Nationally, a bathroom remodel typically runs $6,624 to $16,922, with an average of $11,533. A powder room runs $1,200 to $4,000 and a primary bath $15,000 to $55,000 (Bob Vila, page dated 2024-06-26). These are national figures, not Columbia prices, so get a written price from each company. The timeline section below gives the one sourced duration.
Columbia General Contractor is a referral service and does not do the work. Send the quote form on this page. We call you back within one business day and connect you with a local bathroom remodeling company, which is independent of Columbia General Contractor. You pay Columbia General Contractor nothing for the request.
What a full bathroom remodel includes, from demo to final inspection
A full bathroom remodel, also called a bathroom renovation, is a bigger job than a surface update, so a quote for one and a quote for a lighter job are not comparable. Ask every bathroom remodel contractor what the price covers, line by line. Ask whether it includes:
- demolition and disposal of the old tub or shower, vanity, toilet, flooring and wall finishes;
- new or moved plumbing and electrical lines, and who does them;
- waterproofing of the shower area;
- tile, fixtures, lighting and paint;
- the city permit and inspection, if one applies.
Cosmetic refresh or full gut remodel; phasing the work
A refresh replaces what you see, such as the vanity, toilet, lights and paint. A full remodel goes further. Ask each company to inspect the floor, the pipes and the shower and say whether a refresh would leave any problem in place. Ask whether the work can be done in phases, for example one bathroom now and a second later, and what that does to the price. If a home addition with a new bathroom is also planned, ask the permit office and the companies how it affects permits and budget before you collect bids.
Bathroom remodeling cost in Columbia, MO
The table shows national ranges from Bob Vila's bathroom remodel cost guide (page dated 2024-06-26, read 2026-10-27). The national average is $11,533, and the typical range is $6,624 to $16,922. The guide gives no Columbia figure. Use it to judge whether a bathroom remodel quote is in the right area, not as a price for your house.
| Type of bathroom remodel | National typical range |
|---|---|
| Half bath or powder room | $1,200 to $4,000 |
| Small bathroom | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| Guest bathroom | $3,500 to $10,000 |
| Full bathroom | $3,500 to $16,000 |
| Wet room | $7,500 to $19,000 |
| Jack-and-Jill bathroom | $7,000 to $22,500 |
| Primary bathroom | $15,000 to $55,000 |
| High-end bathroom | $20,000 to $100,000 |
| Typical range across all types (average $11,533) | $6,624 to $16,922 |
| Per square foot | $70 to $250 |
The same guide puts labor at 40 to 65 percent of a bathroom budget, at $50 to $75 an hour. On the $11,533 average, that is roughly $4,600 to $7,500 for labor.
What moves the price
- Size and type. A powder room and a primary suite are different jobs, as the table shows.
- Moving plumbing. Moving the plumbing, especially the main waste line, adds cost (Bob Vila). Ask for a price on the layout you want and on a layout that keeps the pipes where they are.
- Shower or tub type. The guide lists a tub component at $4,200 to $11,000 and a shower component at $200 to $15,000.
- Tile. Material runs $0.50 to $15 a square foot.
- Vanity, sink and counter. Sinks run $215 to $625 each and countertops $400 to $4,300 in total.
- Waterproofing and ventilation. Ask that the quote name both.
- Permits and inspections. Columbia charges a permit fee based on the job's value (details in the permits section).
Budget-friendly bathroom remodelers: how to spend less without cutting what matters
If cost is the limit, ask each company to price three versions: your full plan, the same plan with the plumbing left in place, and a lighter refresh that keeps the tub or shower. Ask which finish choices (tile, vanity top, mirror) could be changed later and which are hard to change once the walls are closed. If a low price leaves out waterproofing, ventilation or a permit, ask why. Our kitchen remodeling page covers the same questions if you are planning both rooms.
Shower and tub options
Our price source gives no separate price for these options, so ask each company to price yours on its own line.
| Option | What the quote must include |
|---|---|
| Tub-to-shower conversion and walk-in shower conversion | Whether the plumber must move the drain; the new drain, a shower base or tiled floor, wall waterproofing, any subfloor repair once the old tub is out; low curb or curbless entry and how the floor slopes to the drain. |
| Walk-in shower installation | A prefabricated base and wall panels or a custom tiled shower; with panels, where the joints are and how they are sealed. |
| Walk-in tub installation | Who handles each trade, electrical connection if the model needs one, floor, supply and drain changes, and the maker's warranty on the door seal. |
| Bathtub installation | Whether the new tub fits the existing space or needs new framing and plumbing. |
| Frameless glass | Glass by size and model, hardware, who measures and when. |
| Niche | Who frames it, how it is waterproofed, and when it is done relative to the tile. |
| Steam shower | Who handles plumbing and electrical connections, and which inspections apply. |
Shower replacement and shower pan replacement
For shower replacement, ask whether the size, valve or bench changes, and ask for the valve and showerhead by model. For shower pan replacement, ask what must come out to reach the pan, whether the tile above it is replaced, and how the company would find the source of a leak. If a company proposes only a surface repair, ask what shows the leak is only on the surface.
