Bathroom renovation cost in 2026: refit, remodel and wet room
3 min
6
September 2026. Costs are indicative 2026 UK ranges, not a quotation.
Key figures in this guide
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Use the calculator with your own quantities and rates, then keep a contingency visible from day one.
Open calculatorA bathroom renovation costs £7,500 - £13,000 in 2026 for a like-for-like family bathroom refit, £13,000 - £24,000 if you change the layout, and £11,000 - £22,000 for a tanked wet room. A cloakroom or WC refit is £3,500 - £6,500.
Bathrooms are small rooms with a lot of trades in them: plumbing, electrics, tiling, plastering, joinery and decorating. That is why a 4 square metre room can cost as much as a whole kitchen.
All figures are 2026 UK prices including labour and materials, excluding VAT where it does not apply.
What a bathroom costs in 2026
| Scope | Typical 2026 cost | Time on site |
|---|---|---|
| Cloakroom or WC refit | £3,500 - £6,500 | 4-7 days |
| Like-for-like family bathroom refit | £7,500 - £13,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| Full remodel, layout changed | £13,000 - £24,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| Tanked wet room | £11,000 - £22,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| En suite created in an existing room | £9,000 - £18,000 | 3-4 weeks |
Where the money goes on a typical £10,000 family bathroom in 2026: labour £4,000 - £5,500, sanitaryware and brassware £1,800 - £3,000, tiles and adhesives £900 - £2,000, electrics and extract £500 - £900, making good and decorating £400 - £800.
What moves the price most
- 01Moving the soil pipe. Relocating the WC is the single most expensive decision in a bathroom.
- 02Tiling area and tile size. Large-format tiles and full-height walls add labour as well as material.
- 03Tanking. A proper wet room needs a tanked and sloped floor, not just a tray.
- 04Brassware quality. A concealed thermostatic valve and rain head can cost more than the whole suite.
- 05Substrate surprises. Rotten floors, old lead pipework and crumbling plaster appear once tiles come off.
What is usually extra
| Item | Typical 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Underfloor heating, electric mat | £600 - £1,400 |
| New extract fan with humidity sensor | £250 - £550 |
| Replacing the soil stack section | £900 - £2,500 |
| Upgrading pipework from old lead or steel | £700 - £2,200 |
| Bespoke vanity joinery | £1,200 - £4,000 |
| Structural work to form an en suite | £2,000 - £6,000 |
A realistic order of work
- 01Strip out and dispose.
- 02First fix plumbing and electrics, once the layout is agreed and frozen.
- 03Boarding, tanking and levelling.
- 04Tiling.
- 05Second fix, sanitaryware and brassware.
- 06Silicone, decoration and snagging.
Changing the layout after step 2 is where budgets break. Decide the position of the WC, basin and shower before anyone lifts a tool.
How to brief it so quotes match
- State whether the layout is staying or changing, and if changing, exactly how.
- Name the sanitaryware and brassware, or set a supply allowance in pounds.
- Give the tile size, finish and how much of each wall is tiled.
- Say who supplies what, and who removes the waste.
- Ask for the price of the substrate risk to be stated separately as a provisional sum.
Renovome writes the scope for you, then every professional prices the same room, so the differences you see are real.
Related guides
- Replacing a basin, tap or toilet: what to expect and what it costs
- How to get quotes for a small job, and compare them fairly
- What to check before signing off your building work
Last reviewed: September 2026. Costs are indicative 2026 UK ranges, not a quotation.