Updated April 24, 2023
Depending on the size of your bathroom and how much you’re looking to change, the cost of demolition can vary significantly.
If you decide to hire a professional, the overall cost of bathroom demolition typically ranges between $500 to $2,000 or more.
The national average for a full bathroom remodel is around $15,000. A complete remodel is likely to increase your home’s value by more than $11,500.
You can do a solid bathroom remodel for half the average of a full bathroom remodel, which will increase your home's value without breaking the bank.
Likewise, there's more than one way to save on demolition.
We'll discuss five of the best insider tips to save as much as a couple thousand dollars on your bathroom demolition, including:
- Get Multiple Quotes
- Get Recommendations
- Do Some of the Work Yourself
- Deconstruct and Donate
- Don't Relocate Plumbing and Electrical
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How Bathroom Demolition Is Done
Depending on the amount of remodeling you plan on doing, there will be more than one way to gut a bathroom.
However, these are the five basic steps to a bathroom remodel:
Step 1: Shut off the electricity and water supply.
Step 2: Pull out sink(s), vanity, and cabinets.
Step 3: Remove the toilet.
Step 4: Tear out the bathtub and/or shower.
Step 5: Rip out the walls and flooring.
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1. Get Multiple Quotes
One of the easiest ways to save money on demolition is by getting an estimate from more than one company.
Not only will this help to ensure you get the best possible price in your area, but you can also use Contractor A’s price to negotiate with Contractor B.
This will help guarantee that you get the best possible price while allowing you to negotiate with your preferred contractor, too.
Never choose a demolition company based on price alone. Quality is always more important than price, so first make sure the company is fully licensed and insured, with a good reputation, before hiring them.
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Find out more:
- The Difference Between a Contractor's Bond, License, and Insurance
- The Science Behind Hiring the Right Contractor
- Hire the Right Remodeling Contractor and Know What to Expect
2. Get Recommendations
A demolition contractor could have the best possible price and still not be worth the hire. The saying, 'You get what you pay for," comes to mind...
This is why asking friends and family members for their recommendations can go a long way in saving you some serious dough (and time).
If your neighbor recently hired someone to handle their interior demolition and had excellent results, consider going the same route.
Plus, a family member or friend may have experience handling demolition work themselves, or maybe they know someone who does.
3. Do Some of the Work Yourself
Remodeling a bathroom yourself doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal.
All it takes to visually transform your space is swap out a few old fixtures and replace dated flooring.
If you’re interested in doing a little more than just replace the flooring and hardware, you can save a lot by doing the demolition yourself.
This isn’t as fun and carefree as simply swinging a sledgehammer mind you.
You’ll want to be cautious when removing any cabinets, vanities, etc.
Damaging a load-bearing wall can affect the overall structural integrity of your house, which can have devastating consequences, which is why we recommend leaving interior demolition to the pros.
There’s more than just load-bearing walls to worry about, however.
Accidentally hitting plumbing, heating/cooling ducts, or electrical wires is not only expensive, but it's dangerous.
Chances are, your bathroom remodel won’t involve much major demolition work, but if it does, leave the hard work for the pros (i.e., plumbing, electrical work, etc.) and take care of the easier stuff on your own.
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4. Deconstruct and Donate
Depending on demand, some charitable organizations offer free deconstruction services in exchange for the items salvaged.
A team of trained volunteers will come to your home and remove any usable items in good condition, like flooring, toilets, countertops in good shape, sink fixtures, and more.
Below are a couple of the most popular charities offering deconstruction services:
Keep in mind that even if you are able to take advantage of these services, charitable deconstruction generally doesn’t involve a complete strip-out.
You may have some additional demolition to complete once they’re through.
5. Don't Relocate Plumbing and Electrical
Relocating fixtures, like toilets and sinks, requires quite a bit more time and a lot more money.
So when possible, opt for simply replacing them.
Some great places to begin shopping for bathroom fixtures and supplies includes Supply.com, Home Depot, Lowe's or PlumbingSupply.com.
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