Cost per sq ft and totals by bathroom size
Bathrooms are quoted on floor area, and the rate is high because the fixed content — one WC, one basin, one shower set, one round of waterproofing — barely changes between a 30 and a 55 sq ft room.
| Bathroom size | Basic ₹2,400/sq ft | Mid ₹4,200/sq ft | Premium ₹7,500/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 sq ft (compact / common) | ₹72,000 | ₹1,26,000 | ₹2,25,000 |
| 40 sq ft (standard) | ₹96,000 | ₹1,68,000 | ₹3,00,000 |
| 55 sq ft (master) | ₹1,32,000 | ₹2,31,000 | ₹4,12,500 |
| 75 sq ft (large master with tub) | ₹1,80,000 | ₹3,15,000 | ₹5,62,500 |
Floor area × rate. Ex-GST. Full strip-out to finished bathroom including sanitaryware and fittings.
| Level | ₹ / sq ft | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | ₹2,400 | Retile floor and dado to 7 ft, Indian-brand WC and basin, standard CP, single-coat-plus waterproofing, existing layout |
| Mid | ₹4,200 | Full strip-out, two-coat waterproofing with ponding test, vitrified or large-format tile, Jaquar/Hindware fittings, glass partition, vanity |
| Premium | ₹7,500 | Layout change, concealed cisterns, wall-hung WC, Grohe/Kohler CP, rain shower, stone or imported tile, niche lighting, heated towel rail |
Where the money goes
A mid-level renovation of a 40 sq ft bathroom at ₹1,68,000, itemised the way a bathroom BOQ should be:
| Component | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition, chipping and debris removal | ₹12,000 | 7% |
| Waterproofing — two coats plus 24-hour ponding test | ₹16,000 | 10% |
| Plumbing — concealed CPVC supply, UPVC drainage, chasing and making good | ₹24,000 | 14% |
| Electrical — geyser point, exhaust, IP-rated lighting, shaver socket | ₹9,000 | 5% |
| Tiling — wall and floor, material plus laying and grouting | ₹38,000 | 23% |
| Sanitaryware — WC, basin, counter | ₹28,000 | 17% |
| CP fittings — diverter, shower set, taps, health faucet, accessories | ₹22,000 | 13% |
| Door, mirror, vanity unit and fittings | ₹19,000 | 11% |
| Total (ex-GST) | ₹1,68,000 | 100% |
Bathrooms rebuilt from the waterproofing up
What changes the price
| Change | Delta | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Moving the WC or the floor trap | +18 – 28% | New drainage run at fall, sunken slab or a raised plinth, re-waterproofing and often the flat below's ceiling |
| Wall-hung WC with a concealed cistern | +8 – 14% | Carrier frame, wall build-out, an access panel and a costlier pan |
| Large-format 800×1600 tile instead of 300×600 | +12 – 20% | Material cost, two-person handling, back-buttering and far less tolerance for an out-of-plane wall |
| Jaquar/Hindware to Grohe/Kohler CP | +15 – 25% | Diverter and shower set alone go from ₹12,000–₹22,000 to ₹35,000–₹80,000 |
| Frameless 10mm glass shower partition | +₹18,000 – 45,000 | Toughened glass, hardware, precise setting-out against a tiled surface |
| Natural stone or imported tile | +25 – 45% | ₹250–₹1,200/sq ft against ₹55–₹160, plus sealing and a slower laying rate |
| Adding a bathtub | +₹35,000 – 1,80,000 | The tub, structural support, a dedicated drain and often a bigger geyser |
| Skipping the ponding test to save time | −2%, then +100% | The one saving that regularly costs the entire bathroom two years later |
| Anti-skid floor tile and a linear drain | +6 – 10% | Specified tile plus channel drain and a fall set to a single line |
The sequence, and why it cannot be rushed
- Day 1–2 · Strip-outSanitaryware, tiles and screed removed to the slab. Debris bagged and carried out. This is the noisiest phase and the one neighbours notice.
- Day 3–4 · Plumbing and electrical first-fixSupply lines chased in CPVC, drainage set in UPVC at the correct fall, geyser and exhaust points pulled. Everything is pressure-tested before it is covered.
- Day 5–7 · WaterproofingTwo coats of a cementitious or polyurethane membrane across the floor and 3 ft up the walls, with a full 24-hour ponding test. There is no shortcut here that does not reappear as a leak.
