Updated October 2026 · By Bencke’s Tile
What the published numbers say
Nobody can price your bathroom from a web page, but several public sources publish what homeowners pay. They do not agree, and that is useful to know before you read any single number. Each one counts different projects, in different places, in a different year.
The table below lists what each source says in its own words. All figures are market data from those sources. None of them is a price from Bencke’s Tile.
| Source and year | What it reports | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fixr, updated January 2026 | Average $12,000, range $6,000 to $18,000 | National. Also lists about $120 per square foot, with a spread of $70 to $400 or more. |
| HomeAdvisor, page updated June 2026 | About $12,153, typically $6,651 to $17,660 | National. The page text says "in 2025". |
| This Old House, 2026 | Average $15,586, most projects $6,456 to $24,715 | National. Built from Homewyse, the 2025 Cost vs. Value report and a 2026 homeowner survey. |
| Block Renovation, 2026 Richmond guide | $3,500 to $6,500 cosmetic, $12,000 to $21,000 mid-level, $28,000 to $48,000 major | Local to Richmond. The guide says Richmond remodels usually cost less than the national average. |
Bathroom remodel cost in Richmond by level of work
The most useful split is by how much of the room you change. Block Renovation (2026) breaks Richmond bathroom work into three levels.
Cosmetic work leaves the plumbing and the layout alone. In that guide it means paint, a new toilet, budget tile, a new vanity top, lighting and towel bars. Mid-level work goes further, for example turning an old tub into a curbless shower, new vanity top, a better exhaust fan and new valves. A major overhaul means taking the room to the studs, replacing old drains and subfloor, and sometimes moving the waste stack.
The same idea shows up nationally. For a 50 square foot bathroom, This Old House (2026) gives $8,478 to $10,883 for a basic refresh, $14,609 to $19,040 for midrange and $27,492 to $35,808 for high-end.
| Level | Richmond range (Block Renovation, 2026) | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic | $3,500 to $6,500 | Surfaces and fixtures. Plumbing and layout stay. |
| Mid-level | $12,000 to $21,000 | New shower or tub setup, new vanity top, better ventilation and valves. |
| Major overhaul | $28,000 to $48,000 | Down to the studs. Drains, subfloor and sometimes the layout. |
Why the average bathroom remodel cost depends on who you ask
If you searched for the average bathroom remodel cost and got three different answers, nothing is wrong with your search. The averages above range from $12,000 to $15,586 because each source samples different jobs. One counts quotes from a pro network, another adds a homeowner survey, another focuses on one metro area.
Use an average as a sanity check, not a target. A bathroom with a new tile shower, a new floor and a moved drain sits in a different place than a room where the vanity and the paint change. The better question is which level of work you want and what is in the walls.
Size sets the baseline
A bigger room means more tile, more waterproofing and more labor. This Old House (2026) lists $12,695 to $14,845 for a 40 to 60 square foot bathroom, $15,920 to $18,070 for 70 to 90 square feet, $19,166 to $21,295 for 100 to 120 square feet and $22,370 to $24,715 for 130 square feet and up.
The jump is smaller than people expect, because the fixed costs of a remodel, the demo, the plumbing and the shower, do not shrink in a small room. A small bathroom is cheaper, but not in proportion to its size. If you are planning a compact room, read the small bathroom remodel guide.
Tile: the line that moves the most
Tile is where a remodel gets personal, and where the budget stretches or shrinks. The cost has three parts: the tile itself, the setting materials, and the hours to lay it. The tile can be a few dollars a square foot or far more for natural stone or glass. Labor goes up with small pieces, patterns like herringbone, and tile that needs a flat wall to look right.
For the tile line alone, This Old House (2026) reports an average of $1,326, and Fixr (2026) gives $600 to $1,800 for tile work outside the shower surround. A tiled shower is a bigger job than the floor, because every wall needs waterproofing and detailed cuts around the valve and niche.
To see how the choice of material changes the work, read porcelain vs ceramic tile and large format tile.
Tub, shower or both
Changing what you bathe in changes the price more than most finish choices. Fixr (2026) lists $1,200 to $10,000 for a tub-to-shower conversion, which includes $200 to $1,000 for taking the tub out and $1,000 to $9,000 for the new shower. This Old House (2026) puts a complete shower remodel at an average of $8,044, and a freestanding tub install at $1,123.
The wide spread comes from what is behind the wall. A tub-to-shower swap with the drain in the same place is a different job from one that moves the drain or opens the floor. For the steps, read what to expect from a tub to shower conversion, and for design ideas see walk-in shower ideas and cost.
Plumbing and moving fixtures
Keeping the toilet, vanity and shower where they are is the cheapest way to remodel. Moving them means new supply lines and drains, and sometimes opening the floor. This Old House (2026) reports plumbing work at an average of $5,545 on a bathroom remodel and says moving a toilet or tub takes a licensed plumber.
Ask any contractor, in writing, which plumbing and electrical work is in the price and who does it. A quote that is quiet about it is a quote that can grow.
The age of the house in Richmond
Older houses hide surprises. The U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey, 2020 to 2024) puts the median year built at 1959 for Richmond city, with 70.9 percent of homes built before 1980. For Henrico County it is 1985 and 41.4 percent, and for Chesterfield County 1990 and 29.2 percent.
Block Renovation (2026) lists what older Richmond houses can add to a remodel: replacing galvanized supply lines at $1,500 to $2,500, upgrading an ungrounded circuit to a 20-amp GFCI circuit at about $600, fire blocking in balloon-framed walls at about $300, and rebuilding a rotted subfloor under a clawfoot tub at $800 or more. The same guide notes that historic districts such as Church Hill and the Fan may need city or historic commission approval for some changes.
You will not know what is behind a wall until it is open. Ask how a contractor handles a problem found after demo, and how it gets priced before the work continues.
How to compare quotes
Two quotes with the same total can cover very different jobs. Put them next to each other and check these points:
- What tile is priced, by name or by an allowance, and who buys it.
- Which waterproofing system goes in the shower, and whether a flood test is part of the job.
- Whether demo, disposal, plumbing and electrical are included.
- What happens when something unexpected turns up behind the wall.
- The payment schedule and what the written agreement says.
For the waterproofing part, the shower waterproofing guide explains what to ask. To check a contractor before you sign, see how to choose a tile contractor in Richmond.
Getting a number for your bathroom
Ranges only get you to the right neighborhood. The price for your bathroom depends on the size of the room, the tile you pick and what is behind the walls, and that takes a look in person. Bencke’s Tile gives free in-home estimates in the Richmond area for bathroom remodeling and tile work, and the only price that counts is the one in your written quote.
