Bathroom remodel cost in Eau Claire, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $4,950 – $24,500
- Per sq ft
- $106 – $529
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #72
- 1 = most expensive
A bathroom remodel in Eau Claire, WI usually costs $4,950 to $24,500 for 45 sq ft. That works out to about $106 to $529 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $740 more. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $44.58 an hour in the Eau Claire area, 45% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Eau Claire, WI, standard level
$10,800 to $18,700
About $233 to $402 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $6,300 | $10,900 |
| Permits and fees | $350 | $580 |
| Total | $10,800 | $18,700 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Eau Claire, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $5,700 | $9,500 | 39% |
| Labor | $2,850 | $8,600 | $14,300 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $460 | $740 | 3% |
| Total | $4,950 | $14,700 | $24,500 | 100% |
Where the Eau Claire price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, who do 25% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $44.58 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Eau Claire is 1.16 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 58% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Eau Claire 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 92.8: $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 Eau Claire. The wage table below marks each row.
Why two Eau Claire quotes can differ
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Eau Claire
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Eau Claire. 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
$4,950 to $12,800
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$10,800 to $18,700
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$16,700 to $24,500
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,300 – $5,900 | $5,000 – $8,600 | $7,700 – $11,300 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $4,400 – $11,400 | $9,650 – $16,600 | $14,900 – $21,900 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $6,550 – $16,900 | $14,300 – $24,700 | $22,100 – $32,500 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $10,800 – $27,900 | $23,600 – $40,800 | $36,500 – $53,600 |
Eau Claire against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
Same job, same size (45 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Minneapolis is the priciest of the group at $16,600. Wausau is the cheapest at $14,400.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WIthis page | $4,950 – $24,500 | $14,700 | |
| Wausau, WI75 miles | $4,850 – $24,000 | $14,400 | −2% |
| Rochester, MN85 miles | $5,100 – $25,400 | $15,200 | +3% |
| La Crosse, WI85 miles | $4,850 – $24,100 | $14,500 | −2% |
| Minneapolis, MN100 miles | $5,600 – $27,700 | $16,600 | +13% |
| Oshkosh, WI140 miles | $5,100 – $25,400 | $15,300 | +4% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $4,900 – $24,300 | $14,600 | −1% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Eau Claire ranks #72 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Eau Claire is 1% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $4,950 – $24,600 | $14,800 | level |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $5,000 – $24,900 | $15,000 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $4,950 – $24,500 | $14,700 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $4,950 – $24,600 | $14,800 | level |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $5,100 – $25,400 | $15,300 | +4% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $4,850 – $24,100 | $14,500 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Eau Claire against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $4,200 – $20,800 | $12,500 | −15% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $4,150 – $20,600 | $12,400 | −16% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | −8% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $4,850 – $24,100 | $14,500 | −2% |
Related projects, priced for Eau Claire
Jobs that often go together with bathroom remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Eau Claire wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+13%) and window replacement lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,150 – $3,100 | +13% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,900 – $30,500 | −3% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,100 – $13,900 | −1% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,400 – $14,500 | −3% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $310 – $1,500 | +1% |
What local crews earn in Eau Claire
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 Eau Claire the blend is 1.16.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 25% of the weighting: a median of $44.58 an hour, 45% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $30.62 and $48.23 an hour. About 210 work in the metro. That is 24.4 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 the Eau Claire metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $30.14 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.44 and $36.42 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 20% of the weighting: a median of $28.41 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.39 and $38.28 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 41.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $36.24 an hour, which is 19% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $29.33 and $42.73 an hour. BLS counts 350 of them working in the area, 40.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.47 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $23.67 and $29.82 an hour. BLS counts 40 of them working in the area, 4.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 5.3), so the local bench is about average.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 10% of the weighting: a median of $22.71 an hour, 4% below the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $21.83 and $28.39 an hour. About 110 work in the metro. That is 12.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $220 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $840. That is a swing of roughly 5.7% to 1.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Eau Claire has 86,060 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 226th 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% | $30.62 | $44.58 | $48.23 | $30.67 | 1.45 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $27.44 | $30.14 | $36.42 | $26.77 | 1.13 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $23.39 | $28.41 | $38.28 | $29.12 | 0.98 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $29.33 | $36.24 | $42.73 | $30.38 | 1.19 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $23.67 | $28.47 | $29.82 | $28.33 | 1.00 | metro |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $21.83 | $22.71 | $28.39 | $23.75 | 0.96 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
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Detailed bathroom remodel report for Eau Claire, WI, $9
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Bathroom remodel in Eau Claire: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Eau Claire?
For 45 sq ft, expect $4,950 to $24,500 in the Eau Claire area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,800 to $18,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Eau Claire?
About $106 to $529 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 Eau Claire or Wausau?
Wausau is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $14,400, which is 2% less than Eau Claire ($14,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Eau Claire?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $8,600 out of $14,700. Materials are 39% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Eau Claire?
$6,550 to $32,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Eau Claire?
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 Eau Claire area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Eau Claire expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Eau Claire is 1% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($14,600 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Eau Claire?
The BLS median is $44.58 an hour in the Eau Claire area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.62 to $48.23.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Eau Claire?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $4,950 to $12,800 and premium work $16,700 to $24,500. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Eau Claire
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.