Renovating a bathroom in Switzerland: what it costs and how it works

I am a trained carpenter and architect. On every one of my building sites, the bathroom is the most crowded room: six tradespeople on six square metres. That is exactly why planning decides costs and nerves here. In this article I will show you what a bathroom renovation costs in Switzerland, how long it takes and where the traps are.

What does a new bathroom cost?

Ranges are honest, flat rates are not. For a bathroom of typical size, these guide values apply in Switzerland:

Three factors drive the price more than anything else:

• Moving pipes. As long as toilet, washbasin and shower stay where they are, the budget stays calm. If the toilet moves to the other wall, the drainage moves with it — through the floor or the wall.
• Size, but not the way you think. A small bathroom is not half the price of a large one. Fixtures, taps and installations cost the same; only tiles and surface area scale.
• The standard. Between a solid Swiss standard line and a designer brand, the same bathroom can easily cost double.

How long does it take?

For a complete bathroom renovation, expect two to four weeks of construction. Add four to eight weeks of lead time for planning and ordering, because fixtures and tiles have delivery times. The good news: a purely interior renovation without a change of use generally needs no building permit in the Canton of Zurich. Exceptions are structural interventions and protected buildings — more in the article on building permits in the Canton of Zurich.

The process in five steps

1. Check the existing bathroom. Condition of the pipes, moisture, waterproofing. For houses built before 1990, an asbestos check is part of the job — tile adhesive and filler compounds are typical places to find it.
2. Plan and decide. Layout, fixtures, materials. Every cost decision is made here, not on the building site.
3. Get quotes. Plumber, electrician, plasterer, tiler, joiner. Coordinated by one person — otherwise you are the one doing the coordinating.
4. Execution. Demolition, rough installation, waterproofing, surfaces, fitting. Two to four weeks without a working bathroom — plan your daily life around it.
5. Acceptance. Leak test, joint inspection, defects list. Only then is the final invoice due.

The four most common mistakes

1. Deciding on the building site. Every change after construction starts costs three times over: material, rework, waiting time.
2. Treating waterproofing as a side issue. The most invisible item is the most important one. A leaking bathroom damages the neighbours' ceiling, not just your own.
3. Forgetting ventilation. Without a window, you need a mechanical ventilation system that is actually good. Mould is more expensive than any fan.
4. Saving in the wrong place. With taps and waterproofing, quality pays off. You can save on tile size, the mirror cabinet and accessories.

Frequently asked questions