Bathroom remodel cost in Monroe, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $4,150 – $20,500
- Per sq ft
- $88 – $440
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #274
- 1 = most expensive
Monroe homeowners pay roughly $4,150 to $20,500 to remodel a bathroom at 45 sq ft, or $88 to $440 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Monroe is 12% lower. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $26.77 an hour in the Monroe area, 13% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Monroe, LA, standard level
$9,050 to $15,600
About $194 to $334 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $4,550 | $7,850 |
| Permits and fees | $320 | $520 |
| Total | $9,050 | $15,600 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Monroe, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $5,700 | $9,500 | 46% |
| Labor | $2,050 | $6,200 | $10,300 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $420 | $670 | 3% |
| Total | $4,150 | $12,300 | $20,500 | 100% |
Where the Monroe price comes from
Labor is 50% 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 Monroe the blended ratio comes out at 0.83.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Monroe metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 45 sq ft comes to $5,700, compared with $6,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (83.6) and land at $170 to $670.
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 Monroe. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Monroe
Because every project leans on different trades, Monroe's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen remodel runs −9% and shower pan −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $790 – $2,450 | −13% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,900 – $28,700 | −9% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,800 – $12,100 | −13% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,050 – $13,600 | −9% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $260 – $1,350 | −12% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: bathroom remodel pricing in Monroe
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Monroe 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
$4,150 to $10,700
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$9,050 to $15,600
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$13,900 to $20,500
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $1,950 – $4,950 | $4,200 – $7,200 | $6,450 – $9,450 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $3,700 – $9,500 | $8,050 – $13,900 | $12,400 – $18,300 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $5,450 – $14,100 | $11,900 – $20,600 | $18,400 – $27,100 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $8,950 – $23,200 | $19,700 – $33,900 | $30,400 – $44,700 |
Bathroom remodel: what moves the price in Monroe
Permit
A bathroom remodel permit is $200-$800, more if you move walls (HomeGuide).
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.
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Monroe is 0.83 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 25%) the local median is $26.77 an hour, which is 13% below the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $21.64 and $29.81 an hour. BLS counts 240 of them working in the area, 27.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is about average.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 25% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Monroe 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.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 20%) the local median is $23.27 an hour, which is 20% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $18.57 and $26.63 an hour. BLS counts 360 of them working in the area, 41.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Electricians (47-2111), 10% of the weighting: a median of $29.30 an hour, 4% below the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $21.86 and $30.52 an hour. About 390 work in the metro. That is 44.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Monroe metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $22.80 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $16.01 and $29.20 an hour.
For painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141, weighted 10%) the local median is $18.26 an hour, which is 23% below the national $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $15.32 and $21.71 an hour. BLS counts 110 of them working in the area, 12.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 14.5), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($29.81 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $180. At the 25th percentile ($21.64) it shrinks by about $310. The total moves by 1.5% or 2.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 87,500 jobs in the Monroe area. That makes it the 223rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $21.64 | $26.77 | $29.81 | $30.67 | 0.87 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $18.96 | $21.52 | $22.99 | $26.77 | 0.80 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $18.57 | $23.27 | $26.63 | $29.12 | 0.80 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $21.86 | $29.30 | $30.52 | $30.38 | 0.96 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $16.01 | $22.80 | $29.20 | $28.33 | 0.80 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $15.32 | $18.26 | $21.71 | $23.75 | 0.77 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
Monroe against nearby metros and the rest of Louisiana
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 $11,800 to $12,400 across Monroe and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, LAthis page | $4,150 – $20,500 | $12,300 | |
| Alexandria, LA95 miles | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,300 | level |
| Shreveport, LA100 miles | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | +1% |
| Jackson, MS115 miles | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,200 | −1% |
| Texarkana, TX135 miles | $4,050 – $20,200 | $12,100 | −1% |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $3,950 – $19,600 | $11,800 | −4% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $4,250 – $21,200 | $12,700 | +3% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | +14% |
Across 300 US metros, Monroe comes in at #274 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $18,400; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $11,600 (midpoints, 45 sq ft). Statewide, Monroe is 3% below the Louisiana figure.
Other Louisiana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $4,250 – $21,200 | $12,700 | +3% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $4,450 – $22,100 | $13,300 | +8% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,300 | level |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | +1% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $4,300 – $21,200 | $12,800 | +4% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,500 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Monroe's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Monroe against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $5,000 – $24,900 | $14,900 | +21% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | +10% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $4,150 – $20,600 | $12,400 | +1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $4,200 – $20,800 | $12,500 | +2% |
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Bathroom remodel in Monroe: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Monroe?
For 45 sq ft, expect $4,150 to $20,500 in the Monroe area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,050 to $15,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Monroe?
About $88 to $440 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $170 to $670 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Monroe or Alexandria?
Alexandria is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $12,300, which is 0% less than Monroe ($12,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Monroe?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $6,200 out of $12,300. Materials are 46% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Monroe?
$5,450 to $27,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Monroe?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $170 to $670 for fees in the Monroe area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Monroe expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Monroe is 3% below 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 Monroe?
The BLS median is $26.77 an hour in the Monroe area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.64 to $29.81.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Monroe?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $4,150 to $10,700 and premium work $13,900 to $20,500. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Monroe
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.