Bathroom remodel cost in Fort Smith, AR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $3,900 – $19,400
- Per sq ft
- $83 – $415
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −17%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #299
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a bathroom remodel in the Fort Smith area: $3,900 to $19,400 for 45 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 17% lower than the US figure. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $23.24 an hour in the Fort Smith area, 24% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Fort Smith, AR, standard level
$8,550 to $14,700
About $183 to $315 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $4,050 | $7,000 |
| Permits and fees | $330 | $530 |
| Total | $8,550 | $14,700 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Fort Smith, AR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $5,700 | $9,500 | 49% |
| Labor | $1,850 | $5,500 | $9,200 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $430 | $690 | 4% |
| Total | $3,900 | $11,600 | $19,400 | 100% |
Where the Fort Smith price comes from
Labor is 47% of the midpoint bill here, against 53% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (25%), tile and stone setters (25%), carpenters (20%), electricians (10%), drywall and ceiling tile installers (10%), painters, construction and maintenance (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Fort Smith the blended ratio comes out at 0.74.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Fort Smith is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,100 nationally becomes $5,700 here (midpoint, 45 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 85.9: $170 to $690.
Data note: 35% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Fort Smith. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: bathroom remodel pricing in Fort Smith
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Fort Smith. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from half bath (20 sq ft) to primary bath (100 sq ft).
Basic
$3,900 to $10,100
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$8,550 to $14,700
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$13,200 to $19,400
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $1,850 – $4,700 | $4,000 – $6,850 | $6,100 – $9,000 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $3,500 – $9,000 | $7,650 – $13,100 | $11,800 – $17,300 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $5,150 – $13,300 | $11,300 – $19,500 | $17,400 – $25,600 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $8,450 – $22,000 | $18,600 – $32,100 | $28,700 – $42,200 |
Bathroom remodel: what moves the price in Fort Smith
Tile
New tile costs $10-$50 per square foot installed, and regrouting runs $7-$28 per square foot.
Moving plumbing
Keeping the toilet, tub and vanity in place keeps plumbing costs down. Moving them does not.
Contractor fee
A general contractor charges $50-$150 an hour or 10-20% of the project cost.
Who does the work: Fort Smith trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 6 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Fort Smith the blend is 0.74.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 25% of the weighting: a median of $23.24 an hour, 24% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $18.23 and $28.84 an hour. About 250 work in the metro. That is 26.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 25% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Fort Smith metro, so we used the Arkansas statewide median: $18.74 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.62 and $21.63 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 20% of the weighting: a median of $20.39 an hour, 30% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $17.84 and $23.62 an hour. About 240 work in the metro. That is 25.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $25.24 an hour, which is 17% below the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $19.09 and $31.02 an hour. BLS counts 370 of them working in the area, 38.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Fort Smith metro, so we used the Arkansas statewide median: $21.42 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.82 and $22.65 an hour.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 10% of the weighting: a median of $18.98 an hour, 20% below the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $17.01 and $21.63 an hour. About 50 work in the metro. That is 5.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $340 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $300. That is a swing of roughly 2.6% to 2.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Fort Smith has 95,560 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 210th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $18.23 | $23.24 | $28.84 | $30.67 | 0.76 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $17.62 | $18.74 | $21.63 | $26.77 | 0.70 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $17.84 | $20.39 | $23.62 | $29.12 | 0.70 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $19.09 | $25.24 | $31.02 | $30.38 | 0.83 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $17.82 | $21.42 | $22.65 | $28.33 | 0.76 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $17.01 | $18.98 | $21.63 | $23.75 | 0.80 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.74 | |||||
How Fort Smith compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Fort Smith. Little Rock comes closest at about $11,800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, ARthis page | $3,900 – $19,400 | $11,600 | |
| Fayetteville, AR50 miles | $4,000 – $19,800 | $11,900 | +2% |
| Tulsa, OK110 miles | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | +7% |
| Joplin, MO115 miles | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | +16% |
| Little Rock, AR125 miles | $3,950 – $19,600 | $11,800 | +1% |
| Texarkana, TX135 miles | $4,050 – $20,200 | $12,100 | +4% |
| Arkansas (statewide) | $3,950 – $19,500 | $11,700 | +1% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | +20% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Fort Smith ranks #299 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Fort Smith is 1% below the Arkansas figure.
Elsewhere in Arkansas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $3,950 – $19,600 | $11,800 | +1% |
| Fayetteville, AR | 275,180 jobs | $4,000 – $19,800 | $11,900 | +2% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $3,900 – $19,300 | $11,600 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Fort Smith against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $4,250 – $21,000 | $12,600 | +9% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $4,150 – $20,600 | $12,400 | +6% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $5,100 – $25,200 | $15,100 | +30% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $5,250 – $26,000 | $15,600 | +34% |
Planning more than one job in Fort Smith?
Jobs that often go together with bathroom remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Fort Smith wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−11%) and shower pan lowest (−19%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $710 – $2,300 | −19% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,500 – $28,100 | −11% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,650 – $11,400 | −18% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $3,950 – $13,400 | −11% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $250 – $1,250 | −16% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $8,550 to $14,700 for Fort Smith, AR is attached.
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Bathroom remodel in Fort Smith: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Fort Smith?
For 45 sq ft, expect $3,900 to $19,400 in the Fort Smith area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,550 to $14,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Fort Smith?
About $83 to $415 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $170 to $690 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Fort Smith or Fayetteville?
Fayetteville is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $11,900, which is 2% more than Fort Smith ($11,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Fort Smith?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $5,500 out of $11,600. Materials are 49% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Fort Smith?
$5,150 to $25,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Fort Smith?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $170 to $690 for fees in the Fort Smith area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Fort Smith expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Arkansas?
Fort Smith is 1% below the Arkansas statewide estimate ($11,700 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Arkansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Fort Smith?
The BLS median is $23.24 an hour in the Fort Smith area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.23 to $28.84.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Fort Smith?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $3,900 to $10,100 and premium work $13,200 to $19,400. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Fort Smith
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = 45% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range split for bathroom projects (50% labor, 45% materials, 5% permits and design). Their sample is their own guides, not a survey of contractors, so treat the split as approximate.