🔨 Demolition & Debris Removal: €250 – €450
It includes removing the old sanitary ware, removing the old tiles, cleaning the area and collecting the waste in special bags or a small bin, depending on the case.
How Much Does a Full Bathroom Renovation Cost? The Ultimate Guide at Realistic Prices
When a homeowner decides to move forward with a full bathroom renovation, budget is usually the first thing they think about. Online, you often see two extremes: unrealistically cheap quotes that do not include all the work, and very high prices that do not reflect a simple, everyday bathroom.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
A total bathroom renovation means removing the old tiles and fixtures, checking or replacing the piping, making the necessary electrical work, properly preparing the surfaces and installing new tiles, fixtures and equipment.
For an average Greek bathroom, about 5 sq.m. floor, which usually corresponds to about 22–25 sq.m. of total tile area including the walls, the cost can be calculated quite realistically, as long as we know what each quote includes.
1. The 2 Real Cost Levels for a Bathroom ~5 sq.m.
* Economy / Standard Option (€3,200 – €4,500): Complete renovation with stripping, basic plumbing replacement, necessary electrical interventions, proper surface preparation, standard size tiles, simple but reliable sanitary ware and ready-made bathroom furniture. It is the choice that covers most of the needs of an owner who wants a clean, functional and honest bathroom without excesses.
* Medium / Modern Option (€4,500 – €6,000): Includes better tiles or porcelain tiles, nicer bathroom furniture, higher-quality taps, a shower enclosure, a built-in shower option, or a more refined layout. A wall-hung toilet with a concealed cistern can also fit in this category, as long as the budget and construction allow it.
In more demanding options, such as large 60x120cm tiles, built-in systems, custom furniture, special lighting or designer sanitary ware, the cost can easily exceed €6,000 – €7,500. But this is not necessarily the typical case of a simple bathroom.
2. Detailed Cost of Infrastructure Labor & Materials
Let's look in detail at the basic stages of a total bathroom renovation and the realistic costs we find in the market.
The final cost is affected by the floor, access to the property, whether there is an elevator, the amount of tiles and whether special transport is needed.
This cost usually includes the work of the plumber, basic piping materials, changes to water supplies, drains, floor siphon and the necessary electrical interventions for lighting, mirror, sockets or ventilation.
If the bathroom is old and the pipes have not been changed for many years, replacing the plumbing is not a luxury. It is necessary work so that the bathroom does not have to be repainted after a few years.
This stage includes plastering or plastering the walls, cementing the floor where necessary, creating proper drains to the siphon and applying waterproofing to the areas that receive water, mainly in the shower area.
Waterproofing is one of the tasks that is often omitted in very cheap offers, but it is extremely important to protect the bathroom and neighboring areas.
In a bathroom, however, the work is more demanding per square meter. There are corners, pipe runs, outlets, drains, cuts around sanitary ware, joints, and many details that need attention.
For a typical 5 m2 bathroom, with a total tile area of about 22–25 m2, a realistic price for the pure installation work is about €10–15/m2. So the total labor cost for the tile is usually around €250 – €450.
If large tiles are chosen, such as 60x120cm, special designs, many cuts or more demanding installation, the price may go up.
The cost is relatively small, but it is important to use the correct mold-resistant or moisture-resistant paint.
🚰 New Plumbing & Electrical Installation: €850 – €1,400
In a total bathroom renovation, the most important part is not what is visible, but what is hidden behind the tiles.
📐 Plastering, Cement mortar & Waterproofing: €300 – €600
After stripping and new installations, proper surface preparation must be done.
🧱 Tiling — Net Labor: €250 – €450
Tiling is one area where there is a lot of price confusion. There are offers on the market that even start from €6–8/sq.m. for simple installation. These prices are usually for large, easy surfaces, simple tiles and cases without a lot of cutting or technical difficulties.
🎨 Plastering & Painting Ceiling: €80 – €150
The bathroom ceiling is usually not covered with tiles, so it needs plastering where there is damage and painting with a suitable color for humid areas.
3. Cost of Purchase of Finishing Materials & Equipment
Finishing materials are where the final budget can change a lot. Two bathrooms of the same square footage can have a large cost difference, just from the choice of tiles, faucets, furniture and cabinetry.
A budget but decent selection of tiles can range from around €12–18/m2, while a mid-range option can be around €18–30/m2.
Glues, grouts and micro-materials must also be included in the cost. For this, a realistic range for tiles and basic installation materials is around €400 – €800.
