Am I deluded about cost of renovating my 154 sq foot bathroom?

14 years ago

Hi all,

I'd love to get some feedback on the labour costs of redoing my bathroom. I realize that costs vary wildly but right now I'm dealing with a basic quote of 12k CDN for labour only, with all materials extra. At first I thought it was extremely high, but perhaps I'm in denial about the size of the bathroom. It's an L shaped circa 1981 shiny blacked tiled space, with a walk in shower (7' x 3'), separate tub and toilet, 48" vanity and laundry closet with a total sq footage of around 154 ft. I'm not changing the layout but everything needs to be redone. The shower in particular is probably a lot of work-- the drywall behind the existing tile has rotted and it needs a vapour barrier installed. There's also a 5 x 7.5 ft glass block wall to be demolished. Any thoughts?

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Comments (8)

stlouie
14 years ago
Prices differ in different parts of the country, and the materials you use will affect price (larger format tile will cost more to install). Our bath is only 5'6" x 13'4" with a large shower/no tub. We did the demo ourselves, gutting it to the studs. Wiring, plumbing and toilet were all relocated by a company. It's still not completed, but by the time it is, we will probably come in around $18,000 for all the materials(travertine, vanity, fixtures, toilet, heated floor mat, etc.) and labor, and the wiring & plumbing. Just the labor for the bath (not including wiring and plumbing) is about $7,000, but he provided the hardibacker, drywall, KERDI, SLC, grout, constructed the shower and poured a mudbed, layed the heated floor, etc.) Considering our bath is so much smaller than yours, I'd say that $12,000 sounds pretty good if the person doing it is reputable and thorough. You'll save alot by doing demo yourself.

Yes, we could have saved quite a bit by choosing porcelain tile over the travertine. But, it was one of our splurges and we love it. I actually thought the $7,000 sounded high, but after seeing the thoroughness and quality of work that our tile contractor is doing, I can see how long it takes to do a mudbed, kerdi, tilework. Instead of using trim pieces, he bevels the edge of the travertine for a smooth finish. He's not only a good tile contractor, but a designer as well!

Good luck with your reno!
lazy_gardens
14 years ago
Get more quotes, at least five, and let the contractors know that you are getting them.

I had bids on a sprinkler system- all working from the same written project description - from 10,000 to 1,200 USD.
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trtsmb
14 years ago
I would get more quotes. $12k sounds high if it doesn't include any materials at all.
silly_me
14 years ago
My contractor also said 12K for labor only - 10x5 bath. I'm in NYS.
saohio
14 years ago
I am paying ~12K USD labor for 2 average-sized bathrooms - a master & a guest BR; in Ohio; definitely get at least 2 more bids and do some reference checking
bill_vincent
14 years ago
12K for labor for that size bathroom actually sounds low, unless it's going to be a wide open bare bones bathroom, and from the sounds of it, that's not the case.

I'll agree with the others who've said get a couple of other estimates.
User
14 years ago
Just a suggestion but make sure you request that the quotes are itemized as much as possible so you can actually compare apples to apples.

When we got our quotes the contractor we went with seemed high at first, but once we sat down and did a comparison, he was actually right in line with the others.
nsmontreal
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks so much everyone, for your comments. They were most helpful. I am going to get some other quotes, but I have seen this guy's work and he is really good and thorough. I'll have to be extra careful with materials to keep costs down. (Want that travertine 'tho, stlouie, want it! want it! want it!)

Am I deluded about cost of renovating my 154 sq foot bathroom?

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stlouie

lazy_gardens

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Am I deluded about cost of renovating my 154 sq foot bathroom?

Comments (8)

stlouie

lazy_gardens

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trtsmb

silly_me

saohio

bill_vincent

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nsmontrealOriginal Author

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