Bathroom remodel cost in Olympia, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $5,500 – $27,200
- Per sq ft
- $117 – $586
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +17%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #13
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to remodel a bathroom in Olympia, plan on $5,500 to $27,200 for 45 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $117 to $586 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 17% higher than the national one. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $38.48 an hour in the Olympia area, 25% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Olympia, WA, standard level
$12,000 to $20,700
About $258 to $445 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,700 | $8,100 |
| Labor | $6,900 | $12,000 |
| Permits and fees | $390 | $640 |
| Total | $12,000 | $20,700 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Olympia, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,150 | $6,400 | $10,600 | 39% |
| Labor | $3,150 | $9,450 | $15,700 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $210 | $520 | $830 | 3% |
| Total | $5,500 | $16,300 | $27,200 | 100% |
Why Olympia prices look the way they do
Labor is 58% 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 Olympia the blended ratio comes out at 1.27.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Olympia metro is 105.0 (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 (103.7) and land at $210 to $830.
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 Olympia. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Olympia 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.
Is Olympia cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Olympia. Yakima is the lowest at about $15,100 (midpoint, 45 sq ft), 105 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WAthis page | $5,500 – $27,200 | $16,300 | |
| Bremerton, WA50 miles | $5,550 – $27,600 | $16,600 | +2% |
| Seattle, WA60 miles | $5,750 – $28,600 | $17,200 | +5% |
| Portland, OR95 miles | $5,650 – $27,900 | $16,800 | +3% |
| Yakima, WA105 miles | $5,100 – $25,200 | $15,100 | −7% |
| Bellingham, WA140 miles | $5,750 – $28,500 | $17,100 | +5% |
| Washington (statewide) | $5,550 – $27,600 | $16,600 | +2% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −14% |
Across 300 US metros, Olympia comes in at #13 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $18,400; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $11,600 (midpoints, 45 sq ft). Statewide, Olympia is 1% below the Washington figure.
Other Washington metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $5,750 – $28,600 | $17,200 | +5% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $5,200 – $25,900 | $15,600 | −5% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $5,600 – $27,900 | $16,700 | +2% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $5,100 – $25,200 | $15,100 | −7% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $5,550 – $27,600 | $16,600 | +2% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $5,750 – $28,500 | $17,100 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Olympia's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Olympia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | 131,430 jobs | $4,150 – $20,500 | $12,300 | −24% |
| Waco, TX | 129,860 jobs | $4,200 – $20,700 | $12,400 | −24% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $4,600 – $22,800 | $13,700 | −16% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $5,600 – $27,900 | $16,700 | +2% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: bathroom remodel pricing in Olympia
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Olympia 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
$5,500 to $14,200
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$12,000 to $20,700
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$18,500 to $27,200
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,550 – $6,550 | $5,550 – $9,550 | $8,550 – $12,500 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $4,900 – $12,600 | $10,700 – $18,500 | $16,500 – $24,300 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $7,250 – $18,700 | $15,900 – $27,400 | $24,500 – $36,000 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $11,900 – $30,900 | $26,200 – $45,200 | $40,400 – $59,400 |
Olympia 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 Olympia is 1.27 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 25%) the local median is $38.48 an hour, which is 25% above the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $28.18 and $48.74 an hour. BLS counts 310 of them working in the area, 23.8 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 Olympia metro, so we used the Washington statewide median: $37.46 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $30.33 and $46.80 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 20%) the local median is $30.41 an hour, which is 4% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.58 and $36.82 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 61.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Electricians (47-2111), 10% of the weighting: a median of $46.44 an hour, 53% above the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $31.45 and $58.14 an hour. About 530 work in the metro. That is 40.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Olympia metro, so we used the Washington statewide median: $35.16 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $30.15 and $48.45 an hour.
For painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141, weighted 10%) the local median is $29.04 an hour, which is 22% above the national $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $23.97 and $32.19 an hour. BLS counts 230 of them working in the area, 17.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 14.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($48.74 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $620. At the 25th percentile ($28.18) it shrinks by about $620. The total moves by 3.8% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 130,300 jobs in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater area. That makes it the 167th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $28.18 | $38.48 | $48.74 | $30.67 | 1.25 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $30.33 | $37.46 | $46.80 | $26.77 | 1.40 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $28.58 | $30.41 | $36.82 | $29.12 | 1.04 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $31.45 | $46.44 | $58.14 | $30.38 | 1.53 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $30.15 | $35.16 | $48.45 | $28.33 | 1.24 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $23.97 | $29.04 | $32.19 | $23.75 | 1.22 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.27 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Olympia
Because every project leans on different trades, Olympia's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +20% and kitchen cabinets +8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,200 – $3,300 | +20% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,000 – $34,100 | +8% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,550 – $15,200 | +8% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,200 – $16,800 | +13% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $360 – $1,750 | +18% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Bathroom remodel in Olympia: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Olympia?
For 45 sq ft, expect $5,500 to $27,200 in the Olympia area. A standard-spec job lands at $12,000 to $20,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Olympia?
About $117 to $586 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $210 to $830 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Olympia or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $16,600, which is 2% more than Olympia ($16,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Olympia?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $9,450 out of $16,300. Materials are 39% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Olympia?
$7,250 to $36,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Olympia?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $210 to $830 for fees in the Olympia area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Olympia expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Washington?
Olympia is 1% below the Washington statewide estimate ($16,600 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Olympia?
The BLS median is $38.48 an hour in the Olympia area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.18 to $48.74.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Olympia?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $5,500 to $14,200 and premium work $18,500 to $27,200. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Olympia
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.