Bathroom remodel cost in the District of Columbia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (45 sq ft)
- $5,350 – $26,500
- Per sq ft
- $114 – $568
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +14%
- US $14,000
- Metros covered
- 1
District of Columbia prices for bathroom remodel: $5,350 to $26,500 for 45 sq ft, or $114 to $568 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 14% above the national one. Local wages for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters are $48.57 an hour.
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in District of Columbia (statewide), standard level
$11,700 to $20,100
About $250 to $432 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,750 | $8,200 |
| Labor | $6,500 | $11,200 |
| Permits and fees | $420 | $680 |
| Total | $11,700 | $20,100 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in District of Columbia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,150 | $6,450 | $10,800 | 41% |
| Labor | $2,950 | $8,850 | $14,800 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $220 | $550 | $880 | 3% |
| Total | $5,350 | $15,900 | $26,500 | 100% |
Basic, standard or premium: District of Columbia prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from half bath (20 sq ft) to primary bath (100 sq ft).
Basic
$5,350 to $13,800
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$11,700 to $20,100
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$18,000 to $26,500
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,500 – $6,400 | $5,400 – $9,300 | $8,350 – $12,200 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $4,750 – $12,300 | $10,400 – $18,000 | $16,100 – $23,600 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $7,050 – $18,200 | $15,400 – $26,600 | $23,800 – $35,000 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $11,600 – $30,000 | $25,400 – $43,900 | $39,300 – $57,700 |
District of Columbia metro-by-metro prices
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (45 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $4,900 – $24,200 | $14,500 | −9% |
What plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters and the other trades earn in the District of Columbia
District of Columbia's labor line is priced from 6 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.20 times the national level.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 25% of the weighting: a median of $48.57 an hour, 58% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $35.88 and $55.00 an hour. About 1,010 work in the state. That is 14.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 25% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for District of Columbia, so we used the national median: $26.77 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $33.76 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 20% of the weighting: a median of $29.67 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.48 and $36.18 an hour. About 1,540 work in the state. That is 21.9 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 $37.97 an hour, which is 25% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $29.44 and $58.68 an hour. BLS counts 2,440 of them working in the state, 34.8 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 District of Columbia, so we used the national median: $28.33 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.81 and $35.69 an hour.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.61 an hour, 20% above the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $22.77 and $33.36 an hour. About 500 work in the state. That is 7.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters ($55.00 an hour) would add about $390 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($35.88) would take off about $770. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 701,920 jobs across the District of Columbia (May 2025), which is 0.5% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $35.88 | $48.57 | $55.00 | $30.67 | 1.58 | state |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $21.73 | $26.77 | $33.76 | $26.77 | 1.00 | US |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $27.48 | $29.67 | $36.18 | $29.12 | 1.02 | state |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $29.44 | $37.97 | $58.68 | $30.38 | 1.25 | state |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $28.33 | 1.00 | US |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $22.77 | $28.61 | $33.36 | $23.75 | 1.20 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.20 | |||||
Why two District of Columbia quotes can differ
Size
HomeGuide's average-size bathroom comes to $3,500-$25,000+; per square foot it's $100-$500.
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.
Permit
A bathroom remodel permit is $200-$800, more if you move walls (HomeGuide).
District of Columbia versus the states around it
District of Columbia ranks 7 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for bathroom remodel, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $17,800 and the cheapest Arkansas at $11,700, both for 45 sq ft at the midpoint. District of Columbia sits at $15,900. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 50 miles away | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −12% |
| Virginia | 110 miles away | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | −15% |
| Pennsylvania | 110 miles away | $4,900 – $24,400 | $14,700 | −8% |
| Delaware | 110 miles away | $4,650 – $23,000 | $13,800 | −13% |
| New Jersey | 160 miles away | $5,300 – $26,200 | $15,700 | −1% |
If you are planning more than one job in the District of Columbia
Each project weights the trades differently, so District of Columbia's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, shower pan is +20% and kitchen backsplash +4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,150 – $3,300 | +20% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,000 – $34,100 | +8% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,600 – $15,200 | +8% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,050 – $16,500 | +11% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $310 – $1,550 | +4% |
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Bathroom remodel in the District of Columbia: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in the District of Columbia?
$5,350 to $26,500 for 45 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside the District of Columbia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in the District of Columbia is cheapest for bathroom remodel?
Washington at about $14,500 (midpoint, 45 sq ft).
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in the District of Columbia than the US average?
It is 14% more expensive: $15,900 against $14,000 for 45 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in the District of Columbia?
About 56% ($8,850). Materials are 41%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.20x the national wage level.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in the District of Columbia?
The BLS statewide median is $48.57 an hour, against $30.67 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $35.88 to $55.00.
+Where does District of Columbia rank for bathroom remodel costs?
7th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $15,900 for 45 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in the District of Columbia?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $5,350 to $13,800 and premium work $18,000 to $26,500. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel by city in the District of Columbia
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.