Adding a half bathroom somewhere in your home is a great way to upgrade if you don’t have the space or budget to add a full bathroom. But, how much does it cost to add a half bathroom and what should you consider price wise? We’re going to break down how much it costs to add a half bathroom and increase your home value by as much as 10% below. This is a convenient feature to have, especially if you have a larger family or routinely host guests.
Defining a Half Bathroom
Before we learn how much does it cost to add a half bathroom, we’re going to define it. Generally speaking, a half bathroom features a toilet, sink, and a mirror. It won’t have a bathtub or shower like a full bathroom would. Some might come with an under-sink cabinet or other storage space for soap, towels, and toilet paper. Half bathrooms are a nice choice for when you want to have a guest bathroom so no one encroaches on the privacy you get in the master bathroom, or if you don’t have a common bathroom on a specific floor in your home.
A small half bathroom can easily boost your home’s value while making it more convenient for guests to stop by.
How Much Does it Cost to Add a Half Bathroom – Quick Cost Guide
How much does it cost to add a half bathroom? This price range will depend heavily on whether you want a regular one, mid-range, or a luxury one. Adding a regular half bathroom to your home runs between $8,300 to $38,300. A mid-range half bathroom starts at $17,750 and goes to $50,100, and a luxury half bathroom costs between $27,750 to $68,000. The price range will depend on a huge range of factors, including permits, materials, labor fees, installation fees, and many more. You’d also have to include the costs of plumbing and electrical work.
To give you a more in-depth view on how much does it cost to add a half bathroom, we’re going to break down every aspect piece by piece so you can get a more reliable range when it comes to price.
Price Breakdown for Adding a Half Bathroom
The prices are going to be based on the ideal size for a half bathroom, and this is 35 square feet. The following table outlines the costs depending on whether you want a regular, mid-range, or luxury half bath. They are:
| Aspect | Regular | Mid-Range | Luxury |
| Drywall | $1,000 to $1,500 | $1,000 to $1,500 | $1,000 to $1,500 |
| Electrical | $1,000 to $5,000 | $1,000 to $5,000 | $1,000 to $5,000 |
| Fixtures/Accs | $1,390 to $4,630 | $1,390 to $4,630 | $1,390 to $4,630 |
| Flooring | $1,500 to $4,500 | $1,500 to $4,500 | $1,500 to $4,500 |
| Materials | $1,630 to $10,800 | $11,000 to $22,000 | $21,000 to $40,500 |
| Painting | $150 to $500 | $150 to $500 | $150 to $500 |
| Permit | $200 to $500 | $200 to $500 | $200 to $500 |
| Planning | $150 to $500 | $150 to $500 | $150 to $500 |
| Ventilation | $350 to $400 | $350 to $400 | $350 to $400 |
| Totals: | $8,370 to $38,300 | $17,740 to $50,120 | $27,740 to $68,000 |
Important Note Before the Details
Before you get into the nitty gritty details, you should note that the average cost for adding a new half bathroom is $200 to $250 per square foot. This is the cost range for building a half bathroom into an existing space in your home. The cost is higher when you add an addition as you’d need an entirely new space to add your half bathroom. The electrical and plumbing systems also have to be built from scratch, and this boosts the price range to $400 to $600 a square foot.
The ideal size for your new half bathroom is 35 square feet. Building a half bathroom to this size costs between $7,000 and $8,750 when you build it into an existing space in your home. When you build it as a new addition, the cost jumps to $8,370 to $68,000. We’ll break down the costs after the benefits below.
Benefits of Adding a Half Bathroom To Your Home
There are a few key benefits that come with learning how much does it cost to add a half bathroom and going through with it. They include:
- Convenience: If you have family or friends over often, a half bathroom put in a very accessible location is beneficial as your guests can relieve themselves as needed without entering your space.
- Low-Maintenance: Most half bathroom designs only take up a small amount of space, so they’re a lot easier to keep clean than a full bathroom. You won’t have to spend hours scrubbing the floor, tub, or organizing your storage closet.
- Increases Your Property Value: Generally speaking, your property value will go up by roughly 10% if you add a half bath to the correct area of your home.
There are several reasons why someone would add a new half bathroom to their home, and it comes down to increasing the property value and convenience.
