How to Remodel a Bathroom: Everything You Need to Know (2024)

Want to learn how to remodel a bathroom? Maybe you bought a beautiful, if dated, fixer-upper house, and the bathrooms are first on your list to upgrade. Or perhaps you found some gorgeous tiled bathroom inspiration online, and now you’re ready to revamp your bare-bones space.

Your home’s bathrooms should feel like a relaxing space to prepare for the day and unwind at night. While every bathroom remodel works differently based on the space and your design goals, follow this guide to learn how to create a bathroom you can’t wait to spend time in.

Why Should I Remodel My Bathroom?

One of the most common reasons to remodel a bathroom is simply aesthetics. You might want a more modern look with bonus features like smart shower heads and radiant floor heating. A remodel can also make the bathroom more accessible and safer for everyone.

If your bathroom has water damage or mold from leaky plumbing, you’ll also need to remodel to repair the damage and fix any ongoing issues that could lead to more problems down the road.

How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Bathroom?

A bathroom remodel costs $11,250 on average, but these costs can range from as low as $6,600 for a mid-sized project to over $28,000 to make major plumbing and electrical changes, install high-end fixtures, or expand the size of the bathroom.

How to Prep for a Bathroom Remodel

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Remodeling a bathroom involves several smaller projects, from installing a new bathtub or shower to replacing a vanity. There are many steps you can complete ahead of time to prevent overspending on materials or damaging any parts of the bathroom.

Measure Your Space

Grab a pen and a notebook because you’ll need to record a lot of measurements for a bathroom remodel. You’ll want to measure the perimeter of the room, the floor space, and the height of the walls. You may want to record the size of the vanity or mirror if you’re replacing these elements. Anything you’re planning to redo, make sure to record its measurements before you start buying materials.

Create a New Design

For many homeowners, designing the bathroom is one of the most exciting parts of the remodeling process. Start by creating a list of projects to tackle and then prioritize them based on your timeline and budget. For an exceptionally cohesive look and functional space, consider hiring an interior designer to bring your ideas to life.

Add a Protective Layer

Planning to keep the vintage tile floors but want to install a new bathroom vanity? During a bathroom remodel, there may be parts of the bathroom you want to keep intact, so you’ll need to protect these areas. Lay plastic sheeting or plywood boards over areas you’d like to protect from paint splatters or dropped tools, which can damage your ceramic tub or tile flooring.

Demolition of Current Bathroom

Grab a hard hat and goggles, and get ready to go to work. You’ll need to tear out any older elements of the bathroom that you plan to replace. That could involve removing dated floor tiles, tearing out a cabinet from the wall, or disconnecting the plumbing to remove an old toilet. Once you’ve removed these components, you or your contractor will also need to properly dispose of them.

Buy Materials

With a design in place and measurements noted, you can start selecting new materials, like tiles, toilets, tubs, fixtures, cabinetry, and morel. What you buy will depend on how much of the bathroom is getting an upgrade, but you can save money at this step by buying secondhand items, like mirrors or drawer pulls.

How to Remodel a Bathroom

There are many different components to remodeling a bathroom. Here’s how to remodel a bathroom from floor to ceiling and everywhere in between.

1. Repair, Replace, or Reroute Plumbing

If you’re expanding the bathroom, moving a plumbing fixture, or fixing a leak, you’ll likely need to repair, replace, and reroute pipes and water supply lines. This task is best left to a professional plumber near you to avoid damaging essential parts of your home’s plumbing system. But if you have plumbing experience, make sure to shut off the home’s main water supply and drain the pipes before reconfiguring your plumbing to fit the new bathroom layout.

2. Install Electrical Components

Now let’s move onto the electrical aspects of your bathroom remodel, including installing new lighting, moving an existing outlet, and installing a new GFCI outlet. While it’s possible to DIY small tasks, like swapping out a lighting fixture, working with electrical wiring can be dangerous and may require a building permit.

That’s why you should hire a local electrician to handle major electrical aspects of your bathroom remodel, like installing radiant floor heating. If you DIY small electrical tasks, always turn off the power to the electrical circuits you’ll be working on before you start.

3. Install or Upgrade Bathroom Fan

For more experienced DIYers, replacing or installing a new bathroom exhaust fan will help reduce moisture and odors from your bathroom. You’ll need to head into the attic to locate the reference point where the new exhaust will go, then you can cut an opening and attach the exhaust fan to a joist.

You will also need to install a vent through the roof for moisture to escape, and this project will involve some electrical work as you connect the wiring for the exhaust fan.

4. Replace Tub or Shower

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Once a pro plumber ensures the plumbing will reach the new tub and shower, you can begin to install these components in the bathroom. Installing a new shower costs an average of $6,800, depending on size, design, and type. On the other hand, the price of a bathtub replacement ranges between $4,200 and $11,000.

