Costs
Bathroom fitting cost
Written by Martin, M24/7 Bathrooms
Last updated:
The cost of fitting a bathroom depends far more on what is behind the old tiles than on the suite itself. Strip-out, wall and floor condition, the area to tile and any pipework changes are what move the figure.
Bathroom fitting cost comes down to labour and preparation rather than the products. The same suite can cost very different amounts to fit in two houses, because one room has sound walls and pipes in the right place while the other needs replastering, a new floor and pipework moved. That is why we price from a home survey rather than a photograph.
This guide is for homeowners who already have, or plan to buy, their own suite, or who want to refresh a bathroom without starting from scratch. It explains each part of the price so a written quotation makes sense line by line.
Fit-only, refurbishment or full renovation?
Fit-only means installing products you have bought into a room that is broadly ready. A refurbishment usually keeps the layout but replaces the suite, tiles and finishes. A full renovation strips the room back and may change the layout, the walls and the floor. Each step up adds work, and our new bathroom cost guide looks at the full renovation end in more detail.
If you are unsure which you need, our comparison of a bathroom renovation vs refit helps you decide before the survey. Many people who ask for fit-only discover at the strip-out that a refurbishment was the honest description all along.
Strip-out and disposal
Taking out an old bathroom is rarely quick. Tiles come off with chunks of plaster, a bath may be bedded in mortar, and boxing hides pipes that were never meant to be seen again. The time this takes, and how the waste leaves the house, both sit in the quotation, so check how disposal is handled when comparing prices.
Wall and floor condition
This is the biggest unknown and the reason two similar rooms cost differently. If the walls are sound, new tiles can go straight on. If the plaster is blown or the old adhesive has pulled the surface away, the walls need making good or replastering first. Floors are the same: a timber floor that flexes needs stiffening or overboarding before tiles go down.
Because M24/7 began as a tiling and plastering business, this preparation is done by the same team rather than waiting for another trade to fit you in.
Tiling area
Tiling a shower area only is a very different job from tiling every wall and the floor. The area, the tile size and the pattern all change the labour. Large format and patterned tiles need more careful setting out and cutting. Our bathroom tiling cost guide breaks this down further.
Moving or keeping pipework
Keeping the bath, basin and toilet where they are is the simplest route, because the supplies and waste are already in place. Moving the shower to another wall, turning a bath into a shower or adding a concealed valve means altering pipework before the walls are closed up. That is normal, it just has to be agreed at the start and priced accordingly.
Supplying your own suite: what to check
We are happy to fit products you have chosen, and we look over your list at the survey. A few checks avoid problems on fitting day:
- Every box has arrived and nothing is damaged before work starts
- Wastes, traps, valves and fixing kits are included or ordered
- A vanity unit leaves room for the door to open fully
- Your water system can give the shower the flow it expects
- Wall-hung items have the correct frame for the wall type
What a written quotation should list
A useful quotation names the stages rather than giving one number. Look for the strip-out and disposal, any wall or floor preparation, pipework changes, the tiling area, the fitting of each item and the sealing and handover. With that in front of you, comparing quotes becomes a comparison of the same work. To arrange a survey, see our bathroom fitting service or call Martin directly.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is it cheaper to supply my own bathroom suite?
It can be, if you find good prices and buy the right parts. The fitting labour is similar either way, so the saving is in the products, and only if nothing is missing on the day.
What does a bathroom refurbishment usually include?
Typically a new suite, new tiling and fresh finishes in the existing layout, with whatever wall and floor preparation the room needs once it is stripped.
Why does the condition of the walls change the price?
Tiles need a sound, flat surface. Walls that crumble or pull away when the old tiles come off need repairing or replastering first, which adds a stage to the job.
Does keeping the same layout save money?
Usually, yes. Leaving the bath, basin and toilet in place means the supplies and waste can be reused, and less pipework has to change.
What should a bathroom fitting quote include?
Each stage of the work: strip-out and disposal, preparation, pipework, tiling, fitting and sealing. A single total with no breakdown makes it hard to compare.
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