How to Price a Bathroom Installation — A Tradesman's Guide

Bathroom installations catch out tradespeople more than almost any other job. They look straightforward on the surface — rip out the old, fit the new — and then you open up the floor, find the waste is in the wrong place, the tiles crack when you try to remove them, and the waterproofing was done with newspaper in 1987.

Here's how to price them so you're not the one absorbing those surprises.

Start with a proper site visit

Never quote a bathroom from photos or a description over the phone. You need to see the room. Specifically:

What's the current waste and supply layout? Does the new layout require moving anything? Is there existing waterproofing? What condition is it in? What's the floor construction? Solid floor vs timber joists affects what you can do and how long it takes. Is there an existing extractor? Is it ducted or recirculating? What condition? What access is there? Can you get a full bathroom suite up the stairs or is there a tight turn? Any signs of existing damp, movement or structural issues?

This isn't just due diligence — it's the information you need to price accurately.

Break the job into phases

Bathroom installations have distinct phases with different labour and material requirements:

Strip out — removing existing suite, tiles, flooring, sometimes stud walls First fix plumbing — moving or extending supply and waste pipes First fix electrics (or involving an electrician if not your trade) Boarding — waterproof board or tile backer Waterproofing — tanking or wet room systems where required Tiling Second fix plumbing — fitting suite, shower, taps Second fix electrics — towel rail, extractor, lighting Flooring — vinyl, LVT, mosaic, whatever's specified Snagging and finishing

Pricing each phase separately helps you spot where the time actually goes and prevents you lumping everything into a single figure that gets queried.

Materials — supply and fit or fit only?

Decide upfront whether you're supplying materials or fitting what the customer supplies.

Supply and fit is more profitable — you buy at trade, charge at close to retail, and the margin on materials can be significant on a full bathroom. It also means you control the specification and avoid the nightmare of being handed an incompatible suite the day the job starts.

Fit only reduces your financial exposure but eliminates the materials margin and means you're responsible for fitting whatever turns up, however unsuitable.

If you're supplying, get fixed prices from your merchant before quoting — don't quote from memory. Suite prices change, tile prices change, and "we'll get whatever tiles the customer picks" is not a pricing strategy.

Hidden costs to build in

Plastic floor bearers and waterproofing membrane — often not in a basic quote but always needed Waste adaptors and connections — rarely a straight swap Silicone and adhesives — the amount used is always more than you think Skip hire or waste disposal — someone has to take the old suite away Parking and access time — especially in flats or terraced streets A contingency of 15-20% on labour — because something always takes longer than expected in bathrooms

Quoting the customer

Be specific about what's included. A bathroom quote should clearly state:

What suite and fittings are included (if you're supplying) What's in scope — which phases you're covering What's excluded — tiling if you're not a tiler, any electrical work if you're not an electrician Any provisional sums for work that depends on what's found (the floor condition, the existing waste position) Payment terms — a deposit before ordering materials is standard and sensible

Provisional sums are your friend on bathrooms. They tell the customer there's a known unknown, put a figure against it, and mean you're not having a difficult conversation mid-job about why the price has gone up.

The price ranges For a standard UK bathroom in 2026:

Basic suite swap, no layout change, no tiling: £800–£1,500 labour Full refurb including tiling, suite replacement, minor layout change: £2,500–£5,000 labour Wet room or complex layout change with tanking: £4,000–£8,000 labour En-suite in new space or extension: £3,000–£7,000 labour

These are labour only. Materials add significantly — a mid-range suite, tiles, flooring and fittings easily add £2,000–£5,000.

The lads who price bathrooms properly take the site visit seriously, quote in phases, include a contingency, and are specific about what's included. The ones who quote from photos and absorb the surprises end up working for below minimum wage.