You can purchase prefabricated shower kits that only require you to remove the drywall, locate studs in the wall, then attach the shower and connect the plumbing. If you’re installing a bathtub or shower without attached wall enclosures, you should install shower wall tiles and let them dry before adding the tub or shower.

5. Repair and Replace Drywall

If you did any plumbing or electrical work for the remodel, your drywall is probably in disrepair. You’ll need to hang new drywall, and make sure to use water-resistant drywall for bathrooms, screwing in drywall one panel at a time.

When cutting the drywall panels, consider door and window openings, and use your measurements to create openings for outlets and other plumbing and electrical fixtures. With the drywall in place, you can now paint, wallpaper, or wainscot the bathroom walls.

6. Add Cabinets and Shelving

Cabinets and shelving are one of the biggest costs in a bathroom remodel, but they can add much-needed storage and update the bathroom to suit your style and needs. Start by removing the bathroom vanity. You’ll need to measure the space to purchase cabinets and shelving that will fit your bathroom before moving onto other remodeling steps. Make sure to disconnect the plumbing and turn off the water before removing and installing any bathroom cabinets.

7. Lay Floor, Wall, or Shower Tile

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Tile is a popular choice for bathroom floors and walls because the material is highly resistant to moisture. Installing floor tile will take a few days to allow mortar, grout, and sealant to dry, so keep this in mind when planning out the remodeling project.

Start tiling walls first, if you plan to have tiled walls, before moving on to floors. Caulk around the room, especially where tile meets the bathtub, toilet, and vanity top, after tiling for better protection against moisture.

8. Replace the Bathroom Vanity

A new vanity can completely transform your bathroom experience, from offering more counter space to providing double sinks so you and your partner can get ready together.

Installing a vanity is a challenging project, but it should only take half of a day for knowledgable DIYers to complete. If you haven’t already removed an existing vanity, you’ll need to take it out carefully before screwing the new vanity base into the wall or floor. Then, you’ll fasten or glue the vanity top to the base, install the sink and new fixtures, and reconnect the plumbing.

9. Add Paint or Wallpaper

A fresh coat of paint or updated wallpaper can make your bathroom look brand new. Plus, painting a room is easy, even for beginner DIYers.

You’ll need to place drop cloths over floors, the tub, and toilet to prevent ruining these objects with paint splatters, and put painter’s tape around doors and windows, switch plates, and other obstacles for a clean look. Then, you should apply primer and let it dry before painting the room.

To apply wallpaper, you’ll need to remove any existing wallpaper, add primer, then apply paste and carefully line each roll of wallpaper for a seamless pattern.

10. Add Finishing Touches

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Now that the major repairs and replacements are set, you can turn your attention to the final touches of your remodel. Bathroom accessories can highlight the details of your remodel, so consider adding extra touches like a bidet, towel rack, or new drawer and cabinet hardware.

Then, it’s time to cleanup and run yourself a warm, well-deserved bath as a reward.

Tips for Maintaining Your Remodeled Bathroom

Now that your bathroom is shiny and new, you probably want to keep it that way, especially after putting in a lot of time and money into a remodel. Keep your bathroom looking brand-new with these maintenance tips.

Regular Cleaning

Bathrooms generate a lot of heat and moisture from steamy showers and baths, but these conditions can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Keep mold, mildew, and bacteria at bay by cleaning your bathroom often. You should clean the shower and tub at least once a week, and the whole bathroom could use a deep cleaning weekly or every other week.

Ventilation

Bathroom vents or exhaust fans are crucial to drawing out moisture from the bathroom, so make sure you are running the fan during your showers and baths. Clean the vent at least a couple times per year to keep it running efficiently.

Clear Drains

Both the tub and sink drains in your bathroom can accumulate a lot of soap, hair, and other personal care products that lead to clogs. Even if you don’t notice signs of a clogged drain, plan to snake these drains at least once per year to clear away debris.

Recaulk

Caulk around the bathroom, especially around the bathtub, once per year or whenever you notice any worn out sections of caulk. This fresh bead of caulk will help protect your drywall from water damage.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

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A DIY bathroom remodel costs about $3,000 to $8,000, but the costs really vary depending on the specific modifications you make. You can make simple changes for about $70 per square foot, or high-end upgrades can cost over $275 per square foot.

Hiring bathroom remodel contractors near you makes up about 40% to 65% of the total cost to remodel a bathroom, and you may want to hire multiple pros, like interior designers and plumbers, if you are completely overhauling your bathroom.

Remodeling a bathroom is a major task, and you should leave most, if not all, of the work to licensed professionals. Not only will the tile be aligned perfectly or the glass shower door hung with care, but it’s also the safest option. Improper remodeling can lead to leaky pipes and water damage or missing GFCI outlets and electrocution or fire risks.