Bathroom Renovation Quotes London: How to Compare Costs and Find the Right Fitter
What a bathroom renovation quote should include, how London costs break down by project type, and how to compare quotes properly before you commit to anyone.
What are you renovating?
A bathroom renovation is one of the most disruptive projects you can undertake in an occupied home. It is also one of the most frequently mispriced because the gap between a detailed, honest quote and a vague headline figure is often several thousand pounds. That gap almost always closes in the wrong direction once work begins.
This guide explains what bathroom renovations actually cost in London, what every quote should clearly state before you sign, and how to compare three quotes without being misled by the one that looks cheapest.
A Quote That Left £6,000 Off the Page
In the summer of 2024, the owners of a two-bedroom flat on Franciscan Road SW17 in Tooting were planning a full bathroom refit: a new suite, new tiling throughout, a new shower enclosure, and an upgrade from a pull-cord light to proper bathroom lighting. They received two quotes. The first came in at £7,200, a single A4 page with a line for “supply and fit bathroom suite” and another for “tiling.” The second came in at £11,800, broken down across twelve line items, with the tile quantity and specification noted, the extractor fan ventilation route confirmed, building control notification included for the electrical work, and old suite removal and disposal listed separately.
They chose the first quote. By the time the job was finished, they had paid an additional £1,400 for disposal of the old suite, £900 for an electrician to certify the new lighting circuit, £680 for a replacement extractor that complied with Building Regulations Part F, and £1,100 for replastering a wall that had come apart when the old tiles were removed. The final cost was £11,280, within touching distance of the itemised quote they had dismissed as expensive.
The project was straightforward. The quote was not.
Bathroom Renovation Types and London Cost Ranges
Bathroom projects fall into four broad categories. Understanding which one applies to your project is the first step to getting a quote you can trust.
Bathroom Refresh / Restyle
What it is: New sanitaryware (bath, basin, toilet, taps) installed in the existing positions, with new tiling or wall panels, new flooring, new lighting, and redecoration. The layout does not change, and the plumbing connections stay in place.
Best for: Bathrooms where the existing layout works and the structure is sound, but the aesthetic is dated, or the suite is worn. The most economical route to a transformed-looking bathroom.
What it does not include: Moving soil pipes or waste connections, structural changes, or addressing damp or mould behind existing tiles. If those issues exist, a refresh will not resolve them.
London cost range: £3,500–£8,000
Small Bathroom Full Refit
What it is: Complete strip-out and replacement suite, tiling, flooring, lighting, extractor in a bathroom of approximately 3 to 5 square metres. Typically a second bathroom, ground-floor WC, or compact en-suite.
What you get: A fully renewed bathroom in a small footprint, with new waterproofing and tanking where required.
London cost range: £8,000–£16,000
Standard Bathroom Full Refit
What it is: Full strip-out and replacement in a standard family bathroom of approximately 5 to 8 square metres, the typical bathroom size in a Victorian or Edwardian terrace or post-war semi. New suite, tiling, flooring, shower enclosure, lighting, and extractor.
What you get: A complete renovation of the main family bathroom. The cost variation within this range reflects the specification: a basic ceramic suite with standard tiles sits at the lower end; a freestanding bath, large-format porcelain tiles, and a frameless shower enclosure sit at the upper end.
London cost range: £12,000–£22,000
Full Refit with Layout Change
What it is: A full renovation that also changes the position of the bath, shower, toilet, or basin, which means moving soil pipes, waste connections, or both. Layout changes are significantly more disruptive and expensive than like-for-like replacements.
What it involves: A plumber must expose and re-run waste and soil pipework, which often means lifting floorboards, cutting into walls, and making good afterwards. In a flat, this may require notifying the freeholder or managing agent, and in some cases, building regulations approval.
London cost range: £18,000–£35,000, depending on the extent of pipework relocation and the specification of the suite and finishes.
En-Suite Addition
What it is: A new bathroom or shower room created within existing bedroom space, typically taking 4 to 7 square metres from a large master bedroom to create an en-suite. Requires new waste and supply connections from the existing plumbing stack or nearest branch.
What it involves: Partition wall construction, waterproofing, new tiling, suite installation, and plumbing connections that must be carefully routed to avoid existing joists and structural elements. In a flat, freeholder consent is almost always required before any partitioning or plumbing changes.
London cost range: £8,000–£18,000, depending on the size of the en-suite, the distance to the plumbing stack, and the specification.
Wet Room Conversion
What it is: Converting a bathroom or shower room into a fully tanked, level-access wet room with a linear drain or central drain, no shower tray, and a continuous waterproof surface across floor and walls. Often sought for accessibility reasons or for a contemporary aesthetic.
What it involves: Full waterproof tanking of walls and floor to a depth that prevents any water penetration, a recessed drain that sits flush with the floor surface, and in most cases a gradient worked into the floor screed to ensure drainage. Requires a plumber, a tiler experienced in wet room installation, and sometimes a structural check of the floor loading.
London cost range: £10,000–£20,000, reflecting the additional tanking, screed work, and linear drain installation over a standard shower enclosure.
Luxury / Bespoke Bathroom
What it is: A premium specification bespoke joinery, natural stone tiling, freestanding bath, underfloor heating, heated towel rails, bespoke shower with body jets, and high-end sanitaryware brands. Often combined with a full layout reconfiguration.
London cost range: £25,000–£60,000+
What Should a Bathroom Renovation Quote Include?
A bathroom quote that gives you a single figure without breaking it down cannot be properly compared with any other quote. Before you assess whether you are paying fairly, the following must be stated separately:
Strip-out and disposal. Old suite removal, tile removal, and waste disposal must be explicitly included. Skips, van runs, and disposal charges in London are not trivial and are regularly omitted from headline figures.
