Designing a new bathroom is such a great way to reinvigorate your day-to-day routine. We hear a lot about wellness and self-care these days, and the way we interact with our homes, especially in spaces like these, definitely plays a part.
When surveying for accurate costs for a more modern ensuite bathroom, you will need first to consider the following: Does the en-suite currently exist, or is it being built from scratch? If it already exists, will you be keeping the plumbing and sanitaryware in the same place?
The answer is, generally, between £4,000 to £6,000; however, naturally, the scope of the work and level of complexity will impact the budget you need to allocate to a new en-suite.
What Is the Cost of an En-Suite Bathroom in 2025?
The average cost of an en-suite bathroom is around £4,000 to £6,000, but a figure of £1,500 per m2 might be more useful to estimate your own project.
"That figure includes everything from plumbing and electrics to tiling and fixtures, but it's important to remember that costs will be higher if you're starting from scratch or working with awkward layouts," explains Keeley Sutcliffe, Design Manager at BC Designs.
"It's always worth investing in a solid base such as well-planned plumbing, quality waterproofing, and efficient ventilation, as these are the elements that ensure the room functions beautifully long-term."
Cost of Small En-suite Bathroom in 2025?
A small en-suite bathroom, might be considered to be around 3m2, so using the average above, a bathroom this small in theory would cost £4,500.
Unfortunately, a slightly smaller bathroom doesn't necessarily mean significantly reduced costs. Compact sanitarywear is minimally cheaper, and the day rates for plumbers and electricians will, on the whole, remain the same.
What to Consider
It’s one thing to consider overall costs when budgeting for your next home improvement. Still, when I’m renovating my own house and playing around with ideas, I always find it much more useful to properly break down the different elements so I can see when I can spend or save.
"The biggest contributors to the overall budget tend to be plumbing, tiling and lighting. Moving soil pipes or water feeds, especially in older properties, can quickly add to the cost," advises Keeley Sutcliffe.
The Room Itself
Whether your en-suite currently exists will play a significant part in your financing plans. For a brand-new en-suite, you will need to consider the cost of new walls, including plasterboard, battens, and tanking. For an existing en-suite, these elements should already be in place. However, check the condition of the subfloor and waterproofing around the shower area to confirm if any remedial work is needed.
Building new walls costs £80/m2, a new subfloor should be £25/m2 and waterproofing/tanking will cost around £40/m2.
Building Regulations
Building regulations only come into play if you’re creating a new bathroom. You will need to submit a notice, pay a small fee, and organize for the inspector to assess the project at various stages of the process. Building regulations will affect the ventilation, lighting, and plumbing.
Suppose you’re renovating an en-suite that is already in place (and, crucially, keeping the drainage and plumbing in place). In that case, although you won’t need to pay the fee and have the inspector round, the building regulations are great guidelines for health and safety, so be sure to brush up before you start work.
The cost of a building regulations notice depends on the project and whether you choose to use your local council or a private inspector. I would estimate to budget around £400.
Plumbing
When starting from scratch, plumbing in a new en suite will be best left to a professional. The benefits of this are speed, clarity in costs, and usually a level of neatness (although this might depend on your tradesperson in my experience).
If your new bathroom is on the same side as an existing soil pipe drain, your costs will be minimised, but installing a new soil stack that links to the main sewer line might add to your budget. An alternative to this is to install a macerator toilet - many people try to avoid these at all costs, but newer models are much quieter and smaller than their predecessors.
For those upgrading an existing bathroom, you might consider connecting the new sanitaryware yourself to save money. However, if you’re moving around the toilet, sink, or shower, your costs will increase accordingly, and a professional will be your best option unless you’re an experienced DIYer.
‘"One of the most effective ways to manage costs is to work with the existing plumbing layout where possible, as relocating soil stacks or running new pipework across a property can add thousands," says Louise Ashdown, Head of design at West One Bathrooms.
A plumber’s day-rate can be anywhere from £300 to £400 depending on your location.
Electrics
This is one job you might not think about when renovating an en-suite that is already in place, but refreshing the wiring in a house is recommended every 25 to 30 years. If you know your wiring is up to snuff and you already have adequate ventilation, by all means knock this cost off the head. However, if a professional hasn’t inspected your home’s wiring in this period, then now is the time to do it, as you’re ripping out.
The bathroom lighting fixtures themselves will also take up some of your budget, but the cost will be very personal to your design. Adequate ventilation will also need to be installed by an electrician.
An electrician's day-rate might be around £350 to £450, again depending on your area.
Sanitarywear
The size of your en-suite will dictate whether you can fit a bath in, but mostly you will be looking at a toilet, sink/ vanity unit, and a shower enclosure. There are some great budget options out there for sanitarywear, and you can scale up as much as your budget will allow. Some retailers also offer better deals for a matching suite.
"Additional costs come down to the products you choose, too," adds Keeley Sutcliffe. ‘If you are adding a statement bath, such as one made of copper, you can add on at least £5,000 to the overall cost.’
A ceramic 3-piece suite might cost around £500, but a designer suite might be more in the range of £800 to £1,200.
Heating
For both starting points, heating needs to be similarly considered in a bathroom, be it a wet underfloor or an electric towel rail. The two come at vastly different price points, so bear this decision in mind when costing up.
An electric towel rail will cost around £300 for an average design, while wet underfloor heating can cost £140 per m2. Meeting in the middle, electric underfloor heating might be more like £75/m2.
Fixtures
An old colleague of mine - herself a serial renovator - told me something that I took to heart very much. She said to splurge on items you touch with your hands every day. It could just be one or two fixtures in your en suite, perhaps the bathroom tap and the drawer pulls.
Again, these decisions will ultimately be down to your style and preferences, so it’s tricky to provide an average cost.
Tiling
This is an area where I actually cheap out, especially in an adult-only bathroom. Although higher-quality bathroom tiles are more likely to withstand the wear and tear of a family bathroom, if you’re looking to cut back on price, then I would suggest this is where to look.
Also consider the complexity of your tile designs (both on the floor and walls) - large format tiles will be easier to lay with less grout to clean. "You can also reduce expenses by tiling only where it’s truly needed, such as around the shower or basin, and opting for a painted finish or panelling elsewhere," adds Louise Ashdown. ‘Materials matter too: porcelain tiles can offer the same visual impact as natural stone but at a fraction of the cost, and they’re lower maintenance. The key is knowing where to invest and where you can pare back without sacrificing the overall aesthetic.’
Budget around £30/m2 for ceramic tiles, £45/m2 for porcelain and £80/m2+ for real stone.
FAQs
How Much Value Does An En-Suite Bathroom Add?
A new en-suite bathroom can add an estimated 5% to the value of your home, with many buyers expecting at least two bathrooms in a three-bedroom house these days. "Adding an en suite can absolutely add value to a property, both financially and in terms of daily use," says Louise Ashdown.
"Buyers see it as a real asset, especially in homes with only one main bathroom. It enhances privacy, streamlines morning routines, and adds a sense of luxury and convenience. Ultimately, it’s an investment that pays off both in lifestyle and resale terms."
Now that you've got your modern bathroom ideas on lock, why not add to a different section of your home? Perhaps you're looking for some sleek and easy kitchen extension ideas to get you started. Or you might want to renovate this space completely, if so, you'll want to know exactly how much a new kitchen costs.
So take note!
