Bathroom remodel cost in Baton Rouge, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $4,450 – $22,100
- Per sq ft
- $95 – $475
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #159
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a bathroom remodel in the Baton Rouge area: $4,450 to $22,100 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 5% lower than the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Baton Rouge, LA, standard level
$9,750 to $16,800
About $209 to $361 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $5,250 | $9,050 |
| Permits and fees | $340 | $560 |
| Total | $9,750 | $16,800 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Baton Rouge, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $5,700 | $9,500 | 43% |
| Labor | $2,400 | $7,150 | $11,900 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $180 | $450 | $730 | 3% |
| Total | $4,450 | $13,300 | $22,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Baton Rouge number
Labor is 54% 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 Baton Rouge the blended ratio comes out at 0.96.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Baton Rouge is at 93.7 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 90.8: $180 to $730.
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 Baton Rouge. The wage table below marks each row.
Who does the work: Baton Rouge 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 Baton Rouge the blend is 0.96.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 25% of the weighting: a median of $35.69 an hour, 16% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $30.03 and $37.19 an hour. About 2,790 work in the metro. That is 68.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 25% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Baton Rouge metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $21.52 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.96 and $22.99 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 20% of the weighting: a median of $26.75 an hour, 8% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.20 and $29.27 an hour. About 3,490 work in the metro. That is 85.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $31.41 an hour, which is 3% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $28.11 and $37.40 an hour. BLS counts 3,320 of them working in the area, 81.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081, weighted 10%) the local median is $23.15 an hour, which is 18% below the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $13.61 and $37.38 an hour. BLS counts 100 of them working in the area, 2.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 5.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.62 an hour, in line with the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $21.41 and $27.95 an hour. About 1,110 work in the metro. That is 27.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of 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 $90 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $340. That is a swing of roughly 2.6% to 0.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Baton Rouge has 409,690 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 60th 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% | $30.03 | $35.69 | $37.19 | $30.67 | 1.16 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $18.96 | $21.52 | $22.99 | $26.77 | 0.80 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $23.20 | $26.75 | $29.27 | $29.12 | 0.92 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $28.11 | $31.41 | $37.40 | $30.38 | 1.03 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $13.61 | $23.15 | $37.38 | $28.33 | 0.82 | metro |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $21.41 | $23.62 | $27.95 | $23.75 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
Baton Rouge: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Baton Rouge. 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
$4,450 to $11,500
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$9,750 to $16,800
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$15,000 to $22,100
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,100 – $5,350 | $4,500 – $7,800 | $6,950 – $10,200 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $4,000 – $10,300 | $8,700 – $15,000 | $13,400 – $19,700 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $5,900 – $15,200 | $12,900 – $22,200 | $19,900 – $29,200 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $9,700 – $25,100 | $21,200 – $36,700 | $32,800 – $48,200 |
What nearby projects cost in Baton Rouge
Jobs that often go together with bathroom remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Baton Rouge wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (−4%) and kitchen backsplash lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $910 – $2,650 | −4% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,600 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,000 – $13,200 | −6% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,100 – $13,800 | −8% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $260 – $1,350 | −11% |
Bathroom remodel: what moves the price in Baton Rouge
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).
Is Baton Rouge cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Baton Rouge. Hattiesburg is the lowest at about $11,900 (midpoint, 45 sq ft), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LAthis page | $4,450 – $22,100 | $13,300 | |
| Lafayette, LA70 miles | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,300 | −7% |
| Slidell, LA70 miles | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,500 | −6% |
| Houma, LA85 miles | $4,150 – $20,600 | $12,400 | −7% |
| Alexandria, LA100 miles | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,300 | −8% |
| Hattiesburg, MS120 miles | $4,000 – $19,800 | $11,900 | −11% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $4,250 – $21,200 | $12,700 | −4% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Baton Rouge ranks #159 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Baton Rouge is 4% above the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $4,250 – $21,200 | $12,700 | −4% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,300 | −7% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | −6% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $4,300 – $21,200 | $12,800 | −4% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,500 | −6% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $4,150 – $20,500 | $12,300 | −7% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Baton Rouge against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $4,250 – $21,000 | $12,600 | −5% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $5,000 – $24,900 | $15,000 | +13% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $4,150 – $20,500 | $12,300 | −7% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $4,450 – $22,100 | $13,300 | level |
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Bathroom remodel in Baton Rouge: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Baton Rouge?
For 45 sq ft, expect $4,450 to $22,100 in the Baton Rouge area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,750 to $16,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Baton Rouge?
About $95 to $475 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $180 to $730 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Baton Rouge or Lafayette?
Lafayette is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $12,300, which is 7% less than Baton Rouge ($13,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Baton Rouge?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $7,150 out of $13,300. Materials are 43% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Baton Rouge?
$5,900 to $29,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Baton Rouge?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $180 to $730 for fees in the Baton Rouge area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Baton Rouge expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Baton Rouge is 4% above the Louisiana statewide estimate ($12,700 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Baton Rouge?
The BLS median is $35.69 an hour in the Baton Rouge area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.03 to $37.19.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Baton Rouge?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $4,450 to $11,500 and premium work $15,000 to $22,100. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Baton Rouge
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.