New bathroom cost by region in 2026
What a mid-range bathroom renovation costs in every UK region in 2026, from London to Yorkshire, and why the same room costs more in the capital.
A complete mid-range bathroom renovation for a typical 5 m² room costs around £7,000 across the UK in 2026, including VAT, with most jobs between £5,450 – £9,100. London sits at the top of our table, followed by Scotland and the South East, with Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East at the bottom. The spread is narrower than many people expect: tiles, sanitaryware and fittings cost much the same everywhere, so only the labour part of the bill moves with the region. Your choice of suite and tiles changes the total more than your postcode does.
Mid-range bathroom cost by region
The table shows the typical mid-range price for the same job in every region, most to least expensive. Select a region to see the full breakdown and the basic and premium options.
| Region | Mid-range |
|---|---|
| London | £7,350 |
| Scotland | £7,100 |
| South East | £7,000 |
| East | £6,950 |
| North West | £6,950 |
| East Midlands | £6,900 |
| South West | £6,900 |
| Wales | £6,900 |
| West Midlands | £6,900 |
| North East | £6,850 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £6,850 |
What the price covers
Every figure in the table prices the same bathroom, so the regions are directly comparable:
- Removing the old bath, basin, toilet and wall and floor tiles, with the rubbish taken away
- New hot and cold supply and waste pipework inside the room, with isolation valves
- New screed and re-rendered walls, flat enough for large-format tiles
- Tanking across the floor and the shower walls
- Porcelain tiles on the floor and walls to 2.2 m
- A close-coupled toilet, basin with mixer tap, vanity unit and mirror
- A shower tray in place of the bath, with a concealed mixer, riser rail and screen
- A heated towel rail, three light points, an LED ceiling light and bonding
- Painting the ceiling and the band above the tiles
It does not include moving the soil stack, replacing the bathroom door, a new extractor fan or repairs to rotten joists found once the floor is up. Nationally, a simpler room with basic tiles comes to about £5,200, and a high-spec room with full-height tiling and a stone floor to around £9,600. See every line and change the room size in our Bathroom renovation.
How we work out regional prices
We build each estimate from the job: the hours each trade needs (plumber, tiler, electrician, labourer), multiplied by the going labour rates in each region, plus the materials and fittings. We then check the results against market prices and real quotes.
Stripping out, pipework, tanking, tiling and fitting take several tradespeople the best part of two weeks, and that labour is where regional differences show up. Materials such as tiles, sanitaryware and adhesive cost broadly the same from a merchant in Newcastle or Croydon, and in a mid-range bathroom they make up a large part of the bill. That is why the regional gap in our table is real but moderate.
Why London costs more
Our table captures the main reason, and real London quotes often add more on top:
- Higher day rates. Tradespeople in London face higher living and business costs and charge accordingly. This is what our regional figures reflect.
- Parking and access. Parking permits, loading restrictions and long carries up stairs in flats and terraces add time to every day on site, and that time is billed.
- Waste removal. Skips often need a permit on the road, and many London jobs rely on waste collection by van instead, which costs more per load.
- Demand. Good bathroom fitters in busy areas are booked weeks ahead and have less reason to sharpen their price.
- The housing stock. Older terraces and conversions often have awkward waste routes, uneven walls and floors that need more preparation.
The last four depend on the individual job, so they are not in our regional figures. If you live in central London, in a flat without parking, expect quotes towards the top of the range. Outside London the differences between regions are small: Scotland, the South East, the East and the North West sit close together, and the Midlands, the South West and Wales are only a little behind.
What this means for your budget
- Use your region's figure, not the national one. The differences are moderate, but on a job this size they are worth knowing when you judge a quote, especially in London.
- Labour savings count most where labour is dear. Keeping the toilet and shower where they are, avoiding moving the waste and choosing a standard tray rather than a wet room all save labour hours, and each hour is worth more in London.
- Materials are where you can control the spec. Because tiles and fittings cost roughly the same nationally, stepping up or down in sanitaryware changes the total by a similar amount wherever you live.
- Be flexible on dates. If you can wait, ask whether a later start changes the price; a fitter with a gap to fill may sharpen it.
Electrics and VAT
In England and Wales, electrical work in a bathroom is notifiable: it must be done by a registered electrician (Part P) who self-certifies it, or notified to building control. Keep the certificate for when you sell. Our figures include 20% VAT. A tradesperson who is not VAT registered can quote less for labour, but materials bought through them still carry VAT.
Is your quote in line?
Once you have a written quote, compare it with typical prices where you live using our "Is my quote fair?" tool: Is my quote fair?. It uses the same regional figures as the table above.