How Much Does It Cost to Regrout a Bathroom?
You may have noticed your bathroom tile looking a bit shabby and worn. In many instances, it isn’t the tile that is the problem. Often, the grout has become stained or been slowly eroded out of the grout space by water and cleaning. Refreshing the look of your bathroom tile is a great way to give your bathroom an updated look without a huge cost.
Typically, you can regrout bathroom tile for approximately $1.70 and $5.00 per square foot of tile surface if you do the work yourself. Professional tile installers generally charge between $10 and $25 per square foot for a turnkey grout job. Overall, hiring a professional to remove the old grout and apply new grout costs $250 and $1,000 for the average-sized bathroom.
Do You Need Grout Replacement or Repair?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
| Cost to Regrout Tile | Lower-End Cost | Upper-End Cost |
| Average Range to Regrout 100 square feet of tile | $250 | $1,000 |
| Do It Yourself Cost to Regrout Tile | $1.70 per square foot | $5.00 per square foot |
| Professional Cost to Regrout Tile | $10 per square foot | $25 per square foot |
What is Required to Regrout Bathroom Tile?
Regrouting bathroom tile is more about the labor involved than it is about the application of the new grout. The hardest part of a regrout job is removing the old grout and preparing the tile surface for new grout. In any case, the key to any job is having the proper tools and working in the proper order.
What Tools and Materials Are Required to Regrout Bathroom Tile?
In general, you need the following to regrout bathroom tiles. Suppose you hire a professional to regrout your tile. In that case, they will already have the necessary tools and can get the grout that is best suited for your job. If you do the regrout job yourself, you should have these tools and materials on hand before you start.
- Grout
- Grout tools, including spreaders and shapers
- A trowel
- A clean sponge
- Some soft cloths or rags
- A bucket for mixing your grout
- A putty knife
- A grout removal tool
The tools are not that complicated. However, some of them may not be in your homeowner’s toolbox. Most big box home improvement centers have all the tools and materials you need to perform a bathroom tile regrouting.
| Grout Tools and Supplies | Low Cost | High Cost |
| Sanded Grout | $10 for a 25 lb. bag | $160 for a gallon of pre-mix |
| Tools | $25 | $100 |
| Grout Removal Tools | $10.00 | $100.00 |
Do I Need to Remove the Old Grout?
Yes. The old grout must be removed before you apply new grout to your bathroom wall. You have several options to remove the old grout from between the tiles in your bathroom. You can use a manual grout tool or grout saw. These grout saws are available between $5 and $15. Be sure to buy extra blades if the saw does not include them.
You can purchase an electric grout removal tool. These grout removal tools come in several different types. You may already have an electric tool in your shop that will do an excellent job removing grout if you have the right accessory for the tool.
- Dedicated Electric Grout Removal Tools – These small electric tools employ a spinning cutting tool to remove the grout on your tile surfaces. The cutting surface of the tool is usually high-speed steel. These tools will remove grout cleanly and rapidly. However, they also make a huge mess as they fling grout dust everywhere. You can get a dedicated grout removal tool for about $35.00.
- Oscillating tools – Oscillating tools, especially the battery-powered sort, are gaining popularity among homeowners and do-it-yourselfers. You can fit different blades to these tools for different materials and purposes. Most manufacturers now offer a special blade for removing grout. Again, these tools are fast and efficient but create quite a mess of grout dust. Oscillating tools cost between $40 and $150.
- Dremel tools – The Dremel company makes an add-on accessory for their popular Dremel handheld tool to remove grout. The Dremel accessory includes a jig for your tool that helps you hold the blade at the proper angle and maintain the cut depth. Like any cutting tool, the grout dust can be a problem as your work. The Dremel tool accessory costs $25.
You should take several precautions when using a power tool to remove grout from your tile. The tools can damage the surface or edges of your tile if you aren’t careful. Work slowly and use the proper guards and jigs to keep the cutting edges away from your tile. You should also wear a respirator or dust mask and eye protection. The electric tools will spread the fine tile dust everywhere. The last thing you want to do is breathe the dust or get it in your eyes.
