Uh, have you had your plan priced out yet by a contractor? Even for upstate NY, that sounds crazy low to me. A master bathroom of your size in my area would cost ~$100 to $125K. A bathroom remodel I did last year that was half the size cost $80K. Let's say labor is 30% cheaper where you are. You're still looking at $70K to $90K. Get some estimates from a couple of contractors before you go down this path. Your current contractor may be low-balling you to get the job and then hit you with lots of change orders later.

Thank you. I am starting to realize that we may need to raise our budget more. How much do people usually spend on this scope of work? I was told by Contractor A that our new vanity would be fine even with an open shower w/ a rain shower head. I'm not sure if that's realistic or possible. He said he has done it in other bathrooms with a even smaller shower space.

Labor costs vary wildly by region, so I really couldn't say. The best bet is to show the contractors your plans and have them bid on them. You can save some money by doing the purchasing of decorative materials and plumbing fixtures yourself, But then you're on the hook for materials damage, returns, or delays in shipping which could delay the project.

The floor plan looks good to me as is, except that a glass wall between the tub and shower would let more light into the room from the window than the solid wall. If the goal is to add more light to the bathroom, how about a skylight, solar tube or enlarging and centering the window over the tub?

So, is the main goal to let in some more natural light from the tub area into the shower area? If that's all that is really bothering you for now (other than generally wanting an aesthetic refresh), I'd look into installing a solar light/tube while you save up for a bigger remodel. It would be a shame to delete the tub without actually having a good alternative use for that space, and your options for changing the layout to use that space effectively are extremely limited on that budget.

We are just wrapping up a similar size remodel and we have spent well over $20k even though we are in a low COL area, did about a third of the work ourselves, aren't installing glass, and left most of the plumbing in roughly the same place we found it.

Remodeling Magazine publishes a Remodel Cost Vs. Value Report each year which includes cost data for a variety of different remodeling projects organized by regions across the U.S. For your region, their data indicate a $21K cost to remodel a 5' x 7' bath at a mid-range quality level. Your master bath is larger and presumably you'd want a higher quality level, too. Here's a link to the online report:

https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/bathroom-remodel?y=2019

If you want to forgo a shower door, our rule of thumb is that you'll need at least 5 ft from the shower head that is protected with tile or glass. I don't see how you're going to achieve that based on your current plan. In addition to its effect on your vanity, splashing creates a slip/fall hazard in the area between the shower and toilet.

Regarding your question whether eliminating the tub will torpedo your home's resale value, the answer is that it depends. It depends on 1.) consumer preferences in your local market, and 2.) the demographics of the most likely purchasers of your home.

Best wishes for a successful project!

Thank you for the suggestions on installing a skylight or solar tube. Honestly I am a little intimidated with that idea and the potential of having a leaky roof...... The current bathroom looks dark and very narrow. The clearance between tub and countertop is less than 30". Visually I just want that current plumbing wall gone. We thought about shortening it to the top of the tub and using custom glass enclosure, but then we would be adding $2500-3000 for the custom glass. The tub is gigantic that we hardly use and the existing tub surround is outdated. I just don't see much value in keeping it and spending $$ on making it look nicer.

I'm in upstate NY (north of Albany) and have been getting estimates for a similar size bathroom. 20K is on the low side of prices I have received, but I think you will find someone to do it in that range if you are not rearranging your fixtures. The highest estimate I received was 58k and that included a new window and moving some plumbing. Are you planning to replace your tub with a new one? if so, I would enlarge the linen closet and put in a smaller tub, I don't think 72 inches is necessary. I agree with Patti that glass between the shower and tub would be better than the solid wall.

Thank you, Lorrie. Your information is really helpful and gives me a better perspective. We will most likely have to take a hard look at our budget to decide how to move forward.

Does anyone have experiences with the vanity cabinet brands mentioned above?

Nic Liu , prices seem to drop north of Saratoga, and increase if you have a lake house.

Which direction does the bathroom window face? There is a limit to how much natural light you may get from that window. And which direction do most storms come in from? I once had a big skylight in a master bath, but every night that a big storm came thru, the noise from rain on the glass would wake me up. (Ironically, I now have a house with a metal roof but hear nothing since it was installed over the shingle original one.)

Until you do the big reno, white walls will brighten the room. Plus, additional lighting. That dinky fan light in front of the shower isn't helping. An long overhead fixture or multi-light track would help a lot. Also, put an overhead on a dimmer switch for nighttime bathroom visits. Less glare for both you and the other person still sleeping.

Just a thought....Reverse the position of your shower and the linen closet. Place the shower as you enter the bathroom and stretch it towards the window. Use a half wall with glass at the top to capture light from the window. Replace your current tub with a smaller, conventional tub. And put a pantry cabinet across from your toilet to serve as a linen closet. This might break the budget, it it would enable you to have a larger shower, a smaller tub, and a decent sized linen closet that could match the cabinetry of your vanity. Good luck!

@catlady999

The window in the bathroom is on the east side of the house. I agree the current paint color is a poor choice. The previous owner repainted the main floor in that color, and with lots of natural light it looks gorgeous. Unfortunately it looks rather muddy under poor lighting.

I think we'll probably pick from one of the below options:

1) Expand linen closet by 12". Put in a 60" alcove tub, and make the existing plumbing wall a half wall. I'm not sure if we can still somehow keep plumbing on the half wall with a shower head handle bar attached at a corner. This would require a custom glass shower enclosure.

2) Remove existing plumbing wall and relocate to the newly built interior wall on the opposite side. Full glass shower enclosure. A semi-freestanding tub approx. 60" against the window wall. (I don't know how easy it is to clean around the tub tho.)

3) Basically #2 without a tub but expend the linen closet. Maybe add a wall mounted electric towel warmer, a bench and some nice plants in the corner to dress up the space a little.