A new bathroom in 2026 costs £1,500–£2,400/m² fitted for a mid-spec refit — roughly £7,500–£12,000 for a typical 5m² UK family bathroom. Budget refreshes start near £900/m² and premium schemes with layout changes and stone tiling reach £2,600–£4,000/m². Counter-intuitively, small rooms cost more per m²: fixed costs like strip-out, first-fix plumbing and waterproofing spread over fewer metres. Here is the real 2026 per-m² ladder by spec tier, an element-by-element breakdown, a 9-region matrix and a worked £9,800 example.
Budget £1,500–£2,400/m² fitted for a mid-spec refit — about £7,500–£12,000 for a typical 5m² family bathroom. A budget refresh starts near £900/m² (keep the layout, trade suite, vinyl floor), while premium schemes with layout changes, wall-hung sanitaryware and large-format porcelain reach £2,600–£4,000/m².
Breakdown of the per-m² figure at mid spec: strip-out & prep 8%, suite & brassware 22%, plumbing & electrics 20%, tiling & waterproofing 26%, flooring 8%, decoration, extraction & snagging 16%. Inner London adds 25–30% to labour; the North and Scotland sit 10–18% below the national mean.
The finish level and how much of the layout you keep set the per-m² rate. These are 2026 UK fitted rates, sorted by tier. One rule cuts through the ladder: layout is the big lever. Keeping the suite where it is holds first-fix plumbing and electrics down, which is why a swap-in-place refit is so much cheaper than moving the bath, basin or soil pipe. Tiling and waterproofing is the other swing factor at roughly a quarter of the bill, so a full tanking system behind a wet room or walk-in shower costs more than splashback-height tiling but is what prevents leaks later. For the full room-by-room breakdown and where to save without cutting corners, see our bathroom renovation cost guide.
5m² bathroom ≈ £4,500–£7,000 · 1.5–2 weeks
Trade suite in the same positions, splashback-height ceramic tiling, vinyl or LVT floor, new taps and shower over bath. The cheapest legitimate refit — nothing moves, so first-fix costs stay minimal.
5m² bathroom ≈ £7,500–£12,000 · 2–3 weeks
Quality suite, porcelain tiling to full height in wet zones, new lighting and extraction, heated towel rail, glass shower screen. What most UK homeowners buy in 2026 — the benchmark for the £7,500–£12,000 headline range.
5m² bathroom ≈ £13,000–£20,000 · 3–4 weeks
Moved sanitaryware or soil stack, wall-hung WC and basin on concealed frames, large-format porcelain or stone, underfloor heating, walk-in shower with linear drain, designer brassware and bespoke storage.
4m² wet room ≈ £9,000–£13,000 · 3–4 weeks
Full floor tanking, formed gradient or wet-room former, linear drain and floor-to-ceiling tiling. Allow £1,500–£3,000 over a standard bathroom at the same floor area — and always use a fitter who guarantees the tanking.
The per-m² rate falls as the room grows — because the fixed costs don't shrink with the floor area.
Line-by-line costs for the benchmark 2026 UK refit — a 5m² family bathroom, mid spec, same layout.
| Element | Cost Range | % of Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strip-out & disposal | £550–£950 | 8% | Old suite and tiles out, skip or licensed waste carrier, floor inspection. |
| Suite & brassware | £1,600–£2,800 | 22% | Bath or shower enclosure, WC, basin, taps, shower valve and screen — mid-range branded supply. |
| Plumbing first + second fix | £1,300–£2,100 | 14% | New pipework in same positions, isolation valves, waste runs, fit-out labour. |
| Electrics & extraction | £550–£950 | 6% | Downlights (IP65 in zones), shaver point, extractor fan, Part P notification. |
| Tiling & waterproofing | £2,000–£3,200 | 26% | Tanking to wet zones, porcelain £70–£110/m² fitted, full height in shower area. |
| Flooring | £600–£1,000 | 8% | Ply overlay + porcelain floor tile or quality LVT, silicone and trims. |
| Heating (towel rail / UFH) | £350–£1,400 | 6% | Heated towel rail £350–£600; electric UFH mat + thermostat adds £700–£1,000. |
| Decoration & snagging | £400–£700 | 5% | Mist and two coats bathroom-grade paint, sealant, final snag list. |
| Contingency (10%) | £750–£1,200 | 5% | Hidden rot, lead pipe replacement, failed tanking found at strip-out. |
| Total (5m² mid spec) | £7,500–£12,000 | 100% | Midpoint ≈ £9,800 fitted · £1,960/m² |
Figures are inc. standard-rated 20% VAT where the fitter is VAT-registered. Bathroom adaptations for disabled occupants can qualify for zero-rating — confirm eligibility with your contractor.
