Remodeling your shower can be quite an intimidating undertaking, but it really shouldn't be. Once you know what to expect you will much more at ease. After all, after the kitchen area, bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in your home to remodel. The price of fixtures and finishing items such as tile really add up quick. The direction you take with them will ultimately influence the price of the project.

The variety of plumbing fixtures is just as vast as the prices of them. You can spend as little as $30 on a lavatory faucet to upwards of several hundred. It really depends on your tastes and how much comparison shopping you do. Tile is also an expensive material to obtain, sometimes costing as much as $8 for one square foot. If you have a large area to cover, you can see how the cost quickly adds up. Countertops are another area of the bathroom that can eat your wallet, especially if you go with something like Marble or Corian. Usually if you are remodeling your shower you are also finishing the rest of the bathroom. These other costs need to be considered upfront so you stay on budget.

Some General Bathroom Remodel Prices

For your basic project which could include approximately an 8' by 5' room, removing and replacing everything expect to pay minimum of $5,000.00. This can vary depending on your choice of flooring, fixtures, and vanity but you should plan on at least this amount. Should you be a do-it-yourselfer and plan on doing the work without help, you can save considerably. Even if you just remove the old items you can save, allowing you to upgrade your material choices.

If your master bathroom is larger than mentioned above, say around 12' by 8' you can expect the cost to increase. You would be looking at an almost double cost (at least $10,000.00) since you would need more materials and larger fixtures. A bigger vanity, shower, tub, and more cabinets can drive the budget up.

These prices are just estimates and by no means set in stone, but they can give you an idea of what to expect before starting. Based on your location you could be looking at more or less, as some products might be in abundance locally. Anything that needs to be custom ordered will be quite expensive. You also need to find a good contractor should you not have the necessary do it yourself skills for the job. Try to get bids from several contractors, and check with the town offices to make sure they are licensed and have insurance. Ask for references before choosing, and call the previous customers to see if they are happy with the work. Make sure things didn't run over budget, and ask them if they would use the contractor again in the future.

The key to this project is not to be intimidated by it, but also to do some research upfront and prepare a budget. The more work you put into the budget before work starts, the less likely you are to have unforeseen expenses. This increases the likelihood that you will be happy with the outcome.

About the author:

James McDonald writes for www.easyhomeimprovements.net where you can read about diy bathroom plumbing ideas. Visit to get information and product recommendations for your next home improvement project.