Bathroom remodeling in Montgomery County
A midrange bathroom remodel in the Washington, DC market cost about $25,9361 in the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, just under the $26,1382 national figure. In Montgomery County the bigger factor is what the house can carry and how old its plumbing is: the median home is worth $640,3003, and 49%4 of homes were built before 1980, so expect a full rebuild to include the pipes behind the tile.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles bathroom remodels in the Montgomery County area answers.
Updated October 11, 2026
What the job costs here
Cost vs. Value has no Montgomery County market of its own. The Washington, DC page in the 2025 edition is the closest, and its figures sit just under the national averages.
| Measure | Washington, DC market | U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| Midrange bathroom remodel, job cost | $25,9361 | $26,1382 |
| Upscale bathroom remodel, job cost | $80,9941 | $81,6122 |
| Universal-design bathroom remodel, job cost | $41,8321 | $42,1832 |
Treat the upscale figure as a reference point for a full primary-bath rebuild, not a ceiling or a quote. Shower size, tile choice and any change to the layout will set your own number.
How old the houses are
The Census Bureau sorts homes by the decade they were built. Montgomery County's housing came in two waves, the postwar decades and the 1980s, and in both it built a larger share of its homes than the Washington metro did.
| Measure | Montgomery County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1980 | 49%4 | 45%4 |
| Homes built 1950–1969 | 25%4 | 20%4 |
| Homes built 1980–1989 | 19%4 | 15%4 |
Ask which wave your house belongs to. A postwar bathroom may still have its first tile and pipes; a 1980s one is often on its original valves and supply lines, which are now old enough to replace while the wall is open.
What homes are worth
Montgomery County's median owner-occupied home is worth more than the metro median. That leaves room for a fuller remodel before the bathroom outprices the house, though the street still sets the ceiling.
What the trades earn
BLS doesn't publish these wages for Montgomery County or for its metropolitan division, only for the Washington metro as a whole, so the figures below cover the full region. Median hourly wages here and nationally:
| Measure | Washington metro | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, median hourly wage | $34.55/hr5 | $30.67/hr5 |
| Electricians, median hourly wage | $36.50/hr5 | $30.38/hr5 |
| Carpenters, median hourly wage | $29.23/hr5 | $29.12/hr5 |
| Tile and stone setters, median hourly wage | $23.65/hr5 | $26.77/hr5 |
The premium is in the licensed trades: plumbers and electricians earn well above their national medians here, while tile setters earn less. Keeping the toilet, tub and sink where they are is the surest way to hold the plumber's hours down.
Climate the room has to handle
NOAA keeps no long-term normals station inside the county. The two nearest major airports are Dulles, across the Potomac to the west, and Reagan National, on the river, and they differ sharply on freezing nights.
| Measure | Dulles Airport | Reagan National |
|---|---|---|
| Days a year with a low at or below freezing | 102 days6 | 60 days6 |
| July afternoon relative humidity | 54%7 | 53%7 |
If a vanity or shower valve sits on an outside wall, ask how the contractor will keep its supply lines from freezing. In summer, a fan ducted to the outdoors is what keeps that humidity off new paint and grout.
What's in the water
WSSC Water says most of its service area in Montgomery County gets water from the Potomac, while a small southern portion of the county receives a blend of Potomac and Patuxent water.8 WSSC Water publishes a yearly hardness average for each of its two filtration plants.
| Measure | WSSC Water |
|---|---|
| Hardness, yearly average, Potomac Water Filtration Plant | 154 mg/L9 |
| Hardness, yearly average, Patuxent Water Filtration Plant | 70 mg/L9 |
The USGS classes water at 121 to 180 mg/L of hardness as hard.10 The Potomac plant's average falls in that band, so most WSSC Water customers in the county should expect mineral spots on glass doors, chrome and shower heads. Coated shower glass and easy-clean fixtures are worth pricing.
Permits
In most of Montgomery County, the Department of Permitting Services issues the building permit for a bathroom renovation and the electrical permit that hangs off it, while plumbing belongs to WSSC Water and the plumbers it licenses. A new faucet, new tile or a countertop on its own needs no permit; tearing out and rebuilding does. Rockville and Gaithersburg run their own permit offices and several smaller towns add an approval step, so confirm which office covers the address before demolition is booked.
- Montgomery County requires a permit before any reconstruction or renovation of an existing structure other than a repair, and reconstruction includes partial demolition and rebuilding.11
- Montgomery County requires no permit for painting, wallpapering, replacing a faucet, installing countertops, or laying hardwood, tile or carpet, as long as no structural changes are made.11
- WSSC Water's plumbing and gasfitting regulations require most plumbing projects in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, including interior re-piping and all gas work, to be done by a WSSC Water-licensed plumber or gasfitter.12
- In Montgomery County an electrical permit is applied for online by a master electrician licensed by the Maryland State Board of Electricians and is issued once the parent building permit has been; homeowners who qualify can instead pass a county exam to get a permit for limited work on their own home.13
- Homeowners may apply for an alteration permit in their own name, but when a contractor does the work the county strongly suggests listing the contractor as the responsible party, and a contractor must hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission license to obtain a permit.11
- Alteration permits and plans are submitted online; eligible applications can go through Fast Track, which can produce a permit in three to five days, and the county aims to finish other code reviews within 17 days, with WSSC Water's review, where it applies, completed before the permit is issued.11
- The cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg issue their own permits instead of the county, and several towns, including Takoma Park, Kensington and Chevy Chase Village, require their own approval along with the county permit.14
Checked October 11, 2026
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Two generations of Montgomery County bathrooms
25%4 of the county's homes went up from 1950 through 1969, and another 19%4 during the 1980s. A bathroom from the first wave may still have its original tile, tub and pipes; one from the second is likely on its first full remodel.