Small, guest, powder room and primary bathroom remodels
Use the cost table above for the national range of each size. What changes the job:
- Small bathroom remodel. Ask what keeping the layout does to the price.
- Guest bathroom remodeling. Ask which parts of the room the company would replace and what it recommends for the walls and floor.
- Powder room remodel. With no tub or shower, it is the lowest-cost job in the guide. Ask for the vanity, fixtures, flooring and wall finish as separate lines, and whether any plumbing or electrical line moves.
- Master bathroom remodeling and luxury bathroom remodel. The guide calls it the primary bathroom. Ask each company to price the layout in stages. At high-end budgets, ask for a written scope with allowance amounts for tile, fixtures and glass, and what happens if your choices go over an allowance.
- Custom bathroom remodel and custom bathroom design. Ask whether design is in the quote or charged separately, who prepares it, and whether you get drawings with dimensions. If you have drawings, send them to every company so all of them price the same plan.
Accessible and aging-in-place bathrooms
For an accessible bathroom remodel or an aging-in-place bathroom, plan around how a person moves in the room now and in ten years. Ask each company how it would handle these features.
- A curbless shower. Ask how the floor is sloped to the drain and how it is waterproofed.
- Blocking for grab bars. Ask whether solid backing is added behind the wall finish so a grab bar can be mounted now or later.
- Slip-resistant flooring. Ask for the product's published data on wet performance, not a salesperson's word.
- A wider door. Ask what framing change it needs and price it as a separate line.
Ask which of these can be added to an existing room and which need larger work. If someone in the household has a medical need, take the layout to an occupational therapist or your doctor before the design is final.
How to compare bathroom remodeling bids, the contract and questions to ask
Missouri's Attorney General advises a written contract that details all the work, at least two or three bids for any job, no prepaying and never paying in cash. The office also suggests checking a contractor's complaint history with it and with the Better Business Bureau (published June 17, 2025).
Make the quotes comparable
Give each bathroom remodeling contractor the same plan and ask for the same breakdown. A useful bathroom remodel quote lists:
- Demolition and disposal.
- Plumbing, electrical and ventilation work, with the trade contractor named.
- The shower or tub: base, valve, enclosure, glass and every waterproofing layer.
- Tile, with what is included (material, underlayment, grout, setting) and who is responsible if your tile is the wrong size or runs short.
- Vanity, sink, faucet, counter and toilet, by model.
- Permits and who pays the fees.
- Start date, finish date, what happens if the job runs late, and who is on site each day.
- The warranty on the shower and the workmanship, and for how long.
- A payment schedule tied to finished steps. Keep the final payment until the final inspection and walkthrough. Bathroom remodel financing is between you and the company or your own lender.
Licensing and who to ask about it
A Procore trade guide (updated June 18, 2024) says the State of Missouri does not require a state-issued contractor license; we did not confirm that on a state page. The City of Columbia Finance Department processes annual business licenses (page capture 2026-02-10), and the same guide says construction businesses are included. Ask each company for its city business license, the trade licenses of its plumber and electrician (see the trades section below), and proof of insurance.
The contract and the Notice to Owner
Under RSMo 429.012, before an original contractor on a residential job takes any payment, it must give you a written NOTICE TO OWNER in 10-point bold type. The notice warns that unpaid suppliers or workers can lead to a mechanic's lien, and that failing to get lien waivers may result in your paying for labor and material twice. Ask for lien waivers from the company and its suppliers as you pay, especially at the final payment.
If a salesperson comes to your door, or a credit sale is solicited and agreed at your home, RSMo 407.710 can give you three business days to cancel. The contract must carry a NOTICE OF CANCELLATION in 10-point boldface. The law excludes sales after negotiations at a fixed business location and has an exception when you request the work without delay in an emergency. Ask the company which rule applies to your contract.
The bathroom remodel process, step by step, and how long it takes
Steps in order: demo, rough-in plumbing and electric, inspection, waterproofing, tile, fixtures, paint
No source sets one order for Columbia. Ask each company to confirm this order: demo, rough-in plumbing and electric, inspection, waterproofing, tile, fixtures, paint. Ask it to write down its own order and where the inspections fall.
- Plan and quote. Choose the layout, the shower or tub, the finishes and the fixtures. Collect written quotes that price the same plan.
- Contract and permits. Sign a written contract. Ask who applies for each permit.
