Bathroom Remodel cost in Madison, WI
Madison, WI · updated August 2026
$18,700
Typical local cost
$9,100 – $42,500
Typical range
- per bathroom
- $9,100 – $42,550
- Permit
- It depends
- Typical timeline
- 3-6 weeks
Installed, local pricing
$145 – $570 in fees
3-6 weeks
Madison runs +1% against the U.S. average · data confidence Medium · modeled estimate, not a quote
The modeled midpoint for Madison is $18,700. The local adjustment for this trade is x1.013 — driven mainly by Dane County labor rates and 20% exposure to local code requirements.
Estimate your Madison job
Priced with this market's cost index, so the calculator, the size table and the ranges on this page all agree.
Tiles needed
57 tiles
Includes 12% waste
- Boxes to buy
- 8 boxes
- Thinset (50 lb bags)
- 2 bags
- Grout (25 lb bags)
- 1 bags
- Tile cost estimateMaterial only
- $284 – $1,021
Priced for Madison (local adjustment x1.013).
Estimates only. Local pricing, site conditions and code requirements change the real number.
Cost by project size
Generated from the same unit pricing the calculator uses.
| Project size | Estimated range |
|---|---|
| Powder room | $4,600 – $21,300 |
| Hall bath (35–60 sq ft) | $8,200 – $38,300 |
| Primary bath (60–100 sq ft) | $11,800 – $55,300 |
| Large primary with wet room | $16,400 – $76,500 |
Based on Madison pricing of $9,100–$42,550 per bathroom.
Where the money goes
- Labor
- $9,400
- 49% of median
- Materials
- $9,400
- 49% of median
- Permit & fees
- $360
- 2% of median
Madison project costs+1% vs U.S. average
Based on Dane County labor rates, local material logistics and permit-fee posture for this trade.
What the project looks like start to finish
Typical sequence for this scope. Timing varies with contractor backlog and plan-review queues.
01
Planning & quotes
Scope, material choice, contractor selection
02
Permit application
Filed with City of Madison building department
03
Materials & staging
Order lead time on non-stock materials
04
Installation
3-6 weeks
05
Inspection
Rough plumbing, Shower pan water test, Final inspection
06
Closeout
Final sign-off, warranty and documentation
Madison labor intelligence
What the trade charges here, and how much of your price it is.
Loaded hourly rate
$51–$66
Interior crews in Dane County · 0% vs U.S. ($58/hr)
Typical crew
3 × 7 days
On-site time for a typical bathroom job here.
Labor in the price
$9,400
50% of the median — the rest is material, disposal and permit.
Because labor is 50% of this job, Madison wage levels move the price far more than material prices do. A quote well under this labor figure usually means a smaller crew, a longer schedule, or unlicensed help.
Basis: Hometriva labor model: national interior crew rates adjusted by the Dane County labor factor (x1.000). · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hometriva methodology
Why Madison differs from the national average
The local delta, broken into dollars by driver.
Material and delivery+$150
Materials are nationally traded, so they move less — but delivery into this market runs 2% over baseline.
Code and inspection load+$100
Bathroom Remodel carries 20% exposure to local code requirements, and this jurisdiction's review load indexes at x1.03.
Basis: Decomposition of the modeled Madison median against the U.S. median for this scope. · City of Madison building department, Hometriva methodology
Madison vs Wisconsin vs the U.S.
Change the inputs, see your number
The same local model, run against your job instead of the average one.
Simulated bathroom remodel in Madison
$19,060
Likely range $9,460 – $42,860
Simulated from the same local model as the numbers above — it changes the inputs, not the pricing method.
What makes the number move
- Tub-to-shower conversion versus like-for-like replacement
- Tile area and material
- Vanity, fixtures and glass enclosure
- Whether plumbing is relocated
- Waterproofing and subfloor repair
Who issues each permit
Tracked per discipline — the building permit issuer is not always the body that reviews electrical, plumbing, zoning or fire.
| Discipline | Issuing authority |
|---|---|
| building | City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate |
| electrical | City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate |
| mechanical | City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate |
| plumbing | City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate |
| zoning | City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate |
| fire | City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate |
Permit requirement in Madison
It depends on scope. Like-for-like cosmetic work in Madison is often exempt, but a permit is required as soon as you change structure, plumbing, electrical or the building envelope.
- Permitting authority
- City of Madison building departmentModeled estimate
- Permit fee
- Estimated allowance $145–$570Modeled from comparable fee schedules — not an official quoted fee.
Inspections
- Rough plumbing
- Shower pan water test
- Final inspection
Local conditions that change this job
Only the exposures that materially affect bathroom remodel.
Humidity
Severe84/100
Owner-occupied homes
0%
Owner-occupied share of the housing stock, which drives how much of this work is homeowner-funded versus landlord-funded.
Households in market
109,161
Approximate household count in Madison, used to size the contractor pool for this trade.
Permit activity index
x0.95
Relative permit volume and fee load versus the national baseline.
Nearby market comparison
What Madison homeowners actually paid
Homeowner-reported invoices for this market. Nothing is published until enough reports clear review, so this section is often empty in newer markets — adding yours takes 20 seconds and no personal details.
Quotes homeowners were given in Madison
Quotes run ahead of final invoices. Reporting yours shows the local spread and where there is room to negotiate.
How Hometriva estimates Madison bathroom costs
Hometriva does not publish invented city prices. The Madison estimate for bathroom remodel is produced by this chain, and every input is stored separately:
- National baseline$18,500
Typical U.S. cost for bathroom remodel on a single-family home.
- Local labor factorx1.000
Madison-area trade labor rates, weighted at 50% of this job.
- Material factorx1.016
Material and delivery pricing into Dane County, weighted at 50%.
- Regulatory factorx1.027
Local code, product-approval and inspection load, applied at 20% for this project type.
- Applied multiplierx1.013
Blended Madison adjustment specific to bathroom remodel.
- Permit component$145 – $570
Budgeted separately from the contract price because it is paid to the jurisdiction.
Because labor, material and regulatory factors are weighted per project, bathroom remodel in Madison carries a different local adjustment than other trades in the same market.
Reviewed by
Hometriva Cost Data Desk
Maintains the unit-cost baselines, local adjustment factors and material pricing. Reviewed for bathroom remodel pricing in Madison, WI.
- • National unit-cost baselines against current trade pricing
- • Local labor and materials factors for the market
- • Material installed-cost ranges and service life
Last reviewed August 2026 · Editorial standards · Report an error
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel?
Replacing a vanity, toilet or fixtures in the same location is usually permit-exempt. Rebuilding a shower pan, moving drain lines or adding circuits requires a plumbing or building permit and inspection.
How long does bathroom remodel take?
3-6 weeks. Permit review and inspection scheduling are usually the largest source of variation.
What changes the price the most?
The largest cost drivers are tub-to-shower conversion versus like-for-like replacement; tile area and material; vanity, fixtures and glass enclosure.
Sources
Sources & verification
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Model vintage August 2026. The links above are the issuing agencies' own pages — we publish them so you can confirm the current rule yourself, not as evidence that each fact on this page was re-checked with them today. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing, not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.