Key takeaways
- Cost vs. Value 2025 puts a midrange bath remodel at $27,767 in Philadelphia and $30,158 across the Middle Atlantic region, which includes New Jersey.
- An upscale bath remodel ran $85,334 in Philadelphia and $90,090 across the Middle Atlantic region.
- Replacing a fixture with a similar one without changing the piping is ordinary maintenance under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7 and needs no permit; moving supply, drain or vent piping does.
- Cherry Hill and Evesham both charge $15 per plumbing fixture and $50 for the first 1 to 50 electrical fixtures and devices, with a $65 minimum.
- New Jersey contracts for home improvement work costing more than $500 must be in writing and include the contractor's registration number.
A midrange bathroom remodel in South Jersey sits between two benchmarks in the 2025 Cost vs. Value report: $27,767 in Philadelphia, the closest city in the report to Camden, Burlington and Gloucester counties, and $30,158 across the Middle Atlantic region, which includes New Jersey. That figure covers new fixtures and finishes in an existing 5-by-7-foot bathroom with the plumbing left where it is. Moving fixtures, enlarging the room or choosing stone and frameless glass is what pushes a bathroom toward the upscale figures.
How to read these numbers: figures credited to a named report are quoted from it. The ranges labeled “Renovexus planning estimate” are ours: we take the lower of the Philadelphia and Middle Atlantic job costs for that scope minus 25 percent, and the higher one plus 25 percent, rounded to the nearest $1,000. The band exists because the report prices one defined bathroom, and yours will differ in size and finish. Get written bids before you set a budget.
Costs at a glance
| Scope | Job cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minor bathroom remodel, national | $3,000 to $10,000 | Angi, 2026 |
| Midrange bath remodel, Philadelphia | $27,767 | Cost vs. Value 2025, Philadelphia |
| Midrange bath remodel, Middle Atlantic region | $30,158 | Cost vs. Value 2025, Middle Atlantic |
| Midrange bath remodel, South Jersey | $21,000 to $38,000 | Renovexus planning estimate (method above) |
| Universal design bath remodel, Philadelphia | $45,749 | Cost vs. Value 2025, Philadelphia |
| Universal design bath remodel, Middle Atlantic region | $46,763 | Cost vs. Value 2025, Middle Atlantic |
| Universal design bath remodel, South Jersey | $34,000 to $58,000 | Renovexus planning estimate (method above) |
| Upscale bath remodel, Philadelphia | $85,334 | Cost vs. Value 2025, Philadelphia |
| Upscale bath remodel, Middle Atlantic region | $90,090 | Cost vs. Value 2025, Middle Atlantic |
| Upscale bath remodel, South Jersey | $64,000 to $113,000 | Renovexus planning estimate (method above) |
| National median, major remodel of a primary bath under 100 sq ft | $18,000 | 2026 Houzz & Home Study |
| National median, major remodel of a primary bath 100 sq ft or larger | $30,000 | 2026 Houzz & Home Study |
Which region is New Jersey in? The Cost vs. Value report does not print a list of states for each region. Its region names follow the U.S. Census Bureau’s divisions, and the Census Bureau places New Jersey in the Middle Atlantic division with New York and Pennsylvania. The report has no New Jersey city page, so we show Philadelphia, across the Delaware River from Camden County, as the nearest city figure.
What each scope means
Light update. New vanity, faucet, toilet, lighting, paint and maybe flooring, with every fixture staying in place. Angi puts a minor remodel at $3,000 to $10,000 and a partial remodel at $10,000 to $25,000 nationally, with an average bathroom remodel of $12,154 and most projects between $6,651 and $17,660.
Midrange remodel. The Cost vs. Value scope updates an existing 5-by-7-foot bathroom: a 30-by-60-inch porcelain-on-steel tub with a ceramic tile surround, a new pressure-balanced shower control, a standard white toilet, a solid-surface vanity top with integral sink, a recessed medicine cabinet with light, a ceramic tile floor and vinyl wallpaper. Plumbing stays where it is. The report estimates 72.8 percent of the cost comes back at resale in Philadelphia and 79.9 percent across the Middle Atlantic region.
Universal design remodel. The same small bathroom rebuilt for accessibility. The report puts it at $45,749 in Philadelphia and $46,763 regionally.