Sanitaryware supply. The brand, model, and finish for bath, basin, toilet, taps, and shower should all be named. “Contractor’s allowance” for sanitaryware is a common way to quote low and upgrade later at extra cost.
Tiling. Tile quantity (in square metres), tile specification (format, material, brand or range), adhesive type, grout colour, and whether any feature tiles or niches are included. A quote that says “tiling included” without a quantity or specification is unverifiable.
Waterproofing and tanking. The wet areas behind the bath, shower, and basin must be waterproofed to prevent long-term damp. The system used (tanking slurry, sheet membrane, or board system) and its coverage area should be stated.
Flooring. Material, format, and installation method. Whether the existing floor is suitable as a base or requires preparation (ply overlay, levelling compound) must be confirmed.
Plumbing. New connections for all sanitaryware, including whether any pipework re-routing is included or treated as a variation. If the project involves layout changes, the full extent of pipework relocation must be defined.
Electrics. New lighting circuit, extractor fan supply, heated towel rail wiring, and shaver socket — all must be listed and confirmed as compliant with Part P of the Building Regulations. Electrical work in bathrooms is a notifiable activity and must be certified.
Extractor ventilation. The route of the extractor duct to an external wall or roof must be confirmed. An extractor that recirculates internally does not meet Building Regulations Part F.
Plastering and making good. After tile removal, walls may need patching, skimming, or full replastering. This is a frequent extra that should be addressed as a provisional sum in the quote if the wall condition is unknown before strip-out.
Decoration. Painting of ceiling and any non-tiled walls. Whether this is included or excluded must be stated.
Building regulations notification. Electrical work in bathrooms is notifiable under Part P. The cost of a building control notification or a self-certification sign-off from a registered electrician must be included or confirmed as additional.
| Project Type | What It Covers | Typical Size | London Cost Range | On-Site Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom refresh | New suite in same positions, new tiles & flooring, lighting | Any | £3,500–£8,000 | 3–5 days |
| Small full refit | Full strip-out and replacement, same layout | 3–5 m² | £8,000–£16,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Standard full refit | Full strip-out and replacement, same layout | 5–8 m² | £12,000–£22,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Refit with layout change | Full refit plus soil pipe and waste re-routing | 5–10 m² | £18,000–£35,000 | 2–3 weeks |
| En-suite addition | New bathroom within existing bedroom space, new plumbing connections | 4–7 m² | £8,000–£18,000 | 2–3 weeks |
| Wet room conversion | Full tanking, level-access drain, continuous waterproof finish | 4–8 m² | £10,000–£20,000 | 2 weeks |
| Luxury / bespoke | Natural stone, bespoke joinery, underfloor heating, premium suite | 6–15 m² | £25,000–£60,000+ | 4–6 weeks |
London all-in ranges including materials, labour, and VAT. Excludes architect or designer fees. Add 10–15% contingency, particularly for refits where tile removal may reveal damp or damaged plasterwork behind.
Why Are Bathroom Renovation Quotes in London So Different From Each Other?
Three quotes for the same bathroom in the same street can differ by £4,000 to £8,000. The gap rarely reflects a difference in quality; it reflects a difference in what is included.
Sanitaryware allowances. A quote with a low “contractor’s allowance” for the suite will be revised upward once you choose the actual products. A quote that names a specific suite and includes its supply cost is the only one you can compare honestly.
Tile quantity mismatches. A fitter who underestimates tile coverage, perhaps quoting for the floor but not the walls, or excluding the space behind the bath panel, will generate an extra once the job is underway. Always ask for the tile quantity in square metres and cross-check it against your room dimensions.
Hidden electrical work. Bathroom lighting and extractor circuits often need upgrading to meet current regulations. If a quote does not mention electrics or building regulations notification, ask explicitly whether they are included or assumed to be done by you.
Disposal costs. In London, getting a skip permit, hiring a skip, or paying for multiple van-loads of old tiles and suite parts costs £400–£900 on a standard bathroom job. Quotes that omit disposal are not cheaper; they are incomplete.
Labour rate differences. A bathroom specialist who completes twenty refits a year in London will price accurately. A general builder doing occasional bathroom work may underestimate the time required for intricate tiling, pipework, and making good, and either cut corners or invoice extras.
What Are the Red Flags in a Bathroom Renovation Quote?
- No tile specification or quantity just “tiling included”
- “Sanitaryware by allowance” without a named product or figure
- No mention of extractor ventilation route or Building Regulations compliance
- Electrics bundled into a single labour figure with no certification reference
- Old suite disposal not mentioned
- No breakdown between plumbing, tiling, and carpentry labour
- Payment of more than 25% upfront before work starts
- No snagging period before the final payment is due
How Do I Find a Vetted Bathroom Fitter in London?
The right bathroom fitter for a compact en-suite in a Hackney flat is not necessarily the right choice for a bespoke master bathroom in a Kensington townhouse. Specification, access, and building type all affect which contractor is best placed to deliver a good result.
Before appointing anyone:
- Ask for two or three references from bathroom renovations of a similar specification completed in London in the last 18 months, and call them
- Confirm public liability insurance of at least £2 million
- Ask whether the electrical work will be carried out by a Part P registered electrician and whether a building control notification will be issued not just promised
- In a flat, confirm that the contractor understands the freeholder notification process and has experience working in occupied leasehold buildings
- Agree a payment schedule tied to stages: strip-out complete, first fix plumbing complete, tiling complete, suite fitted and snagging sign-off
QuoteMyRenovation vets every contractor on the platform against their insurance, trade qualifications, and recent project history. When you submit your bathroom renovation brief, you receive up to three matched quotes from fitters with verified experience in your borough and project type, comparing the same brief, with no cold calls.
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