The real-world drivers of 2026 bathroom pricing, ranked by impact.
Moving the toilet or relocating the soil stack adds £600–£1,500; a full layout change £1,500–£3,000. Keeping sanitaryware where it is protects the per-m² rate more than any other decision. This line moves the total most.
Ceramic £40–£70/m² fitted vs porcelain £70–£110/m² vs large-format or stone £110–£180/m². Half-height tiling instead of floor-to-ceiling saves £800–£1,500 in an average room.
Wall-hung WCs and basins need concealed cisterns and mounting frames boxed into the wall — £700–£1,400 over close-coupled equivalents, plus extra tiling on the boxing.
A walk-in enclosure with a linear drain, or full wet-room tanking, adds £1,200–£2,500 over a standard tray and curtain. Non-negotiable quality item: failed tanking is the most expensive bathroom defect to fix.
An electric UFH mat with programmable thermostat adds £700–£1,000 on a typical floor including the self-levelling layer. Cheap to run in a small room and popular in 2026 refits — but it must go in before the floor tile.
Rotten joists under an old leaking bath, lead supply pipework, blown plaster or historic botched tanking only show up at strip-out. Hold 10–15% contingency on pre-1970 homes and get it inspected before the quote if you can.
Same 5m² mid-spec refit, priced region-by-region.
| Region | 5m² Total | Per m² | vs UK Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London (Zones 1–3) | £10,000–£15,500 | £2,550/m² | +30% |
| Greater London + Home Counties | £9,000–£13,800 | £2,280/m² | +15% |
| South East (Surrey, Kent, Sussex) | £8,300–£12,900 | £2,120/m² | +8% |
| South West (Bristol, Bath) | £7,700–£12,100 | £1,980/m² | par |
| East & East Midlands | £7,300–£11,400 | £1,870/m² | −5% |
| West Midlands (Birmingham) | £7,100–£11,100 | £1,820/m² | −7% |
| North West (Manchester, Liverpool) | £6,700–£10,500 | £1,720/m² | −12% |
| Yorkshire & North East | £6,300–£10,000 | £1,630/m² | −16% |
| Scotland / Wales | £6,200–£9,800 | £1,600/m² | −18% |
A real-shape 2026 refit — 5m² family bathroom, mid spec, same layout, porcelain to full height in the wet zone.
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The 8 questions UK homeowners ask most often in 2026.
Budget £1,500–£2,400/m² fitted for a mid-spec refit in 2026 — about £7,500–£12,000 for a typical 5m² family bathroom. A budget refresh starts near £900/m², while premium schemes with layout changes and stone tiling reach £2,600–£4,000/m². London adds 25–30%; the North and Scotland sit 10–18% below average.
Because the fixed costs — strip-out, waste disposal, first-fix plumbing, waterproofing and the suite itself — are spread over fewer square metres. A 2.5m² en-suite can run £2,200–£3,200/m² even at mid spec, while a 10m² master bathroom at the same finish level might average £1,300–£1,800/m².
A mid-spec refit of a 5m² bathroom lands at £7,500–£12,000 fitted — new suite, full re-tile, new lighting and extraction, keeping the existing layout. Add £600–£1,500 if the toilet or soil stack moves, and £1,000–£2,000 for underfloor heating with a new screed.
Roughly 45–55% labour, 45–55% materials at mid spec. A full refit takes a two-person team 2–3 weeks: strip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, tanking, tiling, second fix and silicone. Labour rates run £220–£320/day per tradesperson in most regions, more in London.
The big four: layout changes (moving the toilet or soil stack, £600–£1,500+), tiling spec (stone or large-format porcelain doubles the tiling line), wall-hung sanitaryware (frames and flush plates add £700–£1,400) and walk-in showers or wet-room tanking (£1,200–£2,500 over a standard tray).
Yes — allow £1,500–£3,000 extra for a wet room at the same floor area. The premium pays for full floor tanking, a formed gradient or wet-room former, a linear drain and floor-to-ceiling tiling. Per m², a 4m² wet room typically runs £2,200–£3,200 fitted in 2026.
A straight swap takes 1.5–2 weeks; a mid-spec refit with full tiling 2–3 weeks; a layout change or wet-room conversion 3–4 weeks. Add lead time of 2–6 weeks for sanitaryware and tile deliveries — confirm everything is on site before strip-out day.
A like-for-like refit doesn't need approval, but new drainage runs, moved soil stacks, new electrical circuits and structural alterations do. Electrical work in a bathroom is notifiable (Part P) — use a registered electrician who self-certifies. Your fitter should handle notifications as part of the quote.