Guide
What a bathroom quote should itemise before you sign it
The lines a real bathroom quote carries, the ones most often missing, and the questions that turn three incomparable prices into a decision.
Updated September 18, 20262 min readAwaiting expert review
Written from primary sources by our editorial team. A credentialed reviewer hasn't signed off yet, so this page isn't in search results. It's information, not professional advice.
Not sure where to start? Take the Bathroom Check.About 2 minutes. Rough answers are fine.Three bathroom quotes will describe the same room three different ways. Putting them on the same lines is the entire job, and the lines below are the ones that actually differ.
The lines to compare
Scope written out room by room. Demolition and disposal. Substrate — cement board, foam board, or something else. Waterproofing system, named. Tile allowance per square foot. Fixture allowance. Plumbing moves, explicitly yes or no. Electrical including the extractor and any GFCI work. Permit and who pulls it. Start and finish dates. Deposit. Payment schedule. Workmanship warranty and what voids it.
The three most commonly missing
Waterproofing. The single most consequential line and the one most often reduced to a verb. Ask which system, and who warrants it.
A written process for what happens if rot is found. In an older bathroom this is a realistic outcome. Agree the process before the room is open, because afterwards you have no leverage.
Demolition and disposal. A gutted bathroom produces several hundred pounds of debris. If removing it is not priced, it will appear later or sit in your driveway.
Questions worth asking all three
What waterproofing system, and who warrants it? What is the tile allowance per square foot, and what does a dearer choice cost? If you open the wall and find an active leak, what is the written process? Who pulls the permit? Is this price still available next week?
Bottom line
Get the lines written, get the allowances as numbers, and compare like with like. The cost context is in what a bathroom remodel costs, and if you have already signed, see cancelling a bathroom contract.
Common questions
What is the most important missing line on most bathroom quotes?
The waterproofing method. Behind the tile is where bathrooms fail, and a quote that does not name the system has not told you what you are buying.
How much deposit should a bathroom contractor ask for?
Less than you will be offered. Maryland caps a home improvement deposit at one third of the contract price; California caps the down payment at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less.
Should the contractor pull the permit?
Normally yes. A contractor asking you to pull it is asking you to carry the code liability.
What if a quote is far cheaper than the others?
Find out which lines are missing before you take it. In bathrooms the usual answers are demolition, waterproofing, or an allowance set unrealistically low.
Sources
- FTC consumer advice: How to avoid a home improvement scam
- FTC: Penalty offenses concerning home improvement
- Maryland Code, Business Regulation §8-617 (deposit cap)
- USA.gov: State consumer protection offices
- FTC consumer advice: Buyer's remorse — the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule may help
By BathBudget Editorial Team. First published September 18, 2026. Advertiser disclosure
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