Adding a bathroom is a major home improvement project. There are almost infinite variations on what a bathroom addition can look like: it can have a jacuzzi with a high-end vanity, or just a simple standing shower, sink, and toilet.
Bathroom addition options are only limited by your budget. A thorough understanding of the costs involved when building a bathroom can help you be prepared for undertaking this project.
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How Much Does It Cost To Add A Bathroom?
The cost to add a bathroom will largely depend on whether you are adding a bathroom to an existing space or adding an addition.
The average cost of adding a bathroom to an existing space is $15,000, whereas the average cost of adding a new bathroom addition is $30,000.
The total range for adding a bathroom is between $5,000 and $100,000.
You can use our Bathroom Remodel Calculator to estimate the cost of adding a new bathroom.
Because the cost varies so significantly there are many choices you can make to lower or increase your total project cost.
All of the important choices for adding a bathroom are described in detail in the guide below to help you choose the right price point for your bathroom.
| Existing Space | New Addition | |
|---|---|---|
| Average Cost | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Low Cost | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| High Cost | $35,000 | $100,000 |
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Cost To Add A Bathroom Per Square Foot
One of the primary factors that impacts the cost of adding a bathroom is the square footage of the space.
The average cost of adding a bathroom between $200 and $300 per square foot. Low end bathrooms can be as cheap as $50 per square foot, whereas luxury bathrooms can be as pricey as $650 per square foot.
The larger the space, the more square footage and therefore the higher the cost will be.
| Average Bathroom Addition Cost Per Square Foot | $200 – $300 |
|---|---|
| Low End – High End Cost Per Square Foot | $50 – $650 |
Cost To Add a Bathroom In an Existing Space
If you want to add a bathroom to an existing space in your home, one of the main factors that will determine the total price price is what area you decide to convert into a bathroom.
For example, turning a laundry room into a bathroom is relatively affordable, whereas turning a bedroom into a bathroom is more expensive.
Carefully consider each of the available options and which will work best for your existing home setup as well as your planned budget.
| Room | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Laundry Room Conversion | $5,000 – $13,000 |
| Garage Conversion | $15,000 – $30,000 |
| Closet Conversion | $5,000 -$20,000 |
| Attic Conversion | $8,000 – $35,000 |
| Bedroom Conversion | $15,000 – $50,000 |
| One Bathroom into Two Bathrooms conversion | $10,000 – $30,000 |
Cost To Convert A Laundry Room In To A Bathroom
Converting a laundry room into a bathroom is the most affordable option because you save thousands of dollars on plumbing.
While other room options require you to add new plumbing, when you convert a laundry room all the plumbing is already in place, which significantly reduces costs.
On average, converting a laundry room into a basic bathroom can cost as little as $5,000 – 13, 000
Cost To Convert A Garage In To A Bathroom
Converting a garage into a bathroom is a solid choice because you get a lot of freedom in terms of spacing, layout, design, and more.
You will have to extend plumbing, insulation, and heating/cooling into the garage, though, which incurs high costs.
Typically, homeowners spend $15,000 – 30,000 to convert a garage into a bathroom.
There is also location to consider–a garage is not the most convenient location for an additional restroom, although it does have its uses, especially if you can connect it to a room that borders the garage.
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Cost To Turn A Closet In To A Bathroom
Turning a closet into a bathroom is a great choice when you want to add a small bathroom, especially if you want it to connect seamlessly to a bedroom or a main living room.
On average, you can expect to spend $3,500 – 8,500 to convert a closet into a bathroom, because the size of the space is rather small.
The cost will vary depending on the size of the bathroom and how far it is from existing plumbing.
For instance, converting a kitchen closet into a bathroom will be much cheaper than converting a bedroom closet into a bathroom because of the proximity to the kitchen’s plumbing system.
Cost To Convert An Attic In To A Bathroom
Converting an attic into a bathroom will largely depend on how finished the attic already is.
If the attic is finished, expect to pay less, as you simply need to install the desired fixtures and plumbing into the area. On average, adding an attic bathroom can cost as low as $6,000 to as much as $25,000 depending on the size of the bathroom and desired level of finish.
For an unfinished attic, expect to pay up to $10,000 – 15,000+ to first finish the existing space.
If you have a crawl attic there is no way to add a bathroom to that space.
Cost To Turn A Bedroom In To A Bathroom
If you want a large bathroom, one option is to turn a bedroom into a bathroom. This is a great option if you want to add a master bathroom and the bedroom borders the master bedroom.
Because the square footage of bedrooms is larger than other options such as closets, expect the bathroom to cost more.
You will also need to add plumbing, which will vary in cost depending on how close you are to other nearby bathrooms or kitchens.
Cost To Split An Existing Bathroom
Turning one bathroom into two bathrooms may be a good idea if you hope to sell your home and want to increase the number of bathrooms to match the number of bedrooms.