- Demo. The old fixtures and finishes come out.
- Rough-in plumbing and electric. Ask who runs the new lines and when.
- Inspection. Ask when the inspections the permit requires are booked, before the walls close.
- Waterproofing. Layers and products are covered in the waterproofing section below.
- Tile. Ask when the tile is set.
- Fixtures. Ask for the fixture list by model and when each is set.
- Paint and final walkthrough. Check the room against the contract before the last payment.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
Bob Vila's guide says a professional can likely complete a small bathroom renovation in around 2 weeks, and that a do-it-yourself job takes about 5 weeks (national figures, page dated 2024-06-26). It gives no figure for larger bathrooms or for Columbia. Ask each company what could change the schedule, such as material delivery, trade availability, inspections or hidden damage.
Can I stay in my house, and what if it is my only bathroom?
The bathroom is out of use during the work. If it is your only bathroom, ask about a temporary arrangement before you sign. Also ask how the company protects floors on the way in, handles dust and manages water shut-offs.
Permits and inspections for plumbing, electrical and structural change in Columbia
Do you need a permit for a bathroom remodel? We did not find a city page that lists which bathroom jobs need a permit. Columbia's permit fees apply to alterations, and its Building and Site Development page lists a Residential Alteration Building Permit, a Trade Permit Application and an online building fee calculator (page capture 2026-04-28), but we could not read those forms. Ask the permit office before work starts, and ask each company which permits it will pull. Raise the plumbing, the electrical and any structural change, such as a moved wall or a wider door, with the office by name.
Who pulls the permit
The city code lets building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits for alterations to one- and two-family homes be issued to the general contractor on behalf of the master trades (IRC R105.1.1 amendment). In Chapter 6 we found no separate general contractor license and no homeowner-permit rule; the permit office can confirm what applies to you. Ask the company to name who pulls each permit and to give you the permit numbers.
What the permit costs
- The building permit fee is $2.25 per $1,000 of value, with a $35.00 minimum (Sec. 6-17).
- For remodeling, alteration and repair, value is 50 percent of the new-construction value from the ICC valuation data, or the applicant's detailed estimate in extenuating circumstances.
- The plan review fee is 50 percent of the permit fee when plans are required.
- A failed inspection costs $35.00 and a failed re-inspection $75.00.
- Work started before the permit costs double the permit fees. A second offense costs three times the fee, and if a permit is not obtained within 5 days of written notice, $5.00 a day is added.
We cannot give a dollar amount for your bathroom. Use the city's fee calculator and ask each company whether permit fees are in the quote or billed on top. A permit application needs two sets of drawings to scale. One- and two-family dwellings are exempt from having them sealed by a registered design professional (Sec. 6-17, 107.1), so your project may not need an architect's stamp; confirm that with the permit office.
Inspections
Which inspections apply depends on the permits. Ask which stages are inspected before the walls close, who must be home, and who pays if one fails.
Historic districts and landmarks
Columbia has several National Register districts, including East Campus, West Broadway and Maplewood, but listing is honorific. The city's historic preservation overlay rule (Unified Development Code 29-2.3(c)) requires a certificate of appropriateness before exterior changes that affect a feature in the designating ordinance, and none for interior work unless the structure is a designated landmark. If your home is old, ask the city whether it is designated and whether an exterior change, such as a new window, would be reviewed.
Exhaust fan ventilation, electrical (GFCI, dedicated circuits) and plumbing work by licensed trades
Columbia licenses the plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades that overlap in a bathroom. The code says all electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fuel gas work must be done by trade contractors licensed by the City for that trade, or as the ordinance allows (IRC R105.1.1 amendment). One company can pull the permits for the whole bathroom, but each trade still needs its own city license.
Plumbing. No one may engage in the plumbing business in Columbia unless licensed as a master plumber, and plumbing work must be done under the supervision of a licensed master or journeyman plumber. Contracting plumbers file a surety bond of at least $10,000 and pay annual business license fees (Sec. 6-51 amendments).
Electrical. The city issues contractor (Type A), journeyman and apprentice certificates. Holders of certain types must file liability insurance of at least $100,000 per claim for bodily injury, $100,000 for property damage and $300,000 in aggregate (Sec. 6-32 amendments). Ask to see the certificate of the electrician doing your work.
Ventilation. Columbia issues its own mechanical licenses (journeyman and master) for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (Sec. 6-61). Ask the permit office which city license covers installing a bathroom exhaust fan, and ask the company who installs and vents it and where the duct ends.
Municode shows the 2018 International Residential, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code (read 2026-10-27). The city says it is reviewing the 2024 International Codes, so ask which edition applies to your permit. We found no readable source for the GFCI, dedicated circuit and exhaust fan rules, so we do not state them; ask the electrician which GFCI protection and dedicated circuits the code requires, and whether the work will be inspected.
