Farmington Hills is home to some of Oakland County's most substantial single-family properties. Many were built during the 1980s and 1990s, when builder-grade bathrooms meant beige tile, cultured marble vanity tops, jacuzzi tubs that nobody uses, and fluorescent lighting above an oak-framed mirror. Those bathrooms were perfectly acceptable for their era. In 2026, they are the first thing buyers and appraisers notice, and not in a good way.
The good news is that Farmington Hills homes typically have the square footage to support a genuinely impressive master bath renovation. Homeowners here are not cramming a spa into 60 square feet. They are working with 80 to 150 square feet and sometimes more, which gives real design room. This guide covers what renovation costs look like in 2026, what choices drive the budget in either direction, and what to expect from the process.
Bathroom Renovation Costs in Farmington Hills: 2026 Pricing
Entry-Level Full Bathroom Renovation: $8,000 to $15,000
At this budget level, you are doing a cosmetic overhaul of an existing bathroom without moving plumbing. This means new tile (walls and floor), a new vanity and top, updated fixtures, a new toilet, fresh paint, and new lighting. It is the right approach for a secondary bathroom or hall bath where the layout functions well but the finishes are dated. Most Farmington Hills homeowners use this budget tier for guest bathrooms or kids' baths.
Mid-Range Master Bath Renovation: $15,000 to $25,000
This is where most Farmington Hills master bath projects land. You are doing a full gut of the existing bathroom, replacing everything from the subfloor up. The budget covers floor-to-ceiling tile, a new double-sink vanity with a stone or quartz top, a frameless glass shower enclosure, updated lighting with proper task illumination around the mirror, and new fixtures throughout. Plumbing stays in roughly the same location, which keeps costs manageable.
Luxury Master Bath Renovation: $25,000 to $50,000 and Beyond
Farmington Hills homeowners who want a true spa-level result are typically investing in this range. This tier includes custom tile work with large-format porcelain or natural stone, heated floors (radiant electric is the most practical choice for bathroom applications), a freestanding soaking tub, a large custom shower with body spray systems and a rain head, custom cabinetry rather than stock or semi-custom vanities, and sometimes a full layout reconfiguration that requires moving plumbing and walls. The result is a bathroom that genuinely competes with what you would find in a high-end hotel.
What Farmington Hills Homeowners Should Know Before Starting
The Jacuzzi Tub Question
This comes up in nearly every 1980s and 1990s Farmington Hills master bath project. Most of these homes have a large jetted tub that has not been used in years. Homeowners are often torn between keeping it (sunk cost) and removing it to gain space for a larger shower and better floor plan. The honest answer is that jetted tubs have fallen substantially out of favor in the resale market. Most buyers today would rather have a well-designed walk-in shower than a jetted tub. Removing it typically improves both the functionality and the resale value of the bathroom. It also frees up the 220-volt circuit for other uses or eliminates it entirely.
Tile Selection and What It Does to the Budget
Tile is where bathroom renovation budgets vary the most. A 12x24 porcelain floor tile from a domestic manufacturer runs $3 to $6 per square foot. A large-format Italian porcelain slab (24x48 or larger) runs $8 to $20 per square foot. Natural stone like marble or travertine adds material cost plus ongoing sealing requirements. The labor cost to install larger format tile is higher as well, both because of the weight and because the substrate must be flatter and more precisely prepared to avoid lippage (edges that sit at different heights).
For most Farmington Hills master bath renovations, the most cost-effective approach is a porcelain floor tile that mimics stone, a coordinating wall tile in the shower, and a simple 4-inch backsplash tile behind the vanity. This gets you a high-end look without the premium cost of natural stone throughout.
Ventilation and Moisture Control
Michigan's climate makes proper bathroom ventilation non-negotiable. Many homes from the 1980s and 1990s have undersized exhaust fans or fans that vent into the attic rather than directly to the exterior. Both situations lead to moisture accumulation and eventual mold problems. Any bathroom renovation should include a properly sized exhaust fan (calculated by bathroom square footage) vented directly to the outside. This is a small line item that prevents major problems down the road.
Heated Floors: Worth the Investment?
Radiant electric floor heating is one of the most popular upgrades in Farmington Hills master bath renovations, and for good reason. Michigan winters make a cold tile floor genuinely uncomfortable. The installation cost for electric radiant heating in a typical master bath runs $1,200 to $2,500 for the system itself (mats or cables plus the thermostat), plus the labor to install it beneath the tile. Operating costs are modest since the bathroom is a small space that heats quickly and is not run continuously. Most homeowners who add heated floors say they would never renovate without it again.
The Renovation Timeline
A full master bath renovation in Farmington Hills typically runs 3 to 5 weeks from demo to final walkthrough. Here is the general sequence:
- Demo and rough inspection: 2 to 3 days
- Rough plumbing and electrical updates: 3 to 5 days
- Waterproofing and cement board substrate: 2 to 3 days
- Tile installation (floor and shower): 4 to 7 days depending on complexity
- Vanity, fixtures, mirrors, and lighting: 2 to 3 days
- Punch list, grouting, and caulking: 1 to 2 days
Lead times on special-order tile or vanities can extend this timeline. If you have a specific tile in mind that needs to be ordered rather than pulled from local stock, factor in 2 to 4 additional weeks for delivery.
What to Look for in a Farmington Hills Bathroom Contractor
Bathroom renovation is one of the most detail-intensive trades in residential construction. The difference between a contractor who does excellent tile work and one who does mediocre tile work is visible every single day. A few things to look for:
- License verification: Michigan requires a residential builder's license for this scope of work. Verify any contractor's license through the LARA database before signing anything.
- Shower waterproofing methodology: Ask specifically how they waterproof the shower. The answer should reference either a prefabricated shower pan system or a full membrane waterproofing system like Schluter-Kerdi or Wedi applied to all surfaces. "We use cement board" alone is not a waterproofing answer.
- Photo portfolio of completed work: Bathroom tile work is visual. Ask to see photos of completed shower enclosures, floor tile work, and vanity installations. The quality of the grout lines and transitions tells you a great deal about craftsmanship.
- Permit handling: Any renovation involving plumbing or electrical changes requires permits from the City of Farmington Hills. A contractor who suggests skipping permits to save money is creating a problem for you when you sell the house.
Arise Above Construction carries a 5.0-star Google rating from 57 reviews, with bathroom renovations representing a significant share of our Metro Detroit project portfolio. We are licensed (#2101179929), fully insured, and EPA Lead-Safe certified for work in older homes.
Return on Investment in the Farmington Hills Market
Updated master bathrooms are one of the highest-return renovations in the Farmington Hills real estate market. Buyers in this price range expect upgraded finishes, and original 1980s or 1990s bathrooms are priced in accordingly. A well-executed master bath renovation typically returns 60 to 70 percent of its cost in increased home value, with the added benefit of making the home substantially more competitive when it comes time to list.
For homeowners not planning to sell, the daily quality-of-life return is harder to quantify but very real. A well-designed master bath that starts your morning and ends your evening in a comfortable, well-lit, properly functioning space has value that no spreadsheet captures accurately.