Primary bathroom remodel
What it really costs to remodel a primary bath
Real numbers and a real process, based on 50 permitted bathroom projects and over 20 years of renovation experience.
$75K–$160K+
Turn-key investment range
2026 investment summary
Where your bathroom budget actually goes
A primary bath carries its own complexity — stone, glass, and plumbing all in a tight footprint. Here’s the breakdown across 50 turn-key, permitted bathroom projects.
| Category | What it covers | 2026 range |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring & shower tile | Standard tile to natural stone throughout | $15K – $25K |
| Cabinets | Keep & paint existing to fully new vanity | $5K – $25K |
| Countertops | Granite to marble or quartzite | $5K – $10K |
| Custom shower glass | Standard doors to full frameless glass | $5K – $15K |
| Plumbing & accessories | Relocate or replace fixtures | $10K – $20K |
| Lighting | Relocate or fully replace fixtures | $10K – $15K |
| HVAC & mechanical | Exhaust fan to full duct relocation | $5K – $15K |
| Walls, painting & structural | Paint refresh to removing or adding walls | $10K – $20K |
| Lavish design & implementation | Full design, project management, and coordination | $10K – $15K |
Turn-key average investment range
$75K – $160K
These ranges include everything — design time, products, labor, licensed installers, permitting, and project management. One number, no surprise add-ons later.
The 5-phase process
How a kitchen remodel actually unfolds
Click through each phase to see the duration, investment, payment trigger, and what gets done — specific to a kitchen project.
- Onsite design and vendor walkthroughs to land the vision
- Material selections: flooring, hardware, lighting, paint
- Cabinet and storage layout finalized, final vendor selected
- Countertop edge profile, corner radius, and slab count specified
- HVAC and mechanical plan: exhaust fans and venting routed
- Final design boards approved by the client
Duration
4–9 weeks
Investment
$10K – $15K
Design hours
15–25 hrs
- Construction agreement signed and approved
- Permits applied for (avg. 10–45 days)
- All materials ordered and delivery scheduled
- Job site expectations set: access, storage, dumpster, pets
- Timeline projections confirmed in writing
Duration
4–9 weeks
Investment
$35K – $75K
Design hours
10–25 hrs
- Site cleared; electrical and plumbing sealed
- Unforeseen conditions (rot, mold, code issues) addressed transparently
- Framing alterations completed, structural or aesthetic
- Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC rough-in ready for connection
- Onsite meeting to finalize behind-wall locations before close-up
Duration
2–7 weeks
Investment
$20K – $45K
Design hours
10–15 hrs
- Drywall and trim installed with primer and first coat of paint
- Cabinet installation and countertop template taken
- Final height and location of lighting, plumbing, and accessories set onsite
- Countertop installed; plumbing, lighting, and HVAC connected
- Flooring installation or refinishing completed
Duration
4–9 weeks
Investment
$5K – $15K
Design hours
10–15 hrs
- Final safety inspections passed: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, fire
- Certificate of completion delivered (1-year warranty)
- Punch list created and every item resolved
- Final professional cleaning and photo shoot
- Leadership approval and full team sign-off
What’s included
Specialized for the way a bathroom works
Bathrooms carry their own complexity — waterproofing, glass, ventilation, and stone all in a small footprint. Here’s what we specifically account for.
