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COST_REPORT · PUGET SOUND · 2026

Bathroom remodel costs.
Waterproofing is half the price.

Pricing from our last 34 Puget Sound bath permits — Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, and Tacoma. Four scope tiers, full line-item breakdown, permit fees by city, ventilation code requirements, and honest 5-year ROI ranges. Updated for 2026 labor and material costs.

Permits sampled
34
PSF range
$280–$1,800
Timeline range
2–20 wk
Median ROI (sale)
70%
SPEC_01 / FOUR_SCOPE_TIERS

The four baths we actually build

Bath remodels diverge harder than kitchens — a powder room and a primary spa share zero parts. Here are the four real packages with what's in scope.

TIER_01

Powder room refresh

All-in
$9k – $18k
$/sf
$280 – $480/sf
Build
2 – 3 wk
  • New vanity, faucet, mirror, lighting
  • Toilet swap, like-for-like rough-in
  • Wall tile or wainscot, no shower
  • LVP or tile floor
  • Exhaust fan upgrade per IRC M1505 (50 CFM min)

Best fit: Half-baths, rental turns, listing prep, sub-30sf footprints.

TIER_02

Hall bath standard

All-in
$22k – $42k
$/sf
$420 – $680/sf
Build
4 – 6 wk
  • Tile tub-shower surround, like-for-like layout
  • Schluter Kerdi or RedGard waterproofing system
  • New tub or alcove shower pan
  • Single-handle pressure-balance valve (UPC compliant)
  • Vanity, top, faucet, lighting
  • Tile floor over uncoupling membrane
  • GFCI receptacle + dedicated exhaust on humidistat

Best fit: 5×8 or 5×9 hall baths — the most common Puget Sound remodel.

TIER_03

Primary bath remodel

All-in
$48k – $95k
$/sf
$560 – $920/sf
Build
8 – 12 wk
  • Curbless or low-curb shower with linear drain
  • Full waterproofing system (Kerdi, Wedi, or Hydro Ban)
  • Freestanding tub on reinforced floor
  • Dual-vanity layout, plumbing reroutes
  • Heated tile floor on dedicated GFCI circuit
  • Larger thermostatic shower system with handheld
  • Toilet relocation + new venting through roof
  • Recessed lighting redesign on RCP

Best fit: Owners staying 5+ years; aging-in-place planning; first major bath since the house was built.

TIER_04

Spa / addition primary bath

All-in
$110k – $240k+
$/sf
$1,050 – $1,800/sf
Build
14 – 20 wk
  • Wet room (combined tub + shower zone)
  • Imported stone slabs, bookmatched walls
  • Steam generator, sauna, or chromatherapy
  • Heated floor + heated towel rack circuits
  • Smart toilets, integrated audio, mirror TVs
  • Skylight or new fenestration (structural + flashing)
  • Mechanical re-design — ERV or dedicated exhaust
  • Energy code compliance (WSEC R406 path documented)

Best fit: Mercer Island, Clyde Hill, Medina, Madison Park — homes >$2.5M.

SPEC_02 / CITY_BREAKDOWN

Cost by Puget Sound city

Same bath, different permits — drawn from 2024–2026 invoiced jobs across the region.

City$/sf rangePermit feesBuild windowNotes
Seattle$480 – $980/sf$1,100 – $2,8005 – 10 wkSDCI requires permit on plumbing relocations and any structural work; like-for-like fixture swaps usually permit-exempt.
Bellevue$520 – $1,050/sf$1,250 – $3,1005 – 9 wkDevelopment Services intake fast; strictest waterproofing inspection in the region.
Kirkland$460 – $920/sf$1,000 – $2,5004 – 8 wkOnline portal, mostly self-serve. Strong inspector availability.
Redmond$480 – $960/sf$1,050 – $2,6504 – 8 wkExcellent coordination on shower waterproofing inspections.
Sammamish / Issaquah$500 – $1,000/sf$1,200 – $2,9005 – 9 wkSeptic-connected homes add inspection on fixture-count increases.
Tacoma$380 – $760/sf$700 – $1,9004 – 7 wkTMC fees ~40% below Seattle; older cast-iron drain stacks add cost when replaced.
Renton / Kent / Auburn$400 – $780/sf$850 – $2,1004 – 8 wkSouth King — labor pool cheaper but project mgmt drive time adds 6–9%.
Everett / Lynnwood$420 – $820/sf$900 – $2,3005 – 8 wkSnohomish County PUD coordination on circuit additions for heated floor and steam.
SPEC_03 / LINE_ITEMS

Where the money goes

Allocation by trade for a Tier-02 hall bath ($32k median). Budgets shift at other tiers; percent allocation stays within ±4pts.

Tile + setting materials
14 – 20%
$5k – $14k
Waterproofing system
3 – 5%
$1.2k – $3.5k
Shower/tub fixtures + valves
8 – 12%
$3k – $9k
Vanity + countertop + faucet
8 – 12%
$3k – $9k
Toilet + bidet
2 – 5%
$700 – $3.5k
Demo + dump
4 – 6%
$1.5k – $4k
Framing / sub-floor repair
4 – 8%
$1.5k – $6k
Plumbing rough + trim
9 – 13%
$3.5k – $10k
Electrical + lighting
5 – 8%
$2k – $6k
Ventilation (humidistat fan, ducting)
1.5 – 3%
$600 – $2.2k
Drywall + paint
3 – 5%
$1.2k – $3.5k
Permit + plan review
2 – 4%
$800 – $3k
Project mgmt + supervision
8 – 12%
$3k – $9k
Contingency (recommended)
8 – 10%
$3k – $8k
SPEC_04 / ROI

5-year ROI by scope

Recoup ranges from Puget Sound comp sales and refi appraisals, Q1 2026. Bathrooms outperform kitchens at the entry tier and underperform at luxury.

ScopeSpendRecoup @ sale (5yr)Recoup @ refiNotes
Powder refresh$9k – $18k82 – 95%60 – 75%Highest ROI bath project — listings move faster with a fresh half-bath.
Hall bath standard$22k – $42k70 – 85%60 – 72%Best-balanced ROI; appraisers respect a documented waterproofing system.
Primary bath remodel$48k – $95k58 – 72%55 – 68%Lifestyle ROI dominates here; aging-in-place features hold value 10+ yrs.
Spa / addition bath$110k – $240k+45 – 60%45 – 58%ROI compresses below the line — these read as lifestyle/luxury, not investment.

Get a real bathroom quote.

Send us your existing bath dimensions, target scope tier, and ZIP. We'll return a fixed-scope range built from your jurisdiction's permit fees and our last neighborhood comp.

BATH / 2026

Powder, hall bath, primary suite — three different cost universes. Get YOUR 2026 number.

Send the bathroom type + rough sqft and we'll come back with a tight 2026 number from 8+ recent Puget Sound bathrooms we delivered.

  • Bathroom-type-specific 2026 number
  • Allowance schedule attached (tile, fixtures, vanity)
  • Free 1-pager within 48h
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