13K Bathroom Remodel - Help!

Washington, DC · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 35 votes

Hi all!

I just walked through my first flip property (yay!) with my GC this morning. He is quoting me 13k on a small master bath. I think it's too much but would love to hear from some of you. If I pay 13k for this bathroom, I will be way over budget and will walk away with very little profit...

Here are the pics:

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Gary L Wallman

Rental Property Investor · Beavercreek OH · Member since 2018 · 422 posts · 970 votes

@Tomiko Graves

Tomiko, 13k seems off the chart to me. My expectations/experience:

New Vanity & Mirror Combo $250 at Home Depot

Vanity Light $85 at Lowes

New Toilet $150 at Lowes

LVP Flooring 100 sq. feet (tops) at 2.20 sq ft. = $220 at Menards

Tub $275 at Lowes

Tub surround $220 at Lowes

or Tub Porcelain tile surround 60 sq feet at 2.00 = $120 + mastic and grout $100 at Lowes

Faucets, towel racks, and such $300 at Lowes

So about $1500 in materials.

I'd normally pay about $300 for demo. $200 to lay the flooring, $1000 to set the vanity and vinyl tub with surround and $200 to hang light, mirror and towel racks. So $1700 for labor. Add about $400 more for the tile installation if your home requires that upgrade. Of course, then you'd save $220 on the unneeded surround.

All in for around $3700. You could easily escalate the price with nicer finishes and fancy showers. That seems unnecessary to me in your ARV range.

Keep in mind I live in the Midwest and prices here are pretty reasonable. Still $4k is way different then $13K. We do beautiful kitchens here for less then that outlandish price.

Good luck on your first flip!

