5 Factors in the Cost of a Luxury Bathroom Renovation in NYC

Table of contents

• Is Your Home Private, Or An Apartment Or A Condo?
• If In A Building, What Are The Board Requirements?
• Are You Replacing Or Reconfiguring Specific Features?
• What Are The Bathroom’s Conditions?
• What Finishes And Fixtures Will Be Installed?

Ever wonder what the cost of a luxury bathroom renovation in NYC consists of? That’s one of the more common questions we hear during initial phone consultations. A deceptively simple question with no simple answer.

You can find useful sources that aggregate data and project national, regional, and local average remodeling costs, such as a cost versus value report. But none of these sources will take into account your project’s specific circumstances, so they’re often misleading.

Before a contractor can provide an accurate estimate for your bathroom remodel, they must know a few specific things about your project. The following five factors will always affect the cost of renovating or remodeling your bathroom, especially in New York City, and can’t be included in an average estimate:

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[#Private]Is your home private, or an apartment or a condo?[#Private]

Remodeling a bathroom in a New York City apartment or condo building will almost always cost more than the same project in a private home. That’s mainly due to two factors: time constraints and requirements imposed by condo and co-op boards. For example, most residential buildings in NYC impose curfews for when a project must begin and end each day. Having to stop at 3:30 p.m. each day extends the project duration and, therefore, increases cost. Factor in the price of parking and tickets, and you can expect to pay significantly more than you would if you lived in a private home.

[#Building]If in a building, what are the board requirements?[#Building]

When renovating in NYC, there will inevitably be red tape involved in your renovation project, whether you live in a brownstone in Brooklyn or loft in Manhattan. This includes reviewing and satisfying your board’s alteration agreement, filing all relevant architectural plans with the Department of Buildings, and procurement of all necessary permits.

If the home or apartment is located on a landmarked street, then the Landmark Preservation Commission is an additional layer that must be navigated. If exterior renovation work is required on your landmarked home, LPC approval is needed for that as well. If exterior work is not required on your landmarked home, a “Letter of no effect” from the LPC will still be required in order to proceed. While all those finer points may seem cumbersome, a design-build firm like Gallery handles each of those complicated requirements with ease and expertise.

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[#Are]Are you replacing or reconfiguring specific features?[#Are]

Though seemingly obvious, the difference between replacing and reconfiguring bathroom features is often overlooked. Reconfiguration or expansion brings several additional challenges, such as architectural fees and additional plumbing costs for changing the bathroom’s footprint. Simply converting a tub into a walk-in shower requires a lead pan, waterproofing, and carpentry just for the frame. Depending on the level of reconfiguration or amount of space added, you should budget for an additional $5,000 to $20,000 on top of what a direct replacement would cost.

[#What]What are the bathroom’s conditions?[#What]

Whether or not you plan on reconfiguring your bathroom layout, the condition of the site will also play a large role in your project’s cost. Many residential buildings in NYC are pre-war buildings, which means they’re made of plaster. If you decide to re-plaster the bathroom, expect to pay a few thousand dollars more, compared with a waterproof cement board and moisture-proof sheetrock. If you choose sheetrock, framing will be required, which takes away from the usable space in the bathroom. Because space is at a premium in New York City, you might not be willing to reduce and would rather pay extra for re-plastering. Other considerations include whether the walls are plumb, the bathroom is up-to-code with ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets, and so on.

[#Fixtures]What finishes and fixtures Will Be installed?[#Fixtures]

Lastly, the greatest factor in your NYC bathroom renovation cost will be the fixtures and finishes you choose to install. If the high-end toilet you’ve been eyeing is $12,000, then you can forget about keeping the project under $50,000. This might not be a common selection — though we’ve certainly had customers request such items — but there are other, more common ones to consider. Tile can range from $8 to $80 per square foot. Panels, doors, shower curtains, fixtures, and more all have dramatically different price ranges depending on the material and finish.

To narrow the project scope and reduce costs, consider utilizing a full-service design-build firm. Our firm has relationships with several established vendors, which helps you eliminate the unnecessary expense of an independent designer and the risk of overspending, especially on fixtures and finishes.

Ultimately, too many customizable, personal factors exist to warrant a generalized bathroom renovation cost breakdown. All in all, most NYC bathroom renovations range between $30,000 and $75,000. Although larger 4 or 5 piece bathrooms or and upper end to luxury finishes will typically start at $80,000 and can range up to $200,000. While that’s certainly a wide range, the five factors above will determine where your remodel will fall on the scale. For more information, read The Costs Of A Full Apartment Renovation In NYC from our NYC Buyer's Renovation Guide.‍

Bathroom Renovation In NYC Plus Much more

Want to discuss your bathroom remodeling ideas with an experienced professional equipped to handle all challenges associated with bathroom renovation in New York City? We are an award-winning design-build firm in New York City with a full-service approach that includes everything from interior design and architectural services to facilitating building management and board approval, to construction and construction management. We’re experts in renovating pre-war spaces, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, millwork, and all that falls in between.

View our portfolio of renovation before and afters, learn more about Gallery, or simply contact us today to set-up your initial consultation and see why our New York City apartment renovation and remodeling services are the most mindful choice when considering a residential renovation in Manhattan or Brooklyn.