Upscale remodel. The report expands a 35-square-foot bathroom to 100 square feet inside the existing house and relocates every fixture. It adds a 42-by-42-inch neo-angle tiled shower with a frameless glass enclosure and body sprays, a freestanding soaker tub, a stone counter with two sinks, a compartmentalized toilet, custom cabinetry, extended HVAC and electric in-floor heat. Philadelphia comes in at $85,334 and the region at $90,090, with 39.3 percent and 42.2 percent recouped at resale.
What drives the cost
Labor. Angi estimates labor at 40 to 65 percent of a bathroom remodel budget, depending on the complexity of the job and where you live. That is why the Middle Atlantic figures run above the national ones for the same scope: the Cost vs. Value national midrange bath is $26,138, against $30,158 for the Middle Atlantic.
Moving fixtures. Angi says changing the floor plan can add about $5,000 for plumbing and electrical changes. In New Jersey it also changes the paperwork: once supply, drain or vent piping moves, the job is no longer ordinary maintenance and needs a plumbing permit.
Shower and tub choices. Angi lists a tub-to-shower conversion at $1,200 to $3,600, a walk-in shower at $4,200 to $8,500, and bathtub replacement at $2,000 to $9,400.
Tile. Angi puts retiling with midrange materials at $10 to $50 per square foot, including labor.
Demolition and permits. Angi says to budget $1,000 to $2,300 for demolition and $100 to $1,000 for permits on work that changes plumbing or electrical.
Permits in South Jersey
Every New Jersey town enforces the same statewide Uniform Construction Code, but each construction office sets its own fee schedule within the state’s rules. You apply to the construction office of the municipality where the house is. A few towns have asked the state to enforce the code for them. The NJ Department of Community Affairs’ Southern regional office in Hammonton handles Chesilhurst, Hi Nella and Laurel Springs in Camden County and Washington Township in Burlington County, and lists no Gloucester County towns.
What needs no permit. Under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7, ordinary maintenance needs no permit, inspection or notice. In a bathroom that includes:
- Replacing a fixture with a similar fixture, provided that no change in the piping arrangement is made.
- Replacing faucets, valves (including shower or combination bath/shower valves) and traps.
- Repairing, replacing or installing cabinets, benches and bathroom accessories.
- Repairing, replacing or installing any flooring material.
- Painting, wallpapering, and replacing interior finishes on less than 25 percent of the wall area in a one- or two-family home.
- Replacing a receptacle, switch or light fixture with a like or similar item.
What does need a permit. The same section says ordinary maintenance does not include adding, altering, replacing or relocating water supply, sewer, drainage, gas, waste or vent piping, or electrical wiring (beyond the like-for-like swaps above), or cutting into a load-bearing wall. A gut remodel or a tub-to-shower conversion that moves the drain is permit work.
What it costs in two South Jersey towns. These are each town’s own posted schedules.
- Cherry Hill, Camden County (the schedule the township posts is Ordinance 2017-20): renovations and alterations are $34 per $1,000 of estimated cost, minimum $65. Plumbing is $15 per fixture, minimum $65. Electrical is $50 for 1 to 50 receptacles and fixtures, minimum $65. The township also collects a state training surcharge of $1.90 per $1,000 of construction value.
- Evesham, Burlington County (schedule as of June 14, 2026): renovations and alterations are $34 per $1,000 up to $50,000. Plumbing is $15 per fixture. Electrical is $50 for 1 to 50 fixtures and devices plus $15 for each additional 25. The minimum construction permit fee is $65.
As a rough illustration from those numbers, and our own arithmetic: a bathroom with a new toilet, sink and shower is three plumbing fixtures at $15, or $45, which is below the $65 minimum fee in both towns’ schedules. Your construction office decides how the estimated cost is split across the building, plumbing and electrical subcodes, so call it before you budget. In Gloucester County and the rest of Camden and Burlington, ask your own township for its schedule.
Who signs the trade permits. The Division of Consumer Affairs says the municipal permit must be signed and sealed by a New Jersey licensed electrical contractor or licensed master plumber when they are doing the work, and that final inspections should be completed before you make the final payment. Our NJ bathroom permit guide covers inspections in more detail.
Check the contractor’s NJ registration
New Jersey does not license general remodelers. It registers them. Under the Contractors’ Registration Act, home improvement contractors must register with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, and the Division’s definition names bathrooms, kitchens, cabinets and finished basements. Its consumer brief says contractors who are not registered will not be issued municipal construction permits.