New Half Bathroom Cost Detailed Breakdown
Now that you have a rough estimate on how much does it cost to install a half bath, we’re going to get into the details. Building it depends on more than one or two factors because you have to think about permits, planning, installation, material cost, finishing, labor fees, accessories, and more. It’s important to set up a realistic budget before you start this renovation project. Every project you take on will require cost planning.
If you add all of the small elements together, you can easily get a rough idea of your project costs. After all, from regular half-baths to mid-range or luxury options, they all require a great deal of planning. The following is a detailed cost breakdown for a 35 square foot bathroom.
Drywall and Painting
Installing drywall will cost between $1,000 and $1,500, and it costs roughly $2.00 a square foot to install it. You’d also want to include the cost of painting the space, and painting a half bathroom is between $150 to $500. Your painters will cost between $40.00 and $75.00 an hour for labor.
Electrical
Your electrical work will run between $1,000 and $5,000 for this project. You’ll need new electrical components installed most of the time, and this increases the costs.
| Cost Factors | Cost Range |
| Breaker Panel Upgrade | $500 to $1,500 |
| Electrical Panel and Wiring Installation | $600 to $1,200 |
| GFCI Outlet | $40 to $60 each |
| Labor | $85 to $120 per hour |
| Lighting | $150 to $900 |
| Switch | $150 to $200 each |
Fixture and Accessory Installation
Just purchasing the accessories and fixtures isn’t enough. You also have to add in the installation fees from the contractors. The installation costs for luxury items is higher than for a regular or mid-end bathroom. We’ll outline the installation prices for regular and luxury materials below.
| Fixtures | Regular Bathroom Install | Luxury Bathroom Install |
| Cabinets | $400 | $1,500 |
| Faucets | $150 | $300 |
| Sink | $220 | $600 |
| Toilet | $120 | $600 |
| Vanity | $500 | $2,000 |
| Totals: | $1,390 | $5,000 |
Flooring
Flooring in your halt bathroom usually runs between $1,500 and $4,500. The price will depend on what material you want for your flooring, and you want something waterproof if you can help it. A few recommended flooring options include:
| Material Type | Price Per Square Foot |
| Ceramic or Porcelain | $5.00 to $15.00 |
| Linoleum | $5.00 to $10.00 |
| Luxury Vinyl Plank | $5.00 to $10.00 |
| Marble | $15.00 to $20.00 |
| Stone | $5.00 to $12.00 |
| Tile + Installation | $7.00 to $10.00 + $5.00 to $10.00 sq/ft |
Materials
Your raw materials are a big part of how much does it cost to install a half bath. It may even exceed the cost of moving a garage in some cases. When you’re talking about a half bathroom, you won’t need nearly as many components as you would a master bathroom. But, if you have more space, you can always add in different materials to make up your final choice.
It’s essential that you know the market price for the components that you want to include. This way, you’ll get a much more precise and detailed budget plan. The following lists are based on your material price ranges.
Luxury Materials
Making a half bath doesn’t cost nearly as much as the full bath. However, your cost will climb steeply if you choose luxury materials. A lot of people want to create high-end bathrooms even if they have a smaller space.
| Materials | Luxury Price Range |
| Bathroom Vanity | $3,000 to $5,000 |
| Cabinets | $4,000 to $8,000 |
| Door and Windows | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| Faucets | $1,500 to $2,500 |
| Sink | $3,500 to $6,500 |
| Toilet | $2,000 to $2,500 |
| Total | $15,000 to $27,500 |
Note that you won’t use all of these materials for your half bathroom since there is such a space limitation. The total price ranges from $15,000 to $27,500, excluding a shower. If you manage to squeeze one in, this can add $6,000 to $13,000 more to the price.
