How Much Does It Cost to Demo a Bathroom? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $300 - $3,500
Demoing a bathroom costs $800 on average, depending on the size. Most spend between $300 and $3,500.
When you’re transforming your dated bathroom into a spa-like sanctuary, you need to tear out the old before bringing in the new. The average cost to demo a bathroom is $800. You might only spend $240 clearing out a basic half bathroom yourself, but it could cost over $3,500 to get the pros to demolish a large primary bathroom suite with complex plumbing. When pulling down a load-bearing wall is involved, prices will be even higher.
- Average
- $800
- Low end
- $240
- high end
- $10,000
Bathroom Demo Cost Factors
The cost to demo a bathroom varies dramatically. Many factors impact the final price. Consider the following when evaluating any quotes you receive.
Size
Compared to the average cost to gut a house, breaking down a bathroom is usually higher. Bathroom demo costs an average of $8 to $20 per square foot. However, it can be even higher if the project involves removing a load-bearing wall.
Below are estimated price ranges for some common bathroom sizes. It’s worth noting that some contractors will have a minimum flat rate fee.
| Common Bathroom Size | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| 40 square feet (small) | $320 – $800 |
| 96 square feet (medium) | $770 – $1,920 |
| 160 square feet (large) | $1,280 – $3,200 |
Bathroom Material and Construction
If your old bathroom features a heavy marble sink, bath, and countertops, demo costs will be more than they would be for a bathroom with MDF, laminate-covered countertops, and a lightweight acrylic bath and sink. Lifting heavy items downstairs requires more labor, and waste disposal fees can be higher.
Labor
While contractors often quote prices by square foot, some charge hourly rates. These are between $50 and $100 per hour, with a minimum flat rate fee.
Bathrooms might be the smallest room in the house, but demo work in these spaces is labor-intensive. Care is required when dealing with plumbing; bathrooms are cramped and challenging to work in, tile removal is time-consuming, and bringing down heavy baths from an upstairs location isn’t easy.
Extent of the Demo
If you're doing a partial demo and maybe just replacing a vanity unit and retiling one wall, costs will be significantly less than if you're doing a full bathroom remodel and replacing all the fixtures. Typically, the most costly bathroom demo projects involve major structural changes, like removing a load-bearing wall.
Cost to Demo Bathroom by Fixtures and Fittings
Getting to grips with the cost of removing common bathroom fixtures, and fittings can help you plan your budget better. The details below relate to individual removal costs, and they will typically be lower when combined as part of an overall large bathroom demo project.
Tiles
Tile removal costs range from $2 to $7 per square foot. This price typically includes tile disposal, but always check with the contractor before hiring.
Because bathrooms are often covered from floor to ceiling in tiles, this can be a time-consuming and heavy part of the demo work.
Fixture Removal
Do you want to replace that 1970s avocado green bathroom suite? Removing fixtures like the toilet, sink, bathroom vanity, or bath can cost anything from $100 to $500 per item. Much depends on the complexity of the plumbing, the weight and shape of the fixture, and access.
Fireplace and Chimney
While steamy, damp bathrooms might not seem the obvious place for fireplaces, this is a common feature in period properties. If you need to get rid of this as part of a modern remodel, be aware that fireplace removal costs are high. This major structural project often requires permits and special contractors. A partial demolition could cost $500 to $2,000, whereas complete fireplace and chimney removal costs an average of $7,000.
Walls
If you’re opening up an ensuite bathroom or downsizing an unnecessarily large spare restroom, you might need to knock down a wall as part of the demo work. The average cost to remove a wall that’s non-load bearing is $300 to $1,000. Things get more complicated when it’s a load-bearing wall. This shoots the cost to demo a bathroom way above the average price range, as this job alone can cost $1,200 to $10,000. And you’ll need specialist contractors and a permit for the project.
Additional Costs to Consider
Big bathroom demo projects often result in additional costs. Depending on the project's scope, you might have to factor in other expenses.
Permits
Unless you’re knocking down a load-bearing wall, you won’t need a building permit for your bathroom demo project, right? Wrong. Sometimes, permits are required to remove non-load bearing walls or for other structural work, such as changes to plumbing or electrical. It always pays to check local regulations. Building permit costs range from $50 to $500 or more for major structural work.