However, if a wall-hung toilet with a concealed cistern is chosen, the cost rises considerably because there are extra purchase, installation, and construction-adaptation costs.
If a larger piece of furniture, better materials, an illuminated mirror or custom construction is chosen, the cost can rise significantly.
If a shower column, thermostatic battery or branded range is added, the cost goes up.
In more modern walk-in solutions, the cost may be higher.
Tiles, Adhesives & Grouts: €400 – €800
For a bathroom of about 5 sq.m., including the walls, we usually calculate roughly 25 sq.m. of tile surface.
Toilet set with cistern & seat: €150 – €350
A simple floor-mounted toilet with a cistern and seat can be found at relatively affordable price points.
Bathroom Furniture with Washbasin & Mirror: €200 – €600
A ready-made bathroom furniture with sink and mirror can be found at economical prices, especially in standard dimensions.
Sink & Shower Faucets: €120 – €350
For a basic but decent option, sink and shower faucets can be moved to reasonable levels.
Shower Cabin or Safety Glass: €150 – €500
A simple shower cabin can start relatively low, but the final cost depends on the dimensions, the thickness of the glass, whether it is sliding or opening and whether it needs special adaptation to the space.
📊 Actual Budget Summary Table
| Stage / Material | Realistic Cost | What does it include? |
|---|---|---|
| Rubble & rubble | €250 – €450 | Stripping, cleaning, bags or small bin where required. |
| Plumbing & electrical | €850 – €1,400 | New supplies, drains, siphon, basic electrical interventions. |
| Plasters, cement mortar & waterproofing | €300 – €600 | Maintenance, leveling of surfaces, rains, waterproofing in wet areas. |
| Working plates | €250 – €450 | Installation and grouting of approximately 22–25 sq.m. tiles. |
| Tiles, adhesives & grouts | €400 – €800 | Ceramic tiles, adhesives, grouts and micro-materials. |
| Sanitary ware & equipment | €700 – €1,800 | Toilet, furniture, washbasin, mirror, taps, shower enclosure or shower set. |
| Ceiling painting | €80 – €150 | Stocking where necessary and painting with a suitable color for humidity. |
| TOTAL | €2,830 – €5,650 | Realistic scope for a total bathroom renovation of 5 sq.m., depending on the options. |
In practice, for a typical 5 m2 bathroom, a safe and realistic cost zone is around €3,200 – €5,500.
The low end is all about simpler options, affordable materials and limited layout changes. The higher end is about better materials, neater sanitary ware, cabin, more demanding details or work that takes longer.
💡 The Engineer's Advice
When you see very low quotes for a full bathroom renovation, for example below €2,500 – €3,000, that does not automatically mean they are bad. It does mean you need to check very carefully what they actually include.
Is plumbing replacement included? Is drainage included? Is waterproofing included? Are adhesives and grouts included? Is debris removal included? Is VAT included? Are the sanitary fixtures included, or only the labor?
On the other hand, a price above €6,000 is not necessarily excessive if the bathroom includes better tiles, a built-in shower, a shower enclosure, a concealed cistern, high-quality taps, or more demanding construction work.
For a simple and honest 5 sq.m. bathroom, without luxury selections, the most realistic cost range is around €3,500 – €5,000. With more modern or higher-quality choices, the cost can reach around €5,500 – €6,500.
What To Look Out For Before Comparing Offers
The comparison of offers should not be made only on the basis of the final amount. Two offers may look the same but involve completely different tasks.
Before you decide, ask for every point that affects the final cost and the true scope of the project to be written down clearly.
Whether full demolition is included
Whether the old pipes will be replaced
Whether the drainage line also changes
What type of waterproofing will be applied
Which adhesives and grouts will be used
Whether debris removal is included
Whether VAT is included
Which sanitary fixtures are included
Whether there are extra charges for transport, floor level, or difficult access
The cheapest offer is not always the worst, just as the most expensive is not always the best. The correct quote is one that clearly explains what is included, what is not included and what materials will be used.
Conclusion
A total bathroom renovation doesn't have to cost too much, but neither can it be done right with prices that don't cover basic work.
For an average bathroom of around 5 sq.m., a realistic 2026 budget usually falls into these bands:
€3,200 – €4,500 for a simple but correct standard renovation
€4,500 – €6,000 for a more refined and modern option
€6,000+ for more demanding or premium solutions
The most important thing is not only the final price, but what is included. A bathroom that is done right from the start can last for many years without problems, leaks and rips.
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