The same brief sets out what you are owed:
- A written contract for any home improvement costing more than $500, with the contractor’s legal name and business address, start and completion dates, a description of the work, the total price and the contractor’s registration number.
- A copy of the contractor’s commercial general liability insurance policy and the insurer’s phone number.
- The right to cancel a signed contract for any reason before midnight of the third business day after you receive a copy.
- No demand for the final payment before the work is complete. The brief also warns against a contractor who asks for more than a third of the total before work begins.
Check a registration on the Division’s verification page. Licensed plumbers and electrical contractors working within their trade do not have to register as home improvement contractors, so check those on the same site under their own boards. Our NJ contractor check guide shows each step.
How to compare quotes
- Match each quote to a scope. A fixtures-in-place refresh and a relocation remodel are different jobs. Ask each contractor whether any supply, drain or vent line moves.
- Ask which permits are included. If piping or wiring changes, the quote should include plumbing and electrical permits pulled by the licensed trades.
- Get labor and materials on separate lines. With labor at 40 to 65 percent of the budget, that split is where quotes differ most.
- Price the shower or tub separately. Conversions, glass and tile coverage vary widely, so make sure every bid prices the same shower.
- Check registration, insurance and the contract terms. Registration number on the contract, a copy of the liability policy, and a payment schedule that leaves the final payment until after final inspection.
FAQ
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in South Jersey?
The 2025 Cost vs. Value report puts a midrange bath remodel at $27,767 in Philadelphia and $30,158 across the Middle Atlantic region, which includes New Jersey. Our planning estimate for a midrange remodel in Camden, Burlington and Gloucester counties is $21,000 to $38,000, and $64,000 to $113,000 for an upscale remodel.
Do I need a permit to replace a toilet or vanity in New Jersey?
Not if nothing moves. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7 treats replacing a fixture with a similar fixture as ordinary maintenance, provided no change in the piping arrangement is made, and it also covers cabinets, bathroom accessories, faucets and flooring. Moving supply, drain or vent piping needs a plumbing permit.
What do bathroom permits cost in Cherry Hill?
Cherry Hill’s posted schedule charges $34 per $1,000 of estimated cost for alterations, $15 per plumbing fixture and $50 for 1 to 50 electrical fixtures and devices, with a $65 minimum for each subcode, plus a state surcharge of $1.90 per $1,000 of construction value.
Does a New Jersey bathroom contractor need a license?
General remodelers must register with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs as home improvement contractors, and unregistered contractors will not be issued municipal construction permits. Plumbers and electrical contractors are licensed by their own state boards. Check both on the Division’s verification site.
Does a bathroom remodel pay off at resale in South Jersey?
In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, a midrange bath remodel recouped 72.8 percent of its cost in Philadelphia and 79.9 percent across the Middle Atlantic region. An upscale remodel recouped 39.3 percent and 42.2 percent.
Ready to compare South Jersey bathroom remodelers? Browse license-checked pros in New Jersey, or by town in Cherry Hill, Marlton and Sewell. County lists: Camden County, Burlington County, Gloucester County.
Sources
- JLC/Remodeling Cost vs. Value 2025: Middle Atlantic Region jlconline.com
- JLC/Remodeling Cost vs. Value 2025: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania jlconline.com
- U.S. Census Bureau: Census Regions and Divisions of the United States www2.census.gov
- Angi: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost? (updated Jul 9, 2026) angi.com
- Houzz: 11 Things to Know About Home Renovations Today (2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study) houzz.com
- N.J.A.C. 5:23-2: Uniform Construction Code, Administration and Enforcement (incl. 5:23-2.7 Ordinary maintenance) nj.gov
- Cherry Hill Township: Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance 2017-20) chnj.gov
- Evesham Township: UCC Fee Schedule as of 6-14-2026 evesham-nj.org
- NJ DCA: Local (Regional) Code Enforcement Offices nj.gov
- NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: Home Improvement Contractor Business njconsumeraffairs.gov
- NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: Hiring Home Improvement Contractors (consumer brief, revised 01/13/25) njconsumeraffairs.gov
- NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: Verify a Contractor Business Registration newjersey.mylicense.com