Tile, flooring, vanities, countertops, toilets, lighting, mirrors and storage
Prices for tile, sinks and counters are in the price list above; what the tile price covers is in the quote list.
Bathroom tile installation
Ask whether you are buying a tile-and-labor package or only labor to set tile you buy yourself.
Bathroom vanity installation and bathroom cabinets replacement
Ask for the sink, faucet, counter and cabinet as separate items. Ask whether the price includes the plumbing hookups and any wall repair behind the old vanity, and whether the plumber or the carpenter sets each piece.
Toilets, lighting, mirrors, storage and water-saving fixtures
Ask where the lights will go and when that is decided, and whether a recessed mirror or medicine cabinet needs framing. If you want a taller vanity or a linen cabinet, ask how it changes the layout. We have no sourced water-use standard to quote; where a toilet or showerhead lists its water use, ask for the number from the spec sheet and compare models on it.
Waterproofing and what is behind the tile
Ask the company to name every layer in the shower in writing, from the floor up the walls, and to say what each one is for. Use this checklist.
- The pan. What is under the shower floor, and how does it slope to the drain?
- The membrane. Which waterproof layer goes across the floor and up the walls, and where does it stop?
- The backer board. Which board holds the tile on the shower walls, and why that one?
- Moisture-resistant drywall. Which panels go where outside the direct spray?
- Grout and sealant. Which grout and sealant are used at corners and around the valve, and how often should they be resealed?
Columbia's climate is humid continental, with 41.43 inches of precipitation a year (Wikipedia, climate section). That is a climate fact, not a bathroom rule, but it is one more reason to ask about ventilation and waterproofing.
Does a bathroom remodel raise home value?
We found no Cost vs Value recoup figure from a source we can cite, and no Columbia resale figure, so we state no number. Ask a local real estate agent or an appraiser what bathroom updates are worth in your neighborhood.
Bathroom remodeling in Columbia: common questions
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Columbia, MO?
Nationally, $6,624 to $16,922, with an average of $11,533 (Bob Vila, page dated 2024-06-26). We hold no sourced Columbia price, so get written quotes for the same plan.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
Bob Vila says a professional can likely complete a small bathroom renovation in around 2 weeks (national figure, page dated 2024-06-26). Ask each company what could change the schedule, such as material delivery, trade availability, inspections or hidden damage, and get start and finish dates in writing.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Columbia?
Ask the city permit office; we found no list of which bathroom jobs need one. The fee is $2.25 per $1,000 of value (remodels use 50 percent of the new-construction value), and work started without a permit costs double.
Does Missouri license general contractors?
A trade guide says Missouri has no state contractor license. Columbia licenses businesses, and it generally requires city-licensed plumbers, electricians and mechanical contractors for their trades. Ask for the city business license and the trade licenses.
What does a tub-to-shower conversion involve?
Ask whether the quote includes the new drain, a shower base or tiled floor, wall waterproofing and subfloor repairs, and who does each trade.
Can I make a bathroom accessible without a full rebuild?
Ask each company which features, such as grab bars, a handheld shower, a higher toilet or slip-resistant flooring, it can add to your existing room, and which, such as a curbless shower or a wider door, need larger work. Get the answer priced in writing.
What if the company finds rot, old plumbing or lead paint?
Agree in the contract how extra work is priced and require your written approval before it starts. In a pre-1978 home, ask for the firm's EPA lead-safe certification.
What should I check before I sign?
A written contract with the full scope, a payment schedule tied to finished steps, the Notice to Owner under RSMo 429.012, lien waivers, and the names and city licenses of the plumber and electrician. No prepayment and no cash.
Get matched with a local bathroom remodeling company
Send the quote form on this page. We call you back within one business day and connect you with a local bathroom remodeling company, which does the work. Columbia General Contractor is a referral service and the company is independent. Compare it against at least one other bid, as the Attorney General advises. For a bigger project, read about a general contractor who manages several trades, or use the contact page.
Sources
- Bob Vila, Bathroom remodel cost (page dated 2024-06-26, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6 (Municode) (retrieved 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia Unified Development Code, Chapter 29 (Municode) (retrieved 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia, Building Code Adoption Project (capture 2025-12-16)
- City of Columbia, Building and Site Development (capture 2026-04-28)
- City of Columbia, Business Licenses (capture 2026-02-10)
- RSMo 429.012 and RSMo 407.710 (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
- Missouri Attorney General, scams to avoid after disasters (June 17, 2025)
- Procore, Missouri contractor license guide (updated June 18, 2024)
- Wikipedia, Columbia, Missouri (climate, retrieved 2026-10-27)
- US EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (page updated June 17, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-27)