don't need it
- Get an itemized quote separating strip-out, first fix, tiling (per m² with tile allowance), and sanitaryware supply
- Agree staged payments with 5-10% retained until snagging is complete
Red flags
- Electric shower or new circuit installed with no Part P sign-off
- No waterproofing (tanking) mentioned for the shower area
- Full payment requested before sanitaryware is even ordered
- Quote silent on old-suite disposal
- No fixed business address or written quote
How Handld researches prices
These are researched estimates, not quotes and not our transaction data. We compile ranges from published sources — national statistics, trade bodies and incumbent cost guides — normalise them to GBP, and adjust city pages by a population-based cost tier. Last updated July 2026. Basis: Checkatrade new bathroom cost guide (checkatrade.com); MyBuilder new bathroom price guide (mybuilder.com); FMB bathroom renovation cost breakdown (fmb.org.uk).
Frequently asked questions
How much does moving the toilet or shower add?
Relocating a toilet means rerouting the soil pipe and adjusting floor levels; moving a shower means new drainage falls and full re-waterproofing. Either typically adds a meaningful share of the total budget and extra days of work. If your budget is tight, keeping the existing layout is the single most effective cost-saver.
Can I use the bathroom during the renovation?
Not the one being renovated — water is disconnected and the floor is out of service for most of the project. If it is your only bathroom, ask the contractor to sequence works so the toilet is usable overnight where possible, and plan for gym showers or neighbours for the tiling and waterproofing week.
Do I supply the fittings myself or buy through the contractor?
Buying your own toilet, vanity, and taps gives price control; buying through the contractor makes them responsible for defects, wrong sizes, and delivery timing. A common middle path: contractor supplies everything built-in or warranty-critical (shower valves, waste, membrane), you supply visible items like mirrors and accessories. Whoever supplies an item owns replacing it if it arrives damaged.
Do I need waterproofing, and can I skip redoing it?
If the renovation strips the shower area back to the substrate, waterproofing must be redone — a failed membrane is the most expensive bathroom defect there is, because the fix means demolishing finished tiling. Several countries regulate wet-area waterproofing explicitly. Never let a contractor tile directly over an old or damaged membrane.
What is the correct order of works in a bathroom renovation?
Strip-out, then first-fix plumbing and electrics (pipes and cables in walls), then substrate preparation and waterproofing, then tiling, then second-fix (toilet, vanity, taps, shower screen, lights), then silicone and snagging. If a quote or schedule doesn't follow this order, question it — out-of-sequence work is how leaks and redone tiles happen.
How much does a new bathroom cost in the UK?
Checkatrade's 2025-26 guide puts a new bathroom including materials at £5,500-£8,000 with an average around £7,000; budget refits can come in near £3,000-£4,500 and large or high-end bathrooms run £14,000+. Fitting labour alone is typically £1,500-£4,000 depending on scope.
How long does a UK bathroom refit take?
A straightforward refit takes about 5-10 working days; layout changes or first-floor drainage rework push it to two to three weeks. Book fitters ahead — good bathroom installers in most UK cities carry 4-8 week lead times.
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