You’ve been dreaming about a remodel for ages. You’ve walked through showrooms, browsed online, and finally picked out all the perfect materials—the vanity, the flooring, the tile, the fixtures. You’ve even tallied up the prices, and everything comes out to around $10,000.
Then, you get the estimate from your contractor. $50,000!
Wait, what? How can the total be five times what you expected?
Before you assume your contractor made a mistake—or worse, is overcharging you—let’s talk about how remodeling costs really break down. The price of materials is only one piece of the puzzle. A remodel isn’t just about what you can see—there’s a whole world of labor, project management, permits, and hidden materials that go into making your space not just beautiful, but functional, durable, and built to last.
So, let’s dive in. How much of your remodeling costs should be labor vs materials? And how can you estimate what your project will really cost?
How Do I Calculate Labor Costs Based on Material Costs?
If you had to guess, how much would labor cost compared to materials?
Would it be equal? Less? More?
Here’s the surprising truth:
If you pick out $10,000 worth of visible materials (cabinets, flooring, fixtures, etc.), your full remodel will likely cost 5 to 6 times that amount once labor, unseen materials, permits, and project management are factored in.
Seriously? 5-6x?! That can’t be right! Is labor really that expensive?
Yes, but let’s clarify something. Labor itself usually isn’t 5 times as expensive as materials—there’s just more at play than meets the eye.
Where Does the Rest of the Cost Come From?
In a bathroom remodel, for example, you might have picked out $10,000 worth of finish materials—the tub, vanity, faucets, flooring, lighting, and tile. But those aren’t the only materials required for the project.
Behind the walls, there’s:
- Plumbing & Electrical – Pipes, wires, outlets, junction boxes
- Framing & Structural – Lumber, insulation, drywall, mortar
- Miscellaneous Materials – Paint, caulk, adhesives, fasteners
Then, you have project-related costs:
- Demolition & Disposal – Dumpster rentals, labor for tearing out old materials
- Permits & Inspections – Required by most towns
- Mobilization & Project Management – Coordinating trades, deliveries, scheduling
When you add it all up, here’s how a $50,000 bathroom remodel typically breaks down:
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Vanity, tub, shower, faucets, tile | $10,000 |
| Hidden materials (pipes, wires, drywall, insulation, etc.) | $2,000 |
| Demo, dumpster fees, permits | $1,500 |
| Labor & project management | $36,500 |
| Total Project Cost | $50,000 |
Now, let’s take a closer look at how labor compares to materials for specific remodeling tasks.
What’s the Cost Breakdown of Labor vs Materials in a Bathroom Remodel?
Bathrooms are both material-heavy and labor-heavy, so they’re one of the most expensive rooms to remodel.
Plumbing Costs
- Plumbing fixtures (toilets, tubs, sinks, faucets) are expensive, but labor is usually about equal to material costs.
- Example: A $350 faucet will cost around $350 to install.
Electrical Costs
- Electrical work is labor-heavy—running wires, installing outlets, and ensuring code compliance takes time.
- Expect to pay 4 to 5 times more for an electrician’s labor than the cost of materials.
- Example: If your light fixtures, switches, and wiring cost $500, you’ll likely pay $2,000 – $2,500 for electrical labor.
Tile Installation Costs
- A porcelain tile floor might cost the same as luxury vinyl plank (LVP), but tile installation is far more labor-intensive.
- Expect 4 to 5 times the cost of the tile in labor costs.
- Example: If your tile materials cost $2,000, you could pay $8,000 – $10,000 for a professional tile shower installation.
What’s the Cost Breakdown of Labor vs Materials in a Kitchen Remodel?
Compared to bathrooms, kitchens are a little more material-heavy because cabinets, countertops, and appliances make up a large portion of the budget.
Cabinetry & Countertops
- Cabinets typically make up 15-25% of the total remodel cost.
- Countertop installation follows a 1:1 ratio—meaning installation costs about the same as the countertop itself.
- Example: If your quartz countertop costs $3,000, fabrication and installation will be around $3,000 as well.
Labor vs Materials in a Full Kitchen Remodel
| Category | Percentage of Budget |
|---|---|
| Cabinetry & Hardware | 15-25% |
| Countertops | 5-10% |
| Appliances | 5-10% |
| Labor & Project Management | 60-70% |
That’s why even if cabinets and countertops “only” cost $25,000 – $40,000, a full gut kitchen remodel often costs $90,000 – $120,000+.
What’s the Cost Breakdown of Labor vs Materials in a Home Remodel?
So far, we’ve looked at bathroom and kitchen remodels, but what about whole-home remodels or projects that involve structural work, custom trim, and built-ins?
Unlike bathrooms, kitchens, or flooring updates, whole-home remodels often include major structural changes, custom carpentry, and finishing work that require skilled labor far beyond just installing new materials.
Structural Work
If your remodel involves removing walls, repairing floor framing, installing headers or reinforcing structural elements, labor costs will far outweigh material costs.
- Lumber is expensive but the real cost is in the skilled labor to make precise structural changes safely.
- Depending on the complexity, labor for structural modifications can be 4 to 8+ times the cost of the lumber and materials.
Trim Work & Built-Ins
Trim work is another labor-intensive part of a remodel. While molding materials may seem inexpensive, the installation, detailing and finishing can be 5 to 6 times the cost of the materials.
- Custom built-ins, bookshelves, and millwork require even more precision and finishing work. Labor to construct and install them is often 5-6 times the cost of the materials.
- Once you factor in painting, staining and final detailing, the total cost of a built-in can easily be 8 times the cost of materials.
How Does This Compare to Kitchens & Bathrooms
If we step back and look at labor vs material costs across different types of remodeling projects, we see clear patterns:
- Kitchens – More material-heavy, with cabinets, countertops, and appliances making up a big part of the cost.
- Bathrooms – A balance of high material costs and high labor costs, due to plumbing, tile work and electrical.
- Structural Work – Extremely labor-heavy costs, often 4-8 times the cost of the materials.
- Trim Work & Built-Ins – Also labor-heavy, with materials making up a small percentage of the total cost.
Why Do Labor Costs Vary So Much?
At first glance it would seem that labor costs should be the same across all types of remodeling projects – but they’re not. Here’s why:
- Complexity of the Work – Structural work requires calculations, engineering and safety measures. Finishing work (trim, built-ins) demands precision. These factors increase labor costs.
- Installation Time – Unlike installing a countertop (which can take a few hours), trim work and structural modifications can take days or weeks.
- Specialized Trades – Electrical, plumbing, framing and finish carpentry all require skilled professionals and their time isn’t cheap.
- Permits & Inspections – Any work that changes the structure, electrical or plumbing requires inspections which add additional labor time and costs.
What’s Next?
If you’re remodeling and wondering what it will cost, check out these detail cost breakdowns:
- The 4 Types of Remodeling Costs (And How to Manage Them)
- How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost in NH?
- How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost in NH?
Or, ready to get started? Let’s talk! We’d love to help you design a beautiful space that fits your lifestyle. Contact us today!