Advice · Bathrooms · 6 min read
What a bathroom refit really costs in 2026
Where the money goes on a typical Eastgate bathroom, which choices move the price, and the three costs people forget.
Our full bathroom refits start at £6,900 for labour and plumbing, and most finished bathrooms we fit land between £9,000 and £14,000 once the suite and tiles are in. Here is where the money goes.
Labour and plumbing: about half
Strip-out, first-fix plumbing, electrics, plastering, tiling, second fix and clean-up take a small team eight to twelve working days. That is the largest single cost, and the one you should be most wary of seeing cut: it is where the waste falls, the valves and the waterproofing happen.
The suite: £1,200 to £5,000
A standard white suite — bath, basin, toilet and taps — is at the lower end. Wall-hung toilets, freestanding baths and thermostatic showers push it up. You can buy your own, or we buy at trade and pass the discount on.
Tiles: £600 to £3,000
The tiles themselves are rarely the big number. Large-format and natural stone take longer to lay, and floor-to-ceiling tiling doubles the area.
Three costs people forget
- Moving the toilet. It connects to the soil stack, and moving it more than a metre often means lifting floors. Budget £400 to £900.
- Waterproofing. A walk-in shower needs a tanked floor and walls. It is invisible and it is not optional.
- The ceiling. Old bathrooms often have a ceiling that comes down with the tiles. Replastering is around £350.
How to keep it on budget
Keep the layout, choose the shower before the tiles, and get a fixed quote with the suite priced separately so you can see what is labour and what is product. Our design visit is free and comes with a measured drawing.