If you do not upgrade the existing fixtures, splitting a bathroom is not too expensive because all the plumbing infrastructure is already present.
However, if you want to upgrade by installing new flooring and tile as well as purchasing entirely new fixtures for both bathrooms, this will be more pricey.
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Material and Installation Costs of Adding a Bathroom
The cost of all the bathroom parts, such as a shower, toilet, sink, and vanity, make up a large portion of the overall cost of adding a bathroom.
The cost of each feature will vary depending on what type of product you choose and its price point.
There is a good deal of variety in terms of products on the market, so this is an excellent opportunity to cut down on costs if you are looking to save, or to splurge if you want to build a luxury bathroom.
The table below outlines the average prices of different common bathroom items, including both the material cost and the installation cost.
| Item | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Shower/tub | $700 – $3,000 |
| Toilet | $250 – $450 |
| Vanity and Sink | $200 – $600 |
| Flooring | $4 – $8 per square foot |
| Tile | $7 – $10 per square foot |
| Drywall | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| Shower Door | $200 – $1,000 |
| Lighting Fixtures | $150 – $700 |
Cost To Add A Shower/Tub
The type of shower or bathtub you choose can be the difference of several thousand dollars.
A simple shower can cost as low as $300 and a simple tub costs about $800, whereas a full shower and bath can bring the price up by several thousands.
The quality of the shower you choose will also impact the price. There are many affordable and high end options on the market to choose from.
Cost of A Toilet
A standard toilet that you can purchase at Home Depot costs between $100 and $200, whereas toilet installation costs between $150 and $250.
High end and luxury toilets such as Japanese toilets will be more costly, and can run as much as $2,000+
Cost To Install A Vanity/Sink
Vanities can range from a simple cabinet to elaborate structures with multiple sinks. The price will vary significantly based on how luxurious of a vanity you choose.
The sink may or may not be attached to the vanity. There are several different types of sinks, including a pedestal sink, an undermount sink, a wall mounted sink, a vessel sink, a drop in sink, and more.
Overall installing a sink and vanity costs $350 – 2,5 000 depending on the sink and vanity material you select, as well as the amount of labor involved in the install.
Cost To Install Bathroom Flooring
There are several different types of flooring that can be installed in bathrooms. Tile flooring is an obvious choice because of its water resistant qualities.
Installing tile flooring in a bathroom costs $700 – 2, 000 depending on the type of tile you select as well as the size of your bathroom.
Another popular choice is vinyl flooring, which can be made to emulate tile. Vinyl is a much more affordable option than tile or stone flooring.
Installing vinyl plank flooring costs $3.5 – 5 per square foot including labor and materials.
Although vinyl can mimic the appearance of tile or stone, vinyl flooring is less durable and may not last as long.
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Cost To Install Bathroom Tile
You may want to install tile on the walls, floor, or countertops. The average cost to install tile in a bathroom is $7 – 10 per square foot. So to save costs be strategic about where you install tile.
Depending on the size of your bathroom and the quality of tile you select, tiling an entire bathroom can cost $1,700 – 4,500.
There are many types of tile to choose from, including marble, granite, limestone, glass, metal, slate, and porcelain.
Cost Of Drywall For Building A Bathroom
You will likely need to add at least one wall to build your bathroom. The main determinant of the price of drywall is the square footage you add, because all drywall is roughly equal in quality.
Expect to spend $2.75-$4.20 per square foot to install drywall. In a 100 sq.ft. room the total cost to hang drywall is $600 – 800.
Cost To Install A Shower Door
If you are building a shower stall, there are several shower door options available, including a curtain bought from Target or a high-end glass sliding door.
New shower doors can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000, depending on door design, glass type, etc
Cost To Install Bathroom Lighting
Installing new electric wiring for an overhead light in the bathroom costs $700 – 1,200. Installing recessed lighting in your bathroom costs $900 – 1,100 +
Lighting fixtures range in price from las low as $99 to as much as $2,000+
Retail stores such as IKEA or Home Depot carry affordable lighting fixture options, and you can purchase high end products online or through your contractor.
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Cost of Labor and Miscellaneous Costs Of Adding A Bathroom
If you are building an entirely new bathroom, bathroom remodeling pros will charge $85-115 per hour, depending on the complexity of the project as well as your geographic location.
Typically, the labor cost to install a bathroom ends being 50-60% of the total project cost.
Remember that adding plumbing is a significant determiner of overall cost. Plumbing installation costs $80 to $120 per hour for labor alone.
Expect plumbing a new addition to cost between $700 and $1,500 for labor alone, not including materials. All costs included, plumbing can range between $1,000 and $10,000.