Mid-Range
Mid-range materials can give your bathroom a very luxurious look, and no one will know the total cost but you. The total price ranges from $6,000 to $17,800.
| Materials | Mid-Range Price Range |
| Bathroom Vanity | $2,000 to $3,500 |
| Cabinets | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| Door and Windows | $500 to $2,000 |
| Faucets | $800 to $2,000 |
| Sink | $1,400 to $2,300 |
| Toilet | $800 to $2,000 |
| Total | $6,000 to $17,800 |
Regular
Finally, the regular half bathroom is a good choice for those on a tight budget. Inside of this lower price range, you can easily build a decent half bath that is good enough for your guests to use.
| Materials | Regular Price Range |
| Bathroom Vanity | $300 to $3,000 |
| Cabinets | $300 to $2,000 |
| Door and Windows | $200 to $1,800 |
| Faucets | $250 to $1,000 |
| Sink | $100 to $500 |
| Toilet | $130 to $250 |
| Total | $1,280 to $8,550 |
Permit
To build any new bathrooms, you’ll need to get a building permit. To get this permit, you have to get in touch with your local building department. They will go through all of the necessary procedures you have to follow. For adding a half bathroom to your home, your permit will cost between $200 and $500, no matter how high-end of a bathroom you want. Working with a general contractor can help speed up the permit process as they are aware of all of the legal procedures involved in getting a building permit. Generally, you’ll need one for the following:
- Adding electrical lines
- Adding plumbing lines
- Building walls or adding a new space to your existing home
Some states also have different requirements that the permit will mentin. Once you complete the building process, a local building inspection team will come in and look at it. This is why you must ensure all of the work is on the up and up.
Getting a permit well before you start your build can help to ensure that you don’t have any delays once the building process starts.
Planning
To add a new half bath to your home, you’ll need a solid plan. You can create the design or consult with an interior designer. This will usually cost between $150 and $500. After you get the design, hire a contractor. The contractor will take on the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and other labor projects. If you hire a contractor, you won’t have to worry about the other prices on an individual basis. For hiring a contractor, you’ll pay between $300 and $400 a day.
Plumbing
The plumbing costs for yoru new half bath range from $1,000 to $10,000. This range depends on how you lay out your new bathroom, and the distance between your new space and the existing plumbing line plays a huge role. The cost will go up the further away it is. Plumbers usually cost between $80 to $120 an hour, and the cost will depend on the type of plumbing work you require. Installing complex and high-end plumbing is more than mid-range or routine plumbing.
Ventilation
Current building codes require that you install exhaust fans in each bathroom window. Building a window can cost between $500 and $900, and an exhaust fan costs between $350 and $400, including the install. There are dozens of high-quality exhaust fans on the market, and they can all help prevent mildew or mold from showing up on the floors or walls.
Miscellaneous Costs to Consider
Figuring out how much does it cost to add a half bathroom also heavily depends on adding in miscellaneous costs to your estimates and the quality of the materials you pick out. Expenses will also vary by location because contractors charge different rates, and supply costs fluctuate. Some costs to consider include:
- Cabinets with installation
- Demolition costs if applicable ($1,000 and $2,300)
- Drywall
- Electrical (breaker panel, switches, outlets, and wiring)
- Exhaust fan with installation
- Faucets
- Lighting with installation
- Painting
- Permits
- Plumbing
- Tile flooring with installation
- Toilet with installation
- Towel racks with installation
- Vanity with installation
Price to Add A Half Bathroom – Different Sizes
The cost to build a whole new bathroom depends on a range of factors. But, it mostly depends on the size you want. There are many size options available for a half bath from a tiny area with room for a sink and toilet to something larger that has cabinet space for storage. The average cost per square foot for adding a new half bath to an existing space and for building an addition are:
| Size | Cost for Existing Space | Cost for Addition |
| 18 Square Feet | $3,600 to $4,500 | $7,200 to $10,800 |
| 21 Square Feet | $4,200 to $5,250 | $8,400 to $12,600 |
| 25 Square Feet | $5,000 to $6,250 | $10,000 to $15,000 |
| 28 Square Feet | $5,600 to $7,000 | $11,200 to $16,800 |
| 32 Square Feet | $6,400 to $8,000 | $12,800 to $19,200 |
| 35 Square Feet | $7,000 to $8,750 | $14,000 to $21,000 |
| 40 Square Feet | $8,000 to $10,000 | $16,000 to $24,000 |
Cost to Add a Half Bathroom in Different Spaces
You can add a half bathroom to virtually any free space in your home. But, there are a few spots that are more popular than others. The most popular spots to add a half bath and the price ranges are:
Basement
Adding a half bath to this space usually runs between $10,000 and $15,000. It’s a great location to build a half bath for a home office. Also, it’s very convenient as it’s usually free of foot traffic, so keeping it neat and clean would be easier.
