Bathroom renovation cost, item by item
Design IRL Editorial · Figures checked 7 November 2026 · For owners redoing one or more bathrooms in a flat or house · How we make our guides
A bathroom is small but holds a lot of trades: demolition, waterproofing, plumbing, tiling, electrical and fittings. Most of the cost goes on what you see. Most of the risk sits in what you don't.
Decide how much you are changing
The figures here are for a bathroom of about 40 sq ft (5×8 ft), with walls tiled to 7 ft. They are per bathroom, for a metro city, before GST.
| Level | What it covers | Approx. ₹ per bathroom |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | New fittings, accessories, regrouting, paint; no demolition or new plumbing | ₹25,000–70,000 |
| Essential | New tiles, waterproofing, plumbing and value-brand fittings | ₹70,000–1,40,000 |
| Premium | Branded fittings, vitrified or large tiles, a glass partition, a vanity | ₹1,60,000–3,00,000 |
| Luxury | Wall-hung WC, frameless glass, premium brands, stone or large-format tiles | ₹3,50,000–8,00,000 |
Sources vary. Houseyog reports ₹50,000–1 lakh for a budget job, ₹1–2.5 lakh for mid-range and ₹2.5–5 lakh or more for luxury. NoBroker puts a full remodel of a small bathroom higher, at ₹1.5–6 lakh, with ₹1.5–2.5 lakh at its lowest level.
Where the money goes
| Item | Essential | Premium | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition and debris | ₹12,000 | ₹17,000 | ₹24,000 |
| Waterproofing | ₹8,000 | ₹17,000 | ₹34,000 |
| Tiles, supplied and laid | ₹18,000 | ₹35,000 | ₹77,000 |
| WC and basin | ₹12,000 | ₹27,000 | ₹67,000 |
| Taps, shower and CP fittings | ₹12,000 | ₹29,000 | ₹77,000 |
| Plumbing | ₹12,000 | ₹24,000 | ₹34,000 |
| Shower glass partition | Curtain | ₹24,000 | ₹43,000 |
| Vanity, mirror and accessories | ₹10,000 | ₹29,000 | ₹67,000 |
| Electrical, exhaust and geyser | ₹10,000 | ₹17,000 | ₹29,000 |
| Ceiling and paint | ₹6,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹17,000 |
| Total | About ₹1 lakh | About ₹2.3 lakh | About ₹4.7 lakh |
Line items in the sources agree. NoBroker lists an exhaust fan with ducting at ₹3,500–8,000, a walk-in shower enclosure with glass panels at ₹15,000–60,000, and fixture connection points at ₹3,000–7,000 each. Houseyog puts mid-range sanitaryware at ₹20,000–40,000 and CP fittings at ₹25,000–60,000.
Worked example: two bathrooms in a 2BHK
Say a 2BHK in Pune redoes the main bathroom at premium level and the common bathroom at essential level.
| Item | Working | Typical ₹ |
|---|---|---|
| Main bathroom, premium | ₹2,30,000 | |
| Common bathroom, essential | ₹1,00,000 | |
| Contingency | 10% of ₹3,30,000 | ₹33,000 |
| GST | 18% of ₹3,30,000 | ₹59,400 |
| Total | ₹4,22,400 |
If the pipes are old, or the floor below shows damp, keep more aside. NoBroker reports hidden repairs at ₹15,000–60,000 a bathroom: water-damaged walls, floor repairs and pipe replacement.
Work in this order
- Choose fittings first, so the plumber knows where each point and the concealed diverter go.
- Demolition and debris removal. Check the slab and pipes once they are exposed.
- Plumbing and electrical rough-in: concealed pipes, geyser and exhaust points. Pressure-test the pipes before they are closed.
- Waterproofing on the floor and at least 1 ft up the walls, more in the shower. Let it cure.
- A ponding test: block the drain, fill the floor with water, and leave it for the time your contractor or product specifies. Check the ceiling below.
- Tiling and grouting, then the false ceiling.
- WC, basin, taps, vanity, lights and exhaust.
- Glass partition, accessories, final checks and cleaning.
NoBroker reports that a full renovation takes three to five weeks, and that rushing it into two or three weeks adds 15–20% to the cost. Curing time is usually what gets cut.
How to save without regret
Never save on what goes behind the tiles
Waterproofing and plumbing are a small part of the cost, but fixing them means breaking the tiles. Pay for good pipes, a proper waterproof coat and a ponding test before anything else.
- Keep the WC and floor trap where they are. Moving drains is the costliest change.
- Tile the shower walls to full height and the rest to 7 ft, or paint the dry walls with a washable finish.
- Use mid-range fittings from a brand with service centres in your city.
- Pick a standard-size glass partition rather than a custom one.
- Buy tiles 10% over the measured area, from the same batch, so the shade matches.
Quality checklist and who to hire
- The floor slopes to the drain, and water doesn't pool anywhere.
- Tiles sound solid when tapped. A hollow sound means gaps behind them.
- Grout lines are even and sealed around the WC, basin and shower.
- Hot and cold taps are the right way round, and pressure is good at each outlet.
- The exhaust vents outside, and the geyser has its own switch and earthing.
A contractor or an interior designer can run the whole job. For pipe or drainage changes, use a plumber who will pressure-test the system. Choose fittings at a dealer or showroom, where you can see them working. Hold back 10% until 30 days after handover, so leaks have time to show. These figures are approximate and vary by city and spec.
Find the people
Sources
Most published cost figures come from firms that sell the work. We give ranges and you should get 2–3 quotes.