The EPA notes that lead can collect inside galvanized pipe and later reach drinking water, and that solder made before 1986 contained high levels of lead.15 In a postwar house, ask whether the plan replaces the supply piping back to the shutoff while the wall is already open.
Original colored tile and enameled fixtures are getting scarce; preservationists advise keeping them where possible and recoating chipped fixtures in place.16 To keep an original tiled tub or shower wall, choose new fixtures that connect to the existing plumbing so the wall doesn't have to be opened.17 Say on the call if a vintage tile wall is something you want to keep, so the plan starts there.
Planning a primary bath for the long run
More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.18 A low or curbless shower entry, a bench, and blocking inside the walls for future grab bars are easiest to add while a primary bath is down to the studs. The CDC's home fall-prevention checklist recommends grab bars in and beside the tub and next to the toilet, and a non-slip surface on tub and shower floors.19
For a full universal-design rebuild, Cost vs. Value's 2025 Washington, DC figure is $41,8321. A 1980s primary suite often has room for a wider door and a roll-in shower; a postwar hall bath may need to borrow space from a closet first. NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.20 The National Institute on Aging suggests non-skid surfaces wherever a floor can get wet and a light left on in the bathroom at night.21
What happens when you call
Calling the number on this page connects you, on a recorded line, with one independent company that handles bathroom remodels in the Montgomery County area. Scope, schedule and price are worked out between you and that company.
The remodeling company, not you, pays us for each call. Connecting costs you nothing, and nobody from our side phones or texts you afterward. How we make money
After you're connected
The state keeps the record that matters most here. Maryland's Home Improvement Commission licenses home improvement contractors and salespersons, and its License Search shows whether a license is current.22 Search the company's name there before any deposit changes hands. Check a Maryland license
Then settle who will pull the county permit. Homeowners may apply for an alteration permit in their own name, but when a contractor does the work the county strongly suggests listing the contractor as the responsible party, and a contractor must hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission license to obtain a permit.11
Questions people ask
What should I budget for a bathroom remodel in Montgomery County?
Cost vs. Value doesn't price the county on its own. For the Washington, DC market, its 2025 report put a midrange bathroom at $25,9361 and an upscale one at $80,9941; room size, fixture moves and what's behind the walls decide where yours lands.
Do I need a county permit if I live in Rockville or Gaithersburg?
The cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg issue their own permits instead of the county, and several towns, including Takoma Park, Kensington and Chevy Chase Village, require their own approval along with the county permit.14 The county's municipalities page lists a contact for each town.
Is Montgomery County's water hard?
WSSC Water says most of its service area in Montgomery County gets water from the Potomac, while a small southern portion of the county receives a blend of Potomac and Patuxent water.8 In WSSC Water's 2025 report, the Potomac plant's yearly hardness average was 154 mg/L9. The USGS classes water at 121 to 180 mg/L of hardness as hard.10
Can I do the plumbing or wiring myself?
Only within narrow limits. WSSC Water's plumbing and gasfitting regulations require most plumbing projects in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, including interior re-piping and all gas work, to be done by a WSSC Water-licensed plumber or gasfitter.12 In Montgomery County an electrical permit is applied for online by a master electrician licensed by the Maryland State Board of Electricians and is issued once the parent building permit has been; homeowners who qualify can instead pass a county exam to get a permit for limited work on their own home.13
Sources
Page updated October 11, 2026. How we source our numbers
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025, Washington, DC. Released 2025. Washington, DC. Industry source.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025, national. Released 2025. United States. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Montgomery County, MD, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25034. Released January 29, 2026. Montgomery County, MD, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Prince George's County, MD.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released May 15, 2026. Plumbers, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Plumbers, United States, Electricians, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Electricians, United States, Carpenters, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Carpenters, United States, Tile and stone setters, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Tile and stone setters, United States.
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Released 2021. Washington Dulles Airport (station USW00093738), Reagan National Airport (station USW00013743).
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Comparative Climatic Data, average relative humidity, data through 2023. Released November 2024. Washington Dulles Airport (WBAN 93738).
- WSSC Water, Where Does My Water Come From?. Released August 12, 2026. View source.
- WSSC Water, 2025 Tap Water Analysis Report. Released August 6, 2026. WSSC Water, Potomac plant.
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School: Hardness of Water. No publication date. View source.
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Residential Alterations Permit Process. No publication date. View source.
- WSSC Water, Permit Services: Information for Homeowners. Released May 2, 2023. View source.
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Electrical Permit with Parent Building permit process. No publication date. View source.
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Municipalities Page. No publication date. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sources of Lead in Drinking Water. Released August 2017. View source.
- Preservation Idaho, Idaho Modern Field Guide. No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- Atomic Ranch, Flipping Diaries: Preserve Vintage Tile with Style. No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facts About Older Adult Falls. Released September 4, 2026. View source.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, STEADI: Check for Safety, a home fall prevention checklist for older adults. No publication date. View source.
- National Association of Home Builders, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- National Institute on Aging, Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room. Released September 12, 2022. View source.
- Maryland Department of Labor, Maryland Home Improvement Commission. No publication date. View source.