Bathroom remodel cost in Waco, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $4,200 – $20,700
- Per sq ft
- $88.50 – $444
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #258
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a bathroom remodel in the Waco area: $4,200 to $20,700 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 11% lower than the US figure. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $27.67 an hour in the Waco area, 10% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Waco, TX, standard level
$9,150 to $15,700
About $195 to $337 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $4,600 | $7,950 |
| Permits and fees | $350 | $570 |
| Total | $9,150 | $15,700 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Waco, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $5,700 | $9,500 | 46% |
| Labor | $2,100 | $6,300 | $10,500 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $460 | $740 | 4% |
| Total | $4,200 | $12,400 | $20,700 | 100% |
Why Waco prices look the way they do
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 Waco the blended ratio comes out at 0.85.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Waco is at 93.8 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 92.5: $190 to $740.
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 Waco. The wage table below marks each row.
Who does the work: Waco 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 Waco the blend is 0.85.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 25% of the weighting: a median of $27.67 an hour, 10% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $22.05 and $35.09 an hour. About 490 work in the metro. That is 37.7 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 Waco metro, so we used the Texas statewide median: $22.61 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $26.45 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 20% of the weighting: a median of $22.76 an hour, 22% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $19.96 and $25.45 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 32.3 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 $23.50 an hour, which is 23% below the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $21.42 and $30.80 an hour. BLS counts 650 of them working in the area, 50.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is about average.
For drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081, weighted 10%) the local median is $23.63 an hour, which is 17% below the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $23.63 and $25.34 an hour. BLS counts 130 of them working in the area, 10.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 5.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 10% of the weighting: a median of $21.91 an hour, 8% below the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $19.24 and $25.62 an hour. About 230 work in the metro. That is 17.7 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 $450 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $340. That is a swing of roughly 2.7% to 3.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Waco has 129,860 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 168th 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% | $22.05 | $27.67 | $35.09 | $30.67 | 0.90 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $19.28 | $22.61 | $26.45 | $26.77 | 0.84 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $19.96 | $22.76 | $25.45 | $29.12 | 0.78 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $21.42 | $23.50 | $30.80 | $30.38 | 0.77 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $23.63 | $23.63 | $25.34 | $28.33 | 0.83 | metro |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $19.24 | $21.91 | $25.62 | $23.75 | 0.92 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
Is Waco cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (45 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Dallas is the priciest of the group at $13,300. Tyler is the cheapest at $12,000.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waco, TXthis page | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | |
| Killeen, TX40 miles | $4,100 – $20,400 | $12,300 | −1% |
| College Station, TX75 miles | $4,100 – $20,200 | $12,100 | −2% |
| Dallas, TX90 miles | $4,500 – $22,200 | $13,300 | +7% |
| Austin, TX95 miles | $4,300 – $21,400 | $12,900 | +3% |
| Tyler, TX130 miles | $4,000 – $19,900 | $12,000 | −4% |
| Texas (statewide) | $4,350 – $21,500 | $12,900 | +4% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Waco ranks #258 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Waco is 4% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $4,500 – $22,200 | $13,300 | +7% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $4,400 – $21,900 | $13,200 | +6% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $4,300 – $21,400 | $12,900 | +3% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,500 | level |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $4,000 – $19,900 | $12,000 | −4% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $3,950 – $19,700 | $11,800 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Waco against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $5,500 – $27,200 | $16,300 | +31% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $5,600 – $27,900 | $16,700 | +35% |
| Fayetteville, NC | 131,430 jobs | $4,150 – $20,500 | $12,300 | −1% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $4,450 – $22,200 | $13,300 | +7% |
What nearby projects cost in Waco
Jobs that often go together with bathroom remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Waco wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−9%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $820 – $2,550 | −10% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,900 – $28,800 | −9% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,800 – $12,000 | −13% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,050 – $13,600 | −9% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $270 – $1,350 | −10% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Waco bid
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Waco
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Waco. 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
$4,200 to $10,800
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$9,150 to $15,700
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$14,100 to $20,700
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $1,950 – $5,000 | $4,250 – $7,300 | $6,550 – $9,600 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $3,750 – $9,650 | $8,150 – $14,100 | $12,600 – $18,500 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $5,500 – $14,200 | $12,100 – $20,800 | $18,600 – $27,400 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $9,050 – $23,500 | $19,900 – $34,300 | $30,700 – $45,100 |
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Detailed bathroom remodel report for Waco, TX, $9
Multi-page report for Waco, TX: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Bathroom remodel in Waco: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Waco?
For 45 sq ft, expect $4,200 to $20,700 in the Waco area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,150 to $15,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Waco?
About $88.50 to $444 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $190 to $740 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Waco or Killeen?
Killeen is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $12,300, which is 1% less than Waco ($12,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Waco?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $6,300 out of $12,400. Materials are 46% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Waco?
$5,500 to $27,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Waco?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $190 to $740 for fees in the Waco area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Waco expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Texas?
Waco is 4% below the Texas statewide estimate ($12,900 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Waco?
The BLS median is $27.67 an hour in the Waco area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.05 to $35.09.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Waco?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $4,200 to $10,800 and premium work $14,100 to $20,700. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Waco
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.