- Day 8–12 · Tiling and groutingFloor laid to fall, dado laid to height, then 48 hours before grouting. Tile layout is set out from the most-seen corner, not from the door.
- Day 13–16 · Fixing and finishingSanitaryware, CP fittings, vanity, mirror, glass partition, door. Silicone joints last and need 24 hours before the bathroom is used.
- Day 17–18 · Testing and handoverEvery outlet run, every drain checked, the flat below inspected for staining. Only then is the bathroom released.
You can change a tile in five years. You cannot change the waterproofing without removing every tile above it. Spend there first and argue about the basin afterwards.
Greenbox project manager
How to read a bathroom quote
- Find the waterproofing line and read it properly. The system — cementitious or polyurethane — the number of coats, the height up the wall and whether a 24-hour ponding test is included. ‘Waterproofing included’ with no system named is not a commitment.
- Check the tile area against the room. Dado height should be stated. Tiling to 7 ft versus to the ceiling is a 20–25% difference in that line.
- Separate sanitaryware and CP into a named schedule. Brand, model and finish for the WC, basin, diverter, shower and taps. These are the items most often swapped for a cheaper equivalent on site.
- Ask who supplies. Client-supplied sanitaryware is common and perfectly fine, but then the quote must show a labour-only fixing rate and state who owns the warranty.
- Look for the making-good line. Chasing walls for concealed plumbing leaves damage that has to be replastered and repainted — in or out?
- Confirm the slab position. Sunken slab, wall-hung carrier frame or floor-mounted changes both cost and sequence, and it must be decided before the first-fix.
- Get a written leak warranty. Two years minimum on the waterproofing, with the remedy stated — not just a promise to ‘look into it’.
What this excludes
- 18% GST — on a ₹1,68,000 bathroom that is ₹30,240, taking it to ₹1,98,240. Work out yours in the GST on interior work calculator.
- False ceiling in the bathroom — ₹95–₹210 per sq ft in moisture-resistant board or PVC.
- Exhaust ducting to an external wall where none exists — ₹4,000–₹14,000 including core-cutting and a louvre.
- Geyser, mirror cabinet and heated towel rail unless individually listed.
- Repairs to the flat below if an existing leak has already damaged that ceiling.
- Structural work on a sunken slab — refilling, screeding and re-levelling where the sunken portion has failed.
- Water supply upgrades — a new line, a booster pump or a larger geyser to serve a rain shower.
Estimate your own bathroom with the bathroom renovation cost calculator. For Mumbai-specific rates and society constraints, see bathroom renovation cost in Mumbai.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in India?+
₹2,400 per sq ft of floor area for a basic renovation, ₹4,200 mid-level and ₹7,500 premium, excluding 18% GST. A standard 40 sq ft bathroom therefore costs ₹96,000 basic, ₹1.68 lakh mid and ₹3 lakh premium.
What is the most expensive part of a bathroom renovation?+
Tiling, at about 23% of a mid-level job including material and laying, followed by sanitaryware at 17% and CP fittings at 13%. Plumbing takes 14% and waterproofing 10% — the two lines that are invisible when finished and the two that decide whether the bathroom lasts.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?+
Twelve to eighteen working days per bathroom: two days of strip-out, two for plumbing and electrical first-fix, three for waterproofing including the ponding test, five for tiling and grouting, four for fixing and finishing, and two for testing. The bathroom is unusable throughout.
Can I renovate a bathroom without changing the plumbing?+
Yes, and it saves 18–28%. Keeping the WC, floor trap and shower in their existing positions avoids new drainage runs at fall, slab work and the risk of disturbing the flat below. If the layout works, retile and re-fit rather than relocate.
How much does waterproofing cost, and is it worth it?+
About ₹16,000 on a 40 sq ft bathroom, or roughly 10% of a mid-level renovation, for two coats of membrane plus a 24-hour ponding test. It is the one line never to trim: a failure means removing every tile above it, and usually repairing the ceiling of the flat below as well.
Does the cost include the geyser and the false ceiling?+
No. A bathroom false ceiling in moisture-resistant board or PVC runs ₹95–₹210 per sq ft, the geyser and its installation ₹8,000–₹35,000, and exhaust ducting to an external wall ₹4,000–₹14,000 where none exists. All three should be listed explicitly in the quote.