Bathroom remodel cost in El Centro, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $5,100 – $25,300
- Per sq ft
- $109 – $545
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +8%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #39
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to remodel a bathroom in El Centro, plan on $5,100 to $25,300 for 45 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $109 to $545 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% higher than the national one. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $30.00 an hour in the El Centro area, 2% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in El Centro, CA, standard level
$11,100 to $19,200
About $240 to $414 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,700 | $8,100 |
| Labor | $6,100 | $10,500 |
| Permits and fees | $360 | $590 |
| Total | $11,100 | $19,200 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in El Centro, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,150 | $6,400 | $10,600 | 42% |
| Labor | $2,750 | $8,300 | $13,900 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $480 | $760 | 3% |
| Total | $5,100 | $15,200 | $25,300 | 100% |
What is behind the El Centro number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 6 trades: plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters at 25%, tile and stone setters at 25%, carpenters at 20%, electricians at 10%, drywall and ceiling tile installers at 10%, painters, construction and maintenance at 10%. Weighted together, El Centro wages are 1.12 times the national level. Labor makes up about 55% of the midpoint estimate (53% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the El Centro metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 45 sq ft comes to $6,400, compared with $6,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (95.2) and land at $190 to $760.
Data note: 25% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in El Centro. The wage table below marks each row.
Bathroom remodel: what moves the price in El Centro
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.
Permit
A bathroom remodel permit is $200-$800, more if you move walls (HomeGuide).
What nearby projects cost in El Centro
Because every project leans on different trades, El Centro's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen cabinets runs +11% and shower pan +2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $950 – $2,850 | +2% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $19,900 – $33,700 | +7% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,600 – $15,700 | +11% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,900 – $16,100 | +8% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $320 – $1,600 | +6% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: bathroom remodel pricing in El Centro
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for El Centro wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$5,100 to $13,200
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$11,100 to $19,200
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$17,200 to $25,300
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,350 – $6,100 | $5,150 – $8,850 | $7,950 – $11,700 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $4,550 – $11,700 | $9,950 – $17,200 | $15,400 – $22,600 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $6,750 – $17,400 | $14,700 – $25,400 | $22,800 – $33,400 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $11,100 – $28,700 | $24,300 – $42,000 | $37,600 – $55,200 |
El Centro labor market for bathroom remodel
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 6 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for El Centro is 1.12 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 25%) the local median is $30.00 an hour, which is in line with the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.78 and $37.28 an hour. BLS counts 150 of them working in the area, 22.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 25% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the El Centro metro, so we used the California statewide median: $28.31 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.86 and $35.61 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 20%) the local median is $35.74 an hour, which is 23% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.37 and $39.04 an hour. BLS counts 140 of them working in the area, 21.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Electricians (47-2111), 10% of the weighting: a median of $35.80 an hour, 18% above the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $26.36 and $46.02 an hour. About 160 work in the metro. That is 24.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081), 10% of the weighting: a median of $37.51 an hour, 32% above the US median of $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $23.01 and $37.89 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 13.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 5.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141, weighted 10%) the local median is $27.52 an hour, which is 16% above the national $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $21.17 and $35.17 an hour. BLS counts 50 of them working in the area, 7.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 14.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($37.28 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $440. At the 25th percentile ($24.78) it shrinks by about $320. The total moves by 2.9% or 2.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 65,430 jobs in the El Centro area. That makes it the 275th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $24.78 | $30.00 | $37.28 | $30.67 | 0.98 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $22.86 | $28.31 | $35.61 | $26.77 | 1.06 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $25.37 | $35.74 | $39.04 | $29.12 | 1.23 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $26.36 | $35.80 | $46.02 | $30.38 | 1.18 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $23.01 | $37.51 | $37.89 | $28.33 | 1.32 | metro |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $21.17 | $27.52 | $35.17 | $23.75 | 1.16 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
Is El Centro cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 45 sq ft range from $12,900 to $15,700 across El Centro and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CAthis page | $5,100 – $25,300 | $15,200 | |
| San Diego, CA80 miles | $5,250 – $26,100 | $15,700 | +3% |
| Yuma, AZ85 miles | $4,350 – $21,500 | $12,900 | −15% |
| Riverside, CA115 miles | $4,850 – $24,100 | $14,500 | −5% |
| Los Angeles, CA180 miles | $5,200 – $25,700 | $15,500 | +2% |
| Phoenix, AZ190 miles | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | −11% |
| California (statewide) | $5,200 – $25,900 | $15,600 | +2% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −8% |
Across 300 US metros, El Centro comes in at #39 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $18,400; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $11,600 (midpoints, 45 sq ft). Statewide, El Centro is 2% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $5,200 – $25,700 | $15,500 | +2% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $5,650 – $28,000 | $16,900 | +11% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $4,850 – $24,100 | $14,500 | −5% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $5,250 – $26,100 | $15,700 | +3% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $5,750 – $28,500 | $17,100 | +13% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $5,050 – $25,100 | $15,100 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like El Centro's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is El Centro against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | 65,460 jobs | $4,250 – $21,100 | $12,700 | −17% |
| Dalton, GA | 65,300 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | −18% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $5,250 – $26,000 | $15,600 | +3% |
| Terre Haute, IN | 65,120 jobs | $4,750 – $23,500 | $14,100 | −7% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Bathroom remodel in El Centro: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in El Centro?
For 45 sq ft, expect $5,100 to $25,300 in the El Centro area. A standard-spec job lands at $11,100 to $19,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in El Centro?
About $109 to $545 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $190 to $760 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in El Centro or San Diego?
San Diego is 80 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $15,700, which is 3% more than El Centro ($15,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in El Centro?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $8,300 out of $15,200. Materials are 42% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in El Centro?
$6,750 to $33,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in El Centro?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $190 to $760 for fees in the El Centro area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is El Centro expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of California?
El Centro is 2% below the California statewide estimate ($15,600 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in El Centro?
The BLS median is $30.00 an hour in the El Centro area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.78 to $37.28.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in El Centro?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $5,100 to $13,200 and premium work $17,200 to $25,300. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near El Centro
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.