Plumbing is more expensive when the area is over a concrete slab that will need to be cut through, but is more affordable if the new bathroom will be on top of a basement or crawlspace which allows the plumbers to work more easily.
You will also need to pay the labor costs of electricians. Electricians charge similarly to plumbers, and will cost about $80 to $120 per hour of labor (not including any materials).
You’ll need an electrician to install ground fault interpreter (GFI) outlets, lighting, and bathroom fans.
Another cost to consider is permits. If you are building an addition you may need to receive a permit from your local building department.
You also need a permit for any plumbing and waste pipes brought to a new location, which applies to almost any new bathroom built.
Costs of permits vary between $250 and $600 depending on the type of permit and your location.
Can I Add A Bathroom Anywhere In The House?
Although you may technically have free reign when it comes to deciding where to install a bathroom in your home, in actuality the price will differ significantly based on where you choose to add it.
Upstairs bathrooms tend to be more pricey than downstairs bathrooms because they are usually farther from plumbing.
Generally speaking, it is the most cost effective to add a bathroom where the infrastructure, such as plumbing and electrical wiring already exists.
What Is The Minimum Size For A Bathroom?
Depending on where you want to add a bathroom, how much space is available as well as your budget, will determine the size of the bathroom you can build.
Legally, to add a small half-bathroom you will need at least 3 ft by 6 ft space or 18 sq.ft. total.. A half bathroom does not contact a shower or a tub, just the toilet and the sink.
Most building codes require at least 32 sq.ft. to build a shower.
To be considered a full bathroom, the space needs to have at least 40 sq.ft. Most full size bathrooms are fairly small, up to 60-70 sq.ft. Luxury style/master bathrooms can be as large as 140 – 175 sq.ft.
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Cost Of A Half Bath vs 3/4 Bath vs Full Bath
The type/size of the bathroom you should build depends on your needs and how you hope to use the bathroom.
A full bath is a bathroom with a sink, shower, toilet, and bathtub.
In comparison, a half bath only has a sink and toilet. A 3/4 bathroom is a happy medium between the two types of bathrooms: it has either a tub or a shower, with a small sink and toilet installed close by.
Full bathrooms are generally located on upper stories of the home and nearby to the bedrooms, whereas 3/4 and half bathrooms tend to be on the ground floor near the kitchen and family rooms.
Adding A Bathroom Upstairs vs Downstairs
Upstairs and downstairs bathrooms serve very different purposes. Upstairs bathrooms afford privacy and the chance for luxury, especially if it is connected to the master bedroom. Many upstairs bathrooms have features such as a bathtub, a double sink, and a large vanity.
Downstairs bathrooms, on the other hand, are more commonly used by those visiting the home, and generally do not have a shower or a bath. They are smaller and geared more for convenience.
Upstairs bathrooms are more expensive to install than downstairs bathrooms because you will likely need to add plumbing a longer distance. Downstairs bathrooms are nearby to existing plumbing, such as kitchen plumbing, so adding additional plumbing is less of a difficulty.
Half baths are an excellent choice for downstairs bathrooms, whereas upstairs bathrooms should likely be equipped with a shower in the minimum, if not also a bathtub.
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Is Adding A New Bathroom A Good Idea?
The ultimate question you may be asking yourself is whether the project is worth it. Adding a bathroom is an expensive endeavor, after all. Does it really make sense to invest the money into building a new bathroom?
The answer, of course, depends. If adding a bathroom will significantly improve your quality of life, then it definitely is worth considering.
An extra bathroom can add convenience, ease, and comfort to the home. An extra bathroom can make it easier for a family to live together in harmony.
On the other hand, a bathroom is a significant investment and if there is not a major need for it then it may not be worth the money. If it will only add slight convenience, you should consider whether the hassle and costs will be worthwhile.
Also, if you are planning on moving in the coming years, for example, adding a bathroom is likely not the best home improvement project because it has a relatively low ROI.
Overall the choice will depend on your budget, lifestyle, and home needs, and only you can decide whether a new bathroom will be right for your home.
Does A New Bathroom Add Value To My Home?
Adding a bathroom, whether you are making an addition or building it in a preexisting space, is a sure way to add value to your home.
Overall, adding a bathroom increases your home’s value by 10% to 25% depending on several factors, including how large the bathroom is and your location.
As a rough estimate, adding a half-bath will add about 10% to your home’s value, and adding a full bah will add between 15% and 25% to your home’s value.
The ROI (return on investment) of a new bathroom is between 60% and 70%, meaning that if you sell your home you will receive back between 60 and 70 percent of the cost of adding a bathroom in the markup of your home’s selling price.
This is a somewhat modest ROI when compared to other home improvement projects, such as a garage door replacement, window replacement, or siding replacement.
Still, if you have a large house, adding a full or a half-bath may make your home a lot more desirable in the eyes of prospective buyers and will make it much easier to sell.
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