Home Improvements · South LondonWhat a bathroom renovation costs in London
How much a new bathroom costs in London: three honest bands, what moves a bathroom from one to the next, and the one part of the job where saving money reliably costs more later.
The bands we work to
Indicative bands for the complete job, not for units or fittings alone. Where a property lands depends more on scope than on floor area.
These are the same figures the estimator uses. A confirmed, itemised quotation follows a free walkthrough — nothing here is a quote.
Why two similar jobs quote differently
Bathrooms are small rooms with a lot of trades in them, which is why size matters less to the price than people expect.
Whether the layout moves
The biggest single factor. Keeping the WC where it is keeps the job simple, because the soil stack position and the fall available on the waste are fixed. Moving a WC across a room means a new waste run at the right gradient, which in a flat with a shallow floor zone is sometimes not possible at all.
Waterproofing and substrate
The part you cannot see and the part never worth cutting. A proper tanking system behind the tiles, correct falls in a wet room floor, and a stable substrate are what stop a bathroom leaking into the room below in three years. Tiling straight onto unsuitable board is the most common cause of failure we see.
Sanitaryware and brassware spec
A wide and entirely optional spread. Concealed cisterns and recessed valves also add carpentry and access requirements on top of the fittings themselves.
Tiling
Driven by area, tile size and pattern rather than just material. Large-format tiles need a flatter substrate and more careful setting out; herringbone and other patterns add labour and waste.
Heating and ventilation
Underfloor heating, a heated towel rail on the heating circuit rather than electric, and properly ducted mechanical extract are all common upgrades. Extract is a building regulations requirement, not optional.
The condition underneath
Rotten floorboards, previous leaks, corroded pipework and undersized joists are routine in period stock and invisible until the old bathroom is out.
What is in the number, and what is not
Normally included
Strip-out and waste removal, first-fix plumbing and electrics, waterproofing, substrate preparation, tiling, sanitaryware and brassware installation, extract ventilation, heating, lighting, decoration and a final snag walk-through.
Normally separate
Sanitaryware and brassware where you prefer to supply your own, building control fees where applicable, and leasehold licence-to-alter or freeholder consent fees.
Never a fixed figure up front
Anything found once the old bathroom is out — previous leak damage, failed joists, or pipework that has to be replaced rather than reused.
More on how we quote and sequence a job: how we work. Related: Bathroom renovations · What a typical bathroom renovation involves.
Bathroom renovation costs: common questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in London? +
As a ballpark for South London: an en-suite or cloakroom typically runs £6,000–£9,000, a standard family bathroom £9,000–£14,000, and a large bathroom or wet room £14,000–£22,000. You get an exact itemised quote after a walkthrough.
Why does moving the toilet cost so much? +
Because waste runs on gravity. A WC needs a large-diameter waste at a consistent fall back to the soil stack, and in a flat there is often only a few centimetres of floor depth to achieve it in. Sometimes it means building the floor up, sometimes it means a pumped solution, and sometimes it genuinely cannot be done.
Is a wet room more expensive than a bathroom? +
Usually, yes. A wet room needs the whole floor tanked and formed to fall towards the drain, which is more waterproofing, more setting out and more careful tiling than a shower tray in a corner. It buys level access and a better-looking room, but it is not a saving.
Where should I not save money on a bathroom? +
Waterproofing, substrate and extract ventilation. They are invisible when finished, so they are the easiest things for a cheap quote to leave thin, and they are the three that cause leaks, failed tiling and mould. Save on tile choice and brassware instead — both are easy to change later.
Want a figure for your own property?
The estimator gives an indicative ballpark in four questions. A confirmed quotation follows a free site visit.