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Justin A.
Rental Property Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 39 posts · 26 votes
7y
Be sure to get a breakdown of all the GC is doing to the bathroom in detail to find out why the quote is so high. Often times if you tell them just to give you a quote without rehab breakdown they overcharge to make their profit
2 Reply
Ronald Starusnak
Property Manager · Syracuse, NY · Member since 2016 · 601 posts · 384 votes
7y
You get what you pay for. Make sure the scope is clear. I did a remodel for a friend recently. I quoted $40k to do the whole house, new kitchen cabinets, floor, trim repair, paint, 25 new windows, new bathroom flooring, etc. $40k is on our lower end and he wasn't happy with some things throughout. $13k in my opinion would constitute tiles, bath tub with surround, new vanity, mirrors, new toilet, paint, trim, and light fixture.
I try to give bracketed prices, we've done bathroom remodels over $40k and we've done them for $8k for the same sq/ft. Let him know your end goal and your desires. Skilled trades are hard to come by. Don't try to see how much their profit is, maybe you can get a line by line total to see what's costing you the most and see if you can get that price down but the best bet would be to just let them know you have $7,500 or w/e your number is and ask them what kind of finish that could get you. It might not get you anything, most skilled guys are very busy. You have to know what you're expecting and work with your contractor on the pricing.
17 Reply
Jason D.
Rental Property Investor · St. Petersburg, FL · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves what's the expected sales price?
I've spent $900 and I've spent $12,000 on a bathroom remodel.
2 Reply
Tomiko Graves
OP
Washington, DC · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 35 votes
7y
@Jason D. 110K
2 Reply
Tomiko Graves
OP
Washington, DC · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 35 votes
7y
Thanks @Ronald Starusnak!
0 Reply
Tomiko Graves
OP
Washington, DC · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 35 votes
7y
Thanks @Justin A.!
0 Reply
Jason D.
Rental Property Investor · St. Petersburg, FL · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves insanely too high for that price point.... a bathroom shouldnt be 10% of the value of the property.
Refinish the tile and tub
Replace the vanity
New light
You should be able to make thabathroon look great for less than $4k
39 Reply
Gary L Wallman
Rental Property Investor · Beavercreek OH · Member since 2018 · 422 posts · 970 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves
Tomiko, 13k seems off the chart to me. My expectations/experience:
New Vanity & Mirror Combo $250 at Home Depot
Vanity Light $85 at Lowes
New Toilet $150 at Lowes
LVP Flooring 100 sq. feet (tops) at 2.20 sq ft. = $220 at Menards
Tub $275 at Lowes
Tub surround $220 at Lowes
or Tub Porcelain tile surround 60 sq feet at 2.00 = $120 + mastic and grout $100 at Lowes
Faucets, towel racks, and such $300 at Lowes
So about $1500 in materials.
I'd normally pay about $300 for demo. $200 to lay the flooring, $1000 to set the vanity and vinyl tub with surround and $200 to hang light, mirror and towel racks. So $1700 for labor. Add about $400 more for the tile installation if your home requires that upgrade. Of course, then you'd save $220 on the unneeded surround.
All in for around $3700. You could easily escalate the price with nicer finishes and fancy showers. That seems unnecessary to me in your ARV range.
Keep in mind I live in the Midwest and prices here are pretty reasonable. Still $4k is way different then $13K. We do beautiful kitchens here for less then that outlandish price.
Good luck on your first flip!
44 Reply
Tomiko Graves
OP
Washington, DC · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 35 votes
7y
@Jason D. thanks!!
0 Reply
Tomiko Graves
OP
Washington, DC · Member since 2018 · 65 posts · 35 votes
7y
@Gary L Wallman thanks so much for that breakdown!
1 Reply
Don Gouge
Johnson City, TN · Member since 2017 · 209 posts · 367 votes
7y
I don't know your area but 110k is pretty low in about any are of the country. It's hard to tell from the pics but the tub and the soap dishes seem to be some shade of green. I would have the tub resurfaced with a color change. That costs me about $250 in my area. Replace the soap dishes with white ones. Install a new vanity and top, faucet and mirror. Consider changing tub faucet if that is in bad shape and paint the walls. Maybe $3000 maximum. You can't spend more than that at this price point and make a decent profit.
3 Reply
Brit Hale
Real Estate Agent · Joplin, MO · Member since 2018 · 112 posts · 96 votes
7y
@Gary L Wallman spot on. Nice breakdown of the numbers as well.
1 Reply
Brit Hale
Real Estate Agent · Joplin, MO · Member since 2018 · 112 posts · 96 votes
7y
@Sarah Doogle if a person re-glazed the tub and tile and updated paint, vanity, fixtures, and flooring without gutting the bathroom to the studs, $3,700 would be a price to have the work done by a contractor (at least here in SWMO). Most any handyman can R&R tub fixtures, toilet, and a sink. Even so, you should be able to hire a plumber for those items if you prefer and stay within budget.
3 Reply
Tanner Marsey
Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2017 · 439 posts · 578 votes
7y
13k on a flip for a bathroom that appears to be in working order..... on a 110k arv....not a chance. I’d spend a few thousand paying people to do what you can’t. The rest can be done pretty cheap and easily.
7 Reply
Antonio Martinez
Flipper/Rehabber · Whittier, CA · Member since 2019 · 28 posts · 10 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves I am a lic GC in souther cali. Yes a restroom can be that much but if you just want to make it look decent you can replace the trims of the shower faucet. Reglazed the tub. Paint the restroom. Replace the light fixture. If the floor tile is in good shape you can tile over it. Primer and a good thinset will do. There is always a way.
6 Reply
Brad L.
Rental Property Investor · Manitowoc, WI · Member since 2016 · 178 posts · 186 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves unless high-end finishes are a must in your market I would just reglaze the tile and tub, will cost you pennies compared to that $13,00 quote
1 Reply
Gary L Wallman
Rental Property Investor · Beavercreek OH · Member since 2018 · 422 posts · 970 votes
7y
Originally posted by @Account Closed:

You people quoting $3,700. Is that a DIY price? Tub n surround $495.... at that price does Lowes deliver or is that extra, does the tub go in by itself? Does a plumber need to be involved?
Sarah,
Definitely not DYI price. Not freakishly high marked up GC price either.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/American-Standard-Saver-6...
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sterling-Ensemble-Medley-...
Lowes does deliver. They charge me 20 bucks. Plus using a Lowes contractor credit card I save 5%.
1 Reply
Marian Smith
Real Estate Investor · Williamson County, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 961 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves have you even walked into Lowes or Home adepot and priced what you want? Materials? lowes sells a vikrel shower receptor by sterling for $200ish , very cute subway tile looking surround no idea on price, frameless shower door $500?, delta shower valve kit with valve and trim for as low as $100. 30” vanity with sink $100-400 or more, faucet $100, lowes brand toilet is highly rated on terry love $110 but toto is $225. Get a bid from Home Depot to install lifeproof solid core vinyl floor in whatever square foot your bath is, material is $3 foot. So now youre at labor. Plumber would cost at most $1200 for me, if bath is demoed. Valve, set shower pan and replave supply valves for sink. Have him come back and set toilet and install vanity would take no time so price of service call. So now you need prices on demo and shower walls. And mirror. Anyone can change out a light fixture. Google it. And paint. Materials $30 paint, but whoever paints the rest of the house will paint the bath. It is hard to make money on a flip paying retail for rehab. I imagine most contractors charge you what they’d charge anyone else or even more if they know youre flipping because they assume youve got deep pockets. Get a couple other bids and give them a list of the materials and their prices so their bids are apples to apples.
5 Reply
David RobertsonBusiness Member
Flipper/Rehabber · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2010 · 755 posts · 778 votes
7y
I agree with everything Gary said. He gave you a very nice breakdown of all of the material costs which total $1,500ish, plus labor of around $2k for a total of $3,500 to $4k.
As long as there is no major reconfiguration to the plumbing locations, I wouldn't expect to pay anymore than $4k especially on a property with an ARV of $110k.
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5 Reply
Ronald Starusnak
Property Manager · Syracuse, NY · Member since 2016 · 601 posts · 384 votes
7y
No licensed contractor is going to remodel a bathroom for $2,000.. they have labor to pay, workers comp, taxes. You're talking a weeks worth of work. My labor is more than $2,000 a week on 2-3 man crew. If someone told me they'd give me a new bathroom for $2,000 in labor, I'd run the other direction as fast as possible. Code in just about every jurisdiction requires a licensed GC or plumber to set your surround, toilets, and vanity. My rundown on your situation here is that you should be doing the work yourself if possible to keep your budget within reach.
You're going to end up with poor workmanship and it's going to cost you more in the end. There's a difference between how much something is and what something costs. I do flips where the end goal is $120k but we're also getting these properties under $20k all in. Your main selling points will be the kitchen and the bathroom, don't skimp there. Badly cut trim, bad paint, etc will not be as noticeable but those two areas will sell a house by themselves. Don't get yourself into the habit of hiring beer money contractors, it will burn you in the end.
You don't need the most expensive guy but just get someone reputable and someone that is charging enough to be proud of their work and charging enough to make a living at the very least.
9 Reply
Chris Howells
Williamstown, NJ · Member since 2015 · 6 posts · 7 votes
7y
It looks like lathe and plaster which means the walls are most likely a thick mud wall with plaster embedded with wire which is a bear to remove, hopefully that quote is for a full gut and replace, but I would just update the floor, have the wall tile painted, tub glazed, new shower fixture, vanity and accessories like towel bar, shower curtain.
2 Reply
Amy H.
Rental Property Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2017 · 295 posts · 229 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves if you can DIY; I would for that price point of a house. The bathroom of my rental looked identical with the layout and tiling late last year. I rehabbed it myself for under $1,500.
3 Reply
Gary L Wallman
Rental Property Investor · Beavercreek OH · Member since 2018 · 422 posts · 970 votes
7y
Originally posted by @Ronald Starusnak:

No licensed contractor is going to remodel a bathroom for $2,000.. they have labor to pay, workers comp, taxes. You're talking a weeks worth of work. My labor is more than $2,000 a week on 2-3 man crew. If someone told me they'd give me a new bathroom for $2,000 in labor, I'd run the other direction as fast as possible. Code in just about every jurisdiction requires a licensed GC or plumber to set your surround, toilets, and vanity. My rundown on your situation here is that you should be doing the work yourself if possible to keep your budget within reach.
You're going to end up with poor workmanship and it's going to cost you more in the end. There's a difference between how much something is and what something costs. I do flips where the end goal is $120k but we're also getting these properties under $20k all in. Your main selling points will be the kitchen and the bathroom, don't skimp there. Badly cut trim, bad paint, etc will not be as noticeable but those two areas will sell a house by themselves. Don't get yourself into the habit of hiring beer money contractors, it will burn you in the end.
You don't need the most expensive guy but just get someone reputable and someone that is charging enough to be proud of their work and charging enough to make a living at the very least.
Ron,
With all due respect if it took 2 to 3 of your guys a week to redo that small bathroom, I'd never be able to use you on one of my flips.
14 Reply
Walid Ajmal
San Diego, CA · Member since 2016 · 42 posts · 12 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves is your GC giving you a quote based on labor only or with material? Regardless, I am not sure in what region your property is located but I usually do not pay more than 5K max on labor/material for a bathroom remodel for my flips.
2 Reply
Walid Ajmal
San Diego, CA · Member since 2016 · 42 posts · 12 votes
7y
@Tomiko Graves very high quote for that price point. Toilet is $95 at Homesepot, you can find a vanity for $200, tub for $500 max for this price point, tile for floor and around tub $1200-1400, misc. $500. Hope this helps you get an idea
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