If you build a bathroom in the basement right under an existing one, you can save a bit of money. You’ll shave off $1,000 to $2,000 in plumbing expenses by doing so, as long as you’re aware that basement bathrooms come with some drawbacks. Installing a sewage-ejector system and ventilation can be difficult in a basement. Ensuing the whole system gets properly routed to your home plumbing is the biggest challenge, and you’ll need a professional plumber to do it for you.
Closet
How much does it cost to add a half bathroom to the closet? This price ranges from $5,000 to $15,000. The price will fluctuate based on purpose, space, and installation costs. If you build a half bath into an existing closet, this can save you a bit of money. But, you need a good amount of ventilation and installation work, even if it’s very convenient today.
A closet is a popular place to add a new half bathroom as you already have the outline of the room in place, and you won’t have to build from the ground up.
Hallway
To add a half bath to your hallway, you’ll spend between $5,000 and $15,000. Building under an existing bathroom can save between $2,000 and $3,000. Hallways are a very common location to build a half bath, and it can give you a decent amount of open space to plan it out. Also, installing a HVAC system and windows are easier in this space.
A hallway half bath is very convenient and easy for guests to enter and exit, and it can boost your home’s overall value by a lot. But, you have to be smart when it comes to determining the placement for the plumbing and electrical. The sewage, water, and electrical routes can be near the main lines. Attaching your bathroom to existing plumbing will save you a lot of money, and the same thing goes for the HVAC and electrical systems.
Laundry Room
Converting your laundry room into a half bath costs between $5,000 and $12,000. Your laundry room can give you a great location to build a half bath because this room is usually spacious. It also has a plumbing line installed. So, as a direct result, it’ll save you in plumbing costs. Laundry rooms are usually out of the way of foot traffic too, and it has ventilation in place. This is a logical spot for building a half bath, and it’s easy to keep clean.
Under a Staircase
A lot of homeowners pick out an empty space under the stairs to build half baths. It’s very similar to a closet bath, and it’s a good way to use dead space. However, before you get your heart set on this spot and plan everything out, make sure that area has a minimum of five square feet of height. Also, it should be able to support a proper ventilation system for your bathroom. The average cost for this project ranges from $3,000 to $9,000.
How To Save Money When You Add a Half Bathroom
Now that you know how much does it cost to add a half bathroom and you’ve most likely gotten a rough estimate to compare to your budget, how can you save more money? The goal is to get a half bathroom you like without breaking your budget, and there are a few things you can do to shave some off of the total.
DIY
You can reduce a lot of the work and cost if you’re a DIYer. You can do the demolition on your own if you need it, and clear out the area where you want to build the bathroom. You can do this yourself as long as you ensure that you’re not compromising your home’s structure.
Paint
Painting is one of the easiest jobs out there when it comes to home renovations. If you’re on a tight budget, you can cut out hiring a professional painter and do it yourself. With a few gallons of paint, time, and some low-cost materials, you can easily paint your new half bathroom however you want. Even if you make a few mistakes, it’s relatively easy to fix them with paint.
Tile the Floor or Walls
Despite what you may think, tiling the walls or floors of your bathroom isn’t as hard as you may guess. All you need is a little guidance, and you have dozens of resources right at your fingertips. Adding or removing the tile by yourself will save you a lot of money, and you get better the more you practice.
Cost to Add a Half Bathroom – FAQs
How much does it cost to add a half bathroom? Now that you know, you have to decide whether or not this is a good idea for your home. The following frequently asked questions can help you decide.
1. Does adding a half bathroom increase your property taxes?
Adding more square footage to your home will increase the value, but it’ll also cause your taxes to increase at the same time. However, this usually isn’t a huge amount.
2. How much time will you need to install a new half bathroom?
How long it takes the installation process from start to finish will depend on the size of the bathroom. Building a larger master bathroom can take three to four weeks to complete, but a half bathroom usually takes between five and seven days.
3. How do you add a half bathroom with your existing bathroom?
Adding a new half bathroom to your existing bathroom is done by attaching your plumbing lines. SInce there is already a plumbing line in the old bathroom, you can use this for the new one. Doing so will actually significantly decrease your plumbing costs.
Bottom Line
So, how much does it cost to add a half bathroom? Hopefully, you now have a great breakdown of the biggest costs associated with this project, and you can take this guide and use it to plan out your new half bathroom addition.
