Bathroom Renovation Cost in Kent: What to Budget in 2025

A bathroom renovation is one of the most impactful home improvements you can make — and one of the most varied in terms of cost. In Kent, a basic refresh can start at around £2,500, while a full wet room installation in a larger property can run to £12,000 or more. The difference lies in the scope of work, the quality of materials, and whether the project involves moving plumbing or structural changes.

This guide breaks down the real costs of bathroom renovation in Kent in 2025, covering everything from a simple suite swap to a full multi-trade fit-out. All figures are based on typical projects carried out across Sittingbourne, Medway, Maidstone, and the wider Swale area.

What Affects the Cost of a Bathroom Renovation?

Before looking at specific figures, it helps to understand the main cost drivers. The size of the bathroom is an obvious factor, but it is rarely the most significant one. Moving the position of the toilet, basin, or shower tray — which requires re-routing the soil pipe and waste — can add £500–£1,500 to a project. Similarly, the choice between a shower enclosure and a wet room has a substantial impact: a wet room requires full waterproofing of the floor and walls, a linear drain, and often a structural assessment of the floor, all of which add cost but deliver a premium result.

The condition of the existing room also matters. Older properties in Kent often have outdated plumbing that needs upgrading before new sanitaryware can be fitted. Discovering that the existing waste pipes are undersized, or that the floor joists need reinforcing to support a new shower tray, is common in pre-1980s homes and can add several hundred pounds to the final bill. A good contractor will identify these issues during the survey rather than presenting them as surprises mid-project.

Bathroom Renovation Cost Breakdown

These figures include labour and materials for a standard bathroom in a typical Kent property. VAT at 20% is applicable on all labour and most materials. Some work — such as installing a new consumer unit or adding a dedicated circuit for an electric shower — requires a qualified electrician and NICEIC certification, which is included in the figures above when Kent Trade Solutions manages the full project.

Shower Enclosure vs Wet Room: Which Is Better Value?

The choice between a shower enclosure and a wet room is one of the most common decisions in a bathroom renovation. A shower enclosure — whether a quadrant, rectangular, or walk-in design — is generally less expensive to install because it contains the water within a defined area and does not require full floor waterproofing. A quality walk-in enclosure with a stone resin tray and frameless glass can be installed for £1,500–£2,500 in materials, with installation typically adding £400–£800.

A wet room eliminates the tray and enclosure entirely, creating a fully tiled, fully waterproofed space where water drains directly through the floor. This requires a tanking membrane applied to all surfaces, a recessed linear drain, and careful attention to falls in the floor to ensure correct drainage. The result is a cleaner, more accessible space that is particularly well suited to older or less mobile users. The additional cost over a standard shower enclosure is typically £1,500–£3,000, depending on the size of the room and the complexity of the waterproofing.

Tiling: The Biggest Variable in the Budget

Tiling is frequently the largest single materials cost in a bathroom renovation, and the range is enormous. Basic ceramic tiles from a trade supplier can cost as little as £15–£25 per square metre; large-format porcelain tiles from premium ranges can reach £80–£150 per square metre. For a standard bathroom of 4–6 square metres, the difference between a budget and premium tile choice can easily be £1,000–£2,500 in materials alone.

Labour for tiling in Kent typically runs at £30–£50 per square metre, depending on the complexity of the layout and the size of the tiles. Large-format tiles (600x600mm or larger) require more precise preparation and take longer to lay, so the labour rate is generally at the higher end. Feature walls using patterned or textured tiles are priced individually and can add £300–£800 to the project depending on the design.

Plumbing Costs Within a Bathroom Renovation

Electrical Work in Bathrooms

All electrical work in bathrooms must comply with BS 7671 and the relevant zone requirements for wet areas. In practice, this means that light fittings, extractor fans, and heated towel rails must be rated for the zone in which they are installed, and any new circuits must be protected by an RCD. An electric shower requires a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit, typically rated at 9.5kW or 10.5kW, and must be installed and certified by a qualified electrician.

For a standard bathroom renovation in Kent, electrical work typically adds £300–£700 to the project cost, covering a new extractor fan, LED downlights, and a shaver socket. If an electric shower is being installed for the first time, allow an additional £400–£600 for the dedicated circuit and NICEIC certification. Kent Trade Solutions manages all electrical work in-house, which avoids the coordination delays that arise when separate contractors are involved.

How to Get the Best Value from a Bathroom Renovation

The most reliable way to control costs is to fix the scope before work starts. Changes made once tiling has begun — adding a feature wall, upgrading the shower valve, moving the towel rail — are disproportionately expensive because they require revisiting completed work. Spending time at the design stage to finalise the layout, tile choice, and sanitaryware selection pays dividends during the build.

Using a multi-trade contractor for the full project — plumbing, tiling, electrics, and finishing — is generally more cost-effective than managing separate trades. Coordination costs (scheduling, access, snagging between trades) are real and often underestimated. A single contractor who manages the full programme takes on that coordination responsibility and is accountable for the finished result.