What Kind of Grout Should I Use to Regrout the Bathroom Tile?
When you go to the home improvement store to purchase grout for your bathroom regrouting project, you may feel overwhelmed with the choices. Understanding the different types of grouts and their best application will prepare you for your trip.
- Non-Sanded Grout – If your tile has very thin grout lines less than 1/16th of an inch, you will probably need unsanded grout for your project. However, you should not use unsanded grout in a shower. Unsanded grout usually costs around $10 per 25 lb. bag.
- Sanded Grout – Sanded grout is the best choice for tile joints larger than 1/16th of an inch. Sanded grout won’t shrink as it dries and typically has a longer life. If you have stone floors, sanded grout is your best option. If the stone floor is polished, sanded grout should not be used. You can purchase sanded grout for approximately $10 to $15.
- Epoxy Grout – Epoxy grout adds a level of durability and resistance to wear that other grout don’t provide. It is resistant to the chemicals in most bathroom cleaners and disinfectants. Epoxy grout is waterproof and resists mold growth making epoxy grout perfect for wet areas like showers. Epoxy grout is more expensive and usually runs about $35 to $80 for a pre-mixed bucket of epoxy grout.
- Polymer Additive Grout – Polymer additive grout is cement grout to which an acrylic polymer material is mixed. Most versions come pre-mixed in buckets, but you can purchase dry mixes. Polymer grouts don’t need to be sealed after they cure and dry. Generally, polymer grouts cost between $20 to $50 for the same coverage of a 25 lb. bag of regular grout.
- Cement Grout – Cement grout is an old standby and will do the job. However, cement grout requires more maintenance than the other kinds of grout. Cement grout should be sealed immediately after it cures and dries. A 25 lb. bag of cement grout usually costs between $8 and $12.
We prefer epoxy grout for almost all our tile installations. Epoxy grout is a bit more difficult to apply and requires more attention to cleanup. In the end, the mold resistance, permanence, and easy maintenance make epoxy grout a great choice.
Should I Hire a Professional to Regrout my Bathroom Tile?
There are advantages and disadvantages to hiring a professional to regrout your bathroom tile. You should consider these pros and cons as you make your bathroom remodel decisions.
Advantages of Hiring a Professional
- Time – Consider how much your time is worth and how much you will pay a professional to come to do the work. If you don’t have experience in regrouting tile, the job may take you much longer than if the professional does the job. Most professionals can do a complete regrout job in one day or less.
- Tools – If you don’t have the right tools for the job and must purchase them, the cost of your job goes up. Hiring a professional with all the tools makes sense if you are not an avid do-it-yourselfer with a complete and well-stocked shop.
- Experience – You can’t underestimate the value of experience. A professional who performs jobs like yours regularly becomes highly proficient, making them more efficient. Efficiency translates into fewer labor costs.
The Disadvantages of Hiring a Professional
- Cost – It will cost more to hire a professional to regrout your tile. Typically, the labor costs for regrouting range between $10 and $25 per hour.
- Inconvenience – There is some inconvenience associated with hiring a professional to regrout your tile. Most professionals will expect the bathroom to be empty of all accessories and personal items when they arrive. You must remain in your home while the professional works for the security of your home.
For many people, the advantages of hiring a professional to regrout their bathroom tile far outweigh the disadvantages. If you are an avid home improvement type, this may not sway you from undertaking the regrout project yourself.
Do You Need Grout Replacement or Repair?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Revitalizing Your Tile
Giving the tile in your bathroom a new lease on life is a great way to revitalize your whole space. New, clean grout can make your tile look new and fresh again. The regrout process is well within the capabilities of many homeowners, making it a great do-it-yourself job. On the other hand, the cost to hire a professional is reasonable enough to keep it in the budget range of most households. In either case, new grout is a great way to bring new life to your bathroom tile.
Dennis is a retired firefighter with an extensive background in construction, home improvement, and remodeling. He worked in the trades part-time while serving as an active firefighter. On his retirement, he started a remodeling and home repair business, which he ran for several years.
More by Dennis Howard