Utility Connections
When ripping out sinks, toilets, and baths or knocking down walls, you’ll come across electrical work and plumbing. When in doubt, having a contractor deal with these aspects is better than DIYing it. You might even need to hire a local plumber or electrician to handle complex elements. The average cost to hire a plumber is $45 to $200 per hour.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a carcinogenic construction material used in properties built before 1970. If your old bathroom has this in walls, flooring, or plumbing, it can become airborne during the demo process. If there’s a chance your bathroom has asbestos in it, arrange an inspection before swinging the sledgehammer. Professional asbestos removal costs $5 to $20 per square foot in indoor spaces.
Repairs
When you rip up the old flooring in your bathroom, you could uncover dripping pipes or saggy or rotten joists. You won’t be able to start any remodeling work until you get these problems put right. Leaky pipe repairs cost an average of $500 to fix, and the cost to repair a floor joist ranges from $1,000 to $10,000.
| Additional Demo Considerations | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Permits | $50 – $500 |
| Utility connections | $40 – $200 per hour |
| Asbestos removal | $5 – $20 per square foot |
| Pipe repairs | $150 – $850 |
| Joist repairs | $1,000 – $10,000 |
Cost to Demo a Bathroom Yourself
If you’re not having to pull down walls or play around with plumbing too much, you might want to tackle tearing out your old bathroom yourself. It mostly involves a bit of elbow grease, time, and the right tools.
A full bathroom demo will leave you with a lot of debris and heavy items: bathtub, sink, toilet, vanity unit, and piles of tiles. You’ll probably need to factor in the cost of hiring a junk removal service near you. This averages around $240. Alternatively, the cost to rent a dumpster for a week is around $380, and you can move the debris gradually as you work.
And if you don’t have demolition gear like a sledgehammer, circular saw, and jackhammer and you can’t borrow them, you’ll also need to spend $100 to $1,000 on tools. This might not be the best investment if you won’t use them for future projects.
DIY vs. Hire a Pro
The idea of getting stuck in with a sledgehammer might seem cathartic, but a big bathroom demo project is a time-consuming, labor-intensive task, and if you get it wrong, it can be costly.
Hiring a professional demolition company near you means you’ll not be left bathroomless for so long, you can avoid back-breaking work, they’ll have the right equipment for the task, and there’s less chance of plumbing mishaps or other damage being caused. Calling in the pros is especially important if major structural work is involved.
How to Reduce Bathroom Demo Costs
If you don’t fancy DIYing your bathroom demo, there are other ways you can cut costs on the final bill.
Keep things simple. Giving your bathroom a major makeover without knocking down walls or replacing your sink and bath is still possible. Doing this will save you a lot during the demo and remodeling process.
Sell your sink. That vintage sink (or other reusable bathroom fixtures) might not fit with your contemporary conversion. However, if it’s in good shape and you find an interested buyer, you can put the money towards the demo costs.
Shop around. Don’t just go with the first quote from a reputable contractor. Compare at least three quotes.
Bulky uplift. If your local authority offers an annual bulky uplift service, you can save on junk removal or dumpster rental costs. However, it does mean you have to time your bathroom demo carefully.
Gemma Johnstone contributed to this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Professional contractors will be done within one day for most bathroom demo projects. And if it’s just floor tile or fixture removal, it might only take a few hours. They might need a few days to demo a big bathroom covered floor-to-ceiling in tiles, especially if a wall needs to come down, too. If you’re gutting a big bathroom yourself, it could take a few days to a week, depending on whether you're just learning how to demo a bathroom, who else you can rope in to help, and the extent of the demolition.
Tile removal typically costs $2 to $7 per square foot unless you do it yourself. Tile installation costs $5 to $45 per square foot. That might seem pretty wide-ranging, but much depends on the tile material (custom-made stone tiles will be much more than a plain ceramic tile), the location, and the tile size.
Whether you need a permit to demo your bathroom depends on the project scope and local regulations. Major structural changes require a building permit, like pulling down a load-bearing wall or removing lead paint or asbestos from an old bathroom. If you’re relocating plumbing, you might need permission to cap off the existing water and sewer lines. Because requirements vary by municipality, if there’s any doubt, always check local building department rules.