How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost
in St. Louis, MO?

The Honest Answer: It Depends

"How much does a bathroom remodel cost?" is one of the most common questions we get from St. Louis homeowners, and the answer depends heavily on the size of the bathroom, the scope of work, and the materials you choose. A powder room refresh and a master bath gut renovation are completely different projects with completely different price tags.

This guide covers the main cost drivers, what to expect at different scope levels, and how to build a realistic budget. The most accurate answer for your specific bathroom comes from a free, in-home estimate.

What Determines Bathroom Remodel Cost?

Bathroom remodel costs in St. Louis are shaped by a handful of key variables. Understanding them helps you make smarter decisions about where to invest and where to save.

1. Bathroom Size and Type

A powder room, a guest bath, and a master bath are three very different projects. Square footage affects how much tile, flooring, and material is needed, but the bathroom type also determines the complexity of plumbing and the number of fixtures involved. Master baths with larger showers, soaking tubs, double vanities, and heated floors cost more than a secondary bath of the same size.

2. Shower or Tub Work

The shower or tub is typically the most expensive single element of a bathroom remodel. A tub-to-shower conversion involves demolition, waterproofing, new tile, glass, plumbing adjustments, and fixtures. A freestanding soaking tub installation adds plumbing rough-in and surround tile. Keeping an existing tub or shower and retiling the surround costs far less than a full conversion, and this one decision affects the overall cost range more than almost anything else.

3. Tile Selection and Coverage

Tile is a major cost variable in both material and labor. Large-format tile (24"x24" or larger) requires more precise installation and more skilled labor than standard subway tile. Decorative accents and heated floor systems add cost on top of that. The total square footage of tile across shower walls, floor, and feature walls adds up fast in a bathroom remodel.

4. Vanity and Plumbing Fixtures

Vanity cost ranges from a few hundred dollars for a stock single vanity to several thousand for a custom double vanity with integrated storage. Plumbing fixtures — faucets, shower systems, handheld sprayers, body jets — vary enormously in price. Swapping like-for-like fixtures is straightforward. Moving the vanity, toilet, or shower drain to a different location opens walls and floors and adds meaningful cost.

5. Whether the Layout Changes

Moving plumbing, whether relocating a toilet, shifting the shower drain, or moving the vanity, requires opening walls and floors, rerouting pipes, and often bringing older systems up to current code. Keeping the existing plumbing locations eliminates one of the biggest cost categories. If your layout works, keeping it in place is the right call.

6. Existing Conditions in St. Louis Homes

Many St. Louis homes have bathrooms that haven't been touched in 30 to 50 years. Once demo begins, it's common to find failed waterproofing behind the old tile, water-damaged subfloor from years of slow leaks, or outdated galvanized plumbing that should be replaced while the walls are open. These conditions aren't visible until demo begins, which is why experienced contractors build contingency into their estimates and why you should build it into your budget too.

Three Common Scope Levels

While every bathroom is unique, most remodels fall into one of three general scope levels:

What Can Drive Costs Higher Than Expected

Even well-planned bathroom remodels can encounter conditions that add cost. The most common surprises in St. Louis bathrooms:

• Failed waterproofing — the most common find in St. Louis bathrooms that haven't been touched in decades; water intrusion behind tile causes subfloor rot, mold, and structural damage that must be repaired before new tile goes in
• Galvanized or lead supply lines — older St. Louis homes often have galvanized pipes that are corroded internally and should be replaced during a bathroom remodel while the walls are open
• Out-of-level or out-of-plumb walls — common in older construction, adds time to tile installation and may require additional substrate work
• Asbestos-containing materials — some floor tiles, drywall compounds, and adhesives from the 1970s and earlier contain asbestos and require licensed abatement
• Design changes mid-project — changing tile selections after demo has begun or adding fixtures that weren't in the original scope almost always adds cost; finalize decisions before work starts

Shower Remodel vs. Tub Replacement

This is one of the most consequential decisions in a St. Louis bathroom remodel. A tub-to-shower conversion eliminates the tub and builds out a walk-in shower, the most common choice in master bathrooms where soaking tubs sit unused. Keeping a tub makes sense for families with young children or homes where buyers expect one.

A full shower remodel in St. Louis, covering waterproofing, tile walls and floor, glass enclosure, and new fixtures, is a meaningful investment. It's also the upgrade that homeowners report the highest satisfaction with after the project is done, because it changes how you use the bathroom every day.

How to Get an Accurate Estimate

Get at least two or three in-home estimates from licensed, insured contractors. Ask each one to provide an itemized breakdown, not just a total, so you can compare what's included. A quote that looks cheaper often omits waterproofing, demo disposal, or permit costs that another quote includes.

Build a 10 to 15% contingency on top of your estimate, and closer to 20% for older St. Louis homes where waterproofing failures and plumbing surprises are common once the walls come down.

Decline any estimate given over the phone or email without a site visit. The condition of your existing tile, subfloor, plumbing, and walls all affect the actual cost, and a contractor who hasn't seen them is guessing.

Why St. Louis Homeowners Choose Phoenix Construction Group

Phoenix Construction Group provides free, detailed, in-home bathroom remodel estimates throughout the Greater St. Louis area, from Ladue and Chesterfield to Webster Groves and South City. We're licensed and insured, and we coordinate plumbing, electrical, and tile under one contract so you deal with one team throughout.

We give itemized estimates and tell you upfront when demo reveals conditions that affect cost. We protect your bathroom during the project, clean up every day, and don't consider the job done until you've walked through and signed off on every detail.

The accurate answer to what your bathroom remodel will cost comes from a visit to your home. Schedule your free estimate today.