€18,000 for a 5 m² bathroom: the quote that doesn't add up

€18,000 for a 5 m² bathroom: the quote that captures the cost of building work in Spain

How much does it cost to renovate a five-square-metre bathroom in Bilbao? If a quote circulated in March 2026 bearing the name of a renovation company from Santutxu is reliable, the answer is €18,000. The offer, which serves as a thermometer for a much broader conversation about construction prices, includes items that have raised more than a few eyebrows: a €750 shower tray, an €850 glass screen and a cabinet with mirror for another €750. The document also does not specify dimensions, the building's floor or whether there is a lift. Details that, as any professional recalls, can move the final bill by several thousand euros.

The breakdown that doesn't match market prices

The comparison with the DIY market is devastating. A standard-sized shower tray can be found at chains such as Leroy Merlin for between €100 and €250. The glass screen billed here at €850 has alternatives for €200, €300 or €400. Even the toilet roll holder, a minor accessory, appears at €35. On the defensive side, some argue that the real cost of a job includes invisible items: transport, rubble removal, setting out, possible hidden defects under the tiling and travel in a city with complicated streets. The margin of error when overquoting, when the schedule is full, is a classic in the sector.

From the €18,000 quote to the real €6,000 renovation

The gap between paper and reality appears when a case of a complete renovation of a 7-square-metre bathroom on the ground floor, with drainage included, buying materials independently, came to €6,000: 40% materials and 60% labour. A year ago, but the data provides context: a larger bathroom than the one in the €18,000 quote for a third of the price. Along the same lines, a full renovation of a flat in good condition has been estimated at less than €30,000. And in a living room, removing wallpaper and painting after smoothing the walls was quoted at €3,500 excluding VAT. The jump from these amounts to a 5 m² bathroom is, at the very least, striking.

Surging demand and the double-price strategy

Why can this happen? Part of the analysis points to the law of supply and demand: renovation companies are fully booked and, instead of turning down projects, they double the price "in case someone desperate in a hurry takes the bait". If the client accepts, the margin compensates for the wait. The other leg is taxation: in a job, taxes and social security contributions represent a significant part of the bill, although this only partly explains items such as a shower tray at three times its market price. Skilled professionals — plumbers and electricians — are the real bottleneck that makes labour more expensive.

DIY as an alternative and as a response

Faced with these figures, DIY has become a kind of economic counterpower. One case cited in the analysis: a roof retiling quoted between €8,000 and €10,000 was resolved for €1,200 in materials, with own work, patience and YouTube tutorials. A kitchen countertop that no professional would lower below €1,000 was changed in a day with a laminated board, a jigsaw and silicone. Today, between videos, photos and artificial intelligence tools, learning to do these tasks is more accessible than ever. The option of renovating little by little, oneself, is gaining trinc.

The conclusion is not unique. For some professionals, €18,000 can be a legitimate price if you want a bathroom with premium finishes and no surprises. For the rest, the quote works as a filter more profitable for the company than for the client. And in the middle, an uncomfortable reality: with housing prices pushing people to renovate instead of move, the sector has little incentive to lower prices. Perhaps the only answer that lives up to it is the one many homeowners are already pointing to: learn, or hire someone whose schedule isn't so full that they ask €18,000 for five square metres.