Material takeoff for a bathroom remodel: a worked example
A takeoff turns drawings into a shopping list: every material, its quantity, and how the quantity was calculated. Here is a complete one for a common 5 x 8 ft hall bath, with every step of the math shown so you can repeat it on your own job.
Updated 2026-10-08. Coverage rates below are typical planning figures. Always check the label of the product you actually buy.
The room
We start from a dimensioned plan, the same plan you would draw for an as-built or a permit set:
- Interior size 5'0" x 8'0", ceiling height 8'0".
- A 60" x 30" alcove tub across one 5 ft end wall, with a tiled surround.
- A 2'6" x 6'8" door in the opposite 5 ft wall.
- Toilet and a 30" vanity along one long wall.
- Gut remodel: everything comes out to the studs and subfloor.
Two rules make every takeoff easier. First, write down the basis of each number, so anyone can check it. Second, calculate the net area, add waste, and only then round up to what the store sells.
1. Floor tile
Floor area: 5 ft x 8 ft = 40.0 sq ft.
Minus the tub footprint: 5 ft x 2.5 ft = 12.5 sq ft.
Net tiled floor: 40.0 minus 12.5 = 27.5 sq ft.
Waste: 10% for a straight lay, 15% for diagonal or herringbone. Straight lay here: 27.5 x 1.10 = 30.25, round up to 31 sq ft. If the tile comes in 10 sq ft boxes, order 4 boxes. The extra box is not wasted: keep a few spare tiles for future repairs.
2. Tub surround tile
The surround covers three walls: the 5 ft back wall and two 2.5 ft end walls, a run of 5 + 2.5 + 2.5 = 10 linear ft.
Height: tile from the tub rim (about 15" above the floor) up to 7'0", which is 84" minus 15" = 69", or 5.75 ft.
Net area: 10 ft x 5.75 ft = 57.5 sq ft. With 10% waste: 63.25, round up to 64 sq ft. Add bullnose or edge trim for the two outside vertical edges and the top: 5.75 + 5.75 + 10 = 21.5 linear ft, round up to the piece length you buy.
3. Backer board and waterproofing
Cement board in 3 x 5 ft sheets (15 sq ft each).
- Surround: 57.5 / 15 = 3.83, so area says 4 sheets. Layout says otherwise: each end wall is 2.5 ft wide and 5.75 ft tall, so one sheet covers 5 ft of height and you need a strip on top; the back wall is 5 ft wide and needs two sheets side by side plus a top strip. Counting by layout gives 5 sheets. When area and layout disagree, layout wins.
- Floor underlayment: 27.5 / 15 = 1.83, so 2 sheets.
Total: 7 sheets, plus backer screws and alkali resistant mesh tape. Waterproofing membrane for the surround is ordered by area (57.5 sq ft) at the coverage and number of coats printed on the product label.
4. Drywall
Total wall area: perimeter 2 x (5 + 8) = 26 ft, times 8 ft = 208 sq ft.
- Minus the surround zone, floor to ceiling: 10 ft x 8 ft = 80 sq ft, leaving 128 sq ft.
- Minus the door: 2.5 ft x 6.67 ft = 16.7 sq ft, leaving 111.3 sq ft.
- Plus the strip above the tile in the surround zone: 10 ft x 1 ft = 10 sq ft, giving 121.3 sq ft.
- Plus the ceiling: 40 sq ft.
Net board: 161.3 sq ft. Use moisture resistant board. With 15% waste for a small room full of cuts: 161.3 x 1.15 = 185.5 sq ft, divided by 32 sq ft per 4 x 8 sheet = 5.8, so 6 sheets. Add joint compound, tape and corner bead for the outside corner at the surround.
5. Primer and paint
Paintable area equals the net drywall area: 161.3 sq ft.
- Primer, one coat at about 350 sq ft per gallon: 161.3 / 350 = 0.46, so 1 gallon.
- Finish, two coats: 161.3 x 2 = 322.6 / 350 = 0.92, so 1 gallon of a bath rated finish.
6. Setting materials
Total tile: 31 sq ft floor plus 64 sq ft wall = 95 sq ft. If the thinset bag lists about 50 sq ft per bag for your trowel notch, 95 / 50 = 1.9, so 2 bags. Grout depends on tile size, joint width and depth; use the grout maker's chart with your tile dimensions rather than a rule of thumb. Add silicone caulk for the tub to tile joint and the inside corners.
7. Trim
Baseboard runs on walls not covered by the tub:
- Two long walls: 8 ft minus 2.5 ft of tub on each = 5.5 ft x 2 = 11 ft.
- Door wall: 5 ft minus the 2.5 ft door = 2.5 ft.
Total 13.5 linear ft, with 10% waste 14.85 ft, so one 16 ft piece. Add one door casing set for both sides of the door.
8. Fixtures, plumbing and electrical
| Item | Qty | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alcove tub, 60" x 30" | 1 | Confirm drain side from the plan |
| Tub and shower valve with trim | 1 | Pressure balancing valve |
| Toilet with wax ring and supply line | 1 | Check rough-in distance, usually 12" |
| 30" vanity with top, faucet, drain | 1 | Plus supply lines and a P-trap |
| Exhaust fan, ducted outside | 1 | Plus duct and exterior cap |
| Vanity light, mirror | 1 each | |
| GFCI receptacle | 1 | Bathroom receptacles need GFCI protection under the National Electrical Code as adopted locally |
| Interior door slab and hardware | 1 | 2'6" x 6'8" |
The finished list
| Material | Net | Waste | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor tile | 27.5 sq ft | 10% | 4 boxes (31 sq ft needed) |
| Wall tile, surround | 57.5 sq ft | 10% | 64 sq ft |
| Cement board 3 x 5 | 85 sq ft | by layout | 7 sheets |
| Drywall 4 x 8, moisture resistant | 161.3 sq ft | 15% | 6 sheets |
| Primer / finish paint | 161.3 sq ft | none | 1 gal / 1 gal |
| Thinset | 95 sq ft | in tile | 2 bags |
| Baseboard | 13.5 LF | 10% | 1 x 16 ft |
Where takeoffs go wrong
- Rounding before adding waste. Round once, at the end.
- Area only counts for sheet goods. Check the sheet layout, as with the backer board above.
- Missing the small stuff. Screws, tape, caulk, transitions and shutoff valves add up.
- Bad dimensions in, bad list out. A takeoff is only as good as the plan behind it. See how to measure a room for drawings.
We produce the takeoff from the same model as the drawings, so every quantity traces back to a dimension on a sheet. See permit-ready drawings for the full set, or pricing for a takeoff on its own.
If the bathroom work needs a permit, our guide to bathroom remodel permit drawings lists the sheets a building department expects.