Average bathroom renovations are around 13K. If you DIY the labor, you can cut that maybe 1/3. Don't count on keeping a lot of your older fixtures though. Codes have changed to require anti scald protection. And, if you change the configuration of the shower, you will have to change the drain as well. New codes require a larger sized drain, and you want the drain to be central to the space served, or else use a linear drain at one of the walls. You're talking frameless glass enclosures and multiple heads, and there is no way to do all of what you want on a 5K budget. Even if you did every bit of the labor yourself.

I gutted a 2nd bathroom. Installed 3' x 5' shower (tiled), glass shower door, all new fixtures, toilet, vanity, lights, heated floor, 6 panel door, drywall, electrical, paint - It was about $9k - DIY.

The shower / floor / backsplash were tiled, the walls were not.

We DIY everything (except frameless glass and granite) and did an 8x10 brand new bathroom (new framing, plumbing, electrical, etc.) for around $10K for materials.

We're nearing the end of a super-budget bathroom gut (including replacing rotted floor joists) of a 5x7 bath and it'll come in under $2K, but that includes building a vanity with a CL-acquired granite top/sink.

I'd map out the steps involved in detail, put check marks by the ones you're confident you can do, and get quotes on the ones you want to hire out.

If you've got a decent amount of patience and you're not sloppy, you can take on tiling ("whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." --Bill Vincent) Tiling floors is a lot easier than tiling walls, except on the knees, so be prepared for patience. You can get a lot of help on surface prep and design planning here.

The shower will be your biggest expenditure. Using a prefab base from Swanstone, Onyx or Kohler will save time and prevent potential problems from bad installs (it's the most critical part of the shower, to make sure it drains correctly). Glass doors can be pricey, though if you get standard-size sliders from a big box store they're not as bad as custom frameless.

I'd avoid moving walls if you're doing this on a relative budget.

Here is a link that might be useful: progress photos of tiny budget bath

This post was edited by weedyacres on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 8:05

I have remodeled 4 bathrooms (2 were a full gut) and working on 2 more in my own home right now. Cost is very subjective but if you have a new vanity and new, sink, toilet, etc...the cost wont be that bad. If the house is from the 80's or newer, it should be pretty simple. Tear out is a great place to save money. Its hard labor but it is easy work. I live in the DFW area and you can rent a 12yd dumpster for $250 which you should be able to junk everything in it. If you have time, you can slowly put it out in the trash.

If you have any DIY skills, you can plumb your own fixtures. Sweating copper pipe is easy and there are tons of videos on youtube. Use maap gas, not propane (yellow bottle).

Using a prefab pan probably wont work unless it is the exact dimensions. If it is 5', then you might have a change of a prefab pan that they sell to replace tubs. There are plenty of products out there that help you get the correct pitch on the floor slope if you cant to prefab. Mixing a mud pan is simple (cement, sand, water) until you get a damp sandy mixture. I would look into good sealing techniques (better than a 6ml liner). Something like Kerdi or hydroban.

Tile...its not hard but it takes time and patience. A decent tile saw isnt cheap and renting one is probably $70/day. A good place for tile is floor and decor. We have bought lots of tile from there and they have great prices.

I guess this all comes down to how much you want to do yourself. Most remodeling is not hard, just labor intensive. Im not a professional but have remodeled plenty of bathrooms and kitchens. The house the fiance and I bought, we completely gutted the house and now are starting the building phase. We do our research and have the simple mechanical skills to do the work and the drive. I refuse to pay $65/hr to an electrician to rewire my house with all the walls out. Any monkey can pull wire. A smart mokey can wire a circuit breaker box (there is only 3 wires per outlet unless its a 3 way switch, 240v outlet or something like a ceiling fan). Youtube is an amazing resource.