In a 5×8 hall bathroom, the layout that works almost every time is the one most of these rooms already have: a 60-inch tub or shower across the five-foot end wall, with the toilet and vanity in a line along one of the eight-foot walls. It fits the California Plumbing Code clearances (a toilet’s centerline at least 15 inches from any side wall or obstruction, and 24 inches of clear space in front), it keeps the drains where they are, and it keeps the budget in the lower tiers of our cost guide: $8,000 to $18,000 for a same-layout refresh in Los Angeles, or $18,000 to $40,000 for a mid-range remodel that swaps the tub for a tiled shower. The extra space in a small bathroom comes from the walls, the door and the storage, not from moving fixtures that have nowhere else to go.
We are Green Design and Build, a licensed residential general contractor based in Van Nuys (CSLB #1110975), working across Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and the western edges of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Every price below is a budgeting range from our published cost guides, not a quote; the only honest number for your bathroom comes from a site visit.
What fits in a small bathroom: the quick reference
The table applies the code minimums below to common room sizes, using ordinary fixtures (a 60-inch alcove tub is roughly 30 to 32 inches deep, a vanity about 21). Treat it as a first sketch; an out-of-square wall can move the answer by inches, and here inches decide.
| Room (inside dimensions) | What usually fits | Where it gets tight |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 7 ft (60 × 84 in) | A 60-inch tub or shower across the end, a toilet, and a vanity about 24 inches wide on the same wall | After the tub and the toilet’s 30-inch slot, roughly 22–24 inches are left for the sink. A wall-hung sink or narrow vanity is normal. |
| 5 × 8 ft (60 × 96 in) | A 60-inch tub or shower across the end, a toilet, and a vanity about 30–36 inches wide in line | The classic hall bath. It works in line; it does not work with the toilet and vanity facing each other. |
| 5 × 9 to 5 × 10 ft | The same in-line layout plus a linen tower, a wider vanity, or a shower with a bench | Spend the extra length on storage or counter, not on a second sink squeezed into a five-foot width. |
| 6 × 8 to 7 × 7 ft | A corner shower instead of a full-width tub, with toilet and vanity on the other walls | The shower still has to hold a 30-inch circle and 1,024 square inches of floor. |
| Facing walls in a 5-ft-wide room | Usually nothing that passes | Code wants 24 inches clear in front of the toilet and the lavatory. A toilet on one wall and a vanity on the other leave a foot or less between them. |
The code numbers that decide a small bathroom layout
These are the rules that stop a nice drawing from passing inspection. One housekeeping note: in the 2025 California Plumbing Code the shower size rule is Section 408.7, so checklists that cite 408.6 for it are quoting the previous edition. The requirement itself did not change.
| Requirement | The number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet (or bidet) to a side wall or obstruction | At least 15 inches from its center | California Plumbing Code 402.5 |
| Toilet next to another toilet or bidet | At least 30 inches center to center | California Plumbing Code 402.5 |
| Clear space in front of a toilet, lavatory or bidet | At least 24 inches | California Plumbing Code 402.5 |
| Shower compartment size | At least 1,024 square inches of finished interior, able to hold a 30-inch circle, kept clear up to 70 inches above the drain | California Plumbing Code 408.7 (a receptor at least 30 × 60 inches is exempt from the area test) |
| Shower door | Threshold wide enough for a 22-inch door; the door must leave at least 22 inches of unobstructed opening | California Plumbing Code 408.6 |
| Bathroom exhaust | A fan exhausting directly outdoors in every room with a tub or shower, at least 50 cfm if it runs on demand | California Mechanical Code 405.3 and 405.3.1 |
| Humidity control | Fan controlled by a humidity control adjustable from 50 percent or below up to 80 percent (unless part of a whole-house ventilation system); ENERGY STAR compliant and ducted outside | California Residential Code R325.2.1; CALGreen 4.506.1 |
| Receptacles | A 20-amp GFCI-protected outlet within 36 inches of the outside edge of each basin; bathroom receptacles GFCI-protected and tamper-resistant | California Electrical Code 210.8(A)(1), 210.52(D), 210.11(C)(3) and 406.12, as listed in the City of Glendora’s 2025 bathroom remodel requirements |
| Glass near a tub or shower | Glazing next to a tub or shower with its bottom edge less than 60 inches above the standing surface needs safety glass, unless it is more than 60 inches horizontally from the tub or shower | California Residential Code R324.4.5 |
Three of these shape small rooms more than people expect. The 15-inch rule is measured to a side wall or an obstruction, so plan as if the tub and the vanity on either side of the toilet both count; that gives the toilet a 30-inch slot however slim the bowl. (Paper holders and grab bars are not obstructions under 402.5.) The 24-inch clear space applies to the sink as well as the toilet, which rules out the facing-walls layout in a five-foot room. And the 30-inch circle is measured inside the finished tile, so a shower framed at exactly 32 by 32 inches can come up short once backer board, mortar and tile go on.
Small bathroom layouts that work, and one that rarely does
The in-line layout
Tub or shower across the five-foot end, then the toilet, then the vanity, all on one wet wall. On a 5×8 room that is about 32 inches for the tub, 30 for the toilet’s slot and 34 for the vanity, with roughly 30 inches clear in front of the toilet and more in front of the vanity. With every drain and supply on one wall, it is also the cheapest layout to rebuild, and usually the one already there.
In-line, with a shower where the tub was
The same footprint with a 60 × 30 or 60 × 32 shower. A receptor at least 30 by 60 inches is exempt from the code’s area test and easily holds the 30-inch circle, so size is not the question; whether the house can lose a tub is (see below). The shower build itself, from curbs and drains to glass, is covered in our walk-in and doorless shower guide, and seating in walk-in showers with a seat. In a slightly longer room, a 48-inch shower can free a foot for a full-height linen cabinet, but only do it if that foot becomes real storage.
The corner shower
Rooms closer to 6 × 8 or 7 × 7 feet often work better with a corner shower and the toilet and vanity on the remaining walls. Watch the door: it must leave 22 inches clear, and a door that swings into the space in front of the toilet trades one problem for another.
The wet room
A curbless shower can make a small bathroom feel much bigger, but the Plumbing Code is explicit about the trade: where a shower has no threshold, the floor in the same room is treated as a wet location. That means waterproofing well beyond the shower, a floor that falls to the drain and more care with outlets and switches, and recessing the floor to get there is structural work.
The one that rarely works: toilet and vanity facing each other
In a five-foot-wide room it fails, because 24 inches must be clear in front of both fixtures and the bowl and cabinet eat most of the width. The facing layout needs roughly six and a half feet or more, depending on the fixtures.
Tub or shower in a small bathroom?
A 60-inch tub and a 60-inch shower take the same floor, so this is about the household, not the room.
| Option | Best when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Keep a tub | Young children, anyone who soaks, or it is the only tub in the house | Valve and drain usually stay put, which keeps cost down |
| Shower in the tub footprint, drain left in place | Adult household, easier entry wanted, another tub elsewhere | Some buyers want at least one tub; glass is fabricated after tile, adding time at the end |
| Shower with the drain moved | You want curbless entry, a linear drain or a different position | The expensive line, and very different on a raised foundation than on a slab |
On our tub-to-shower conversion cost guide, plumbing with the drain and valve left in place runs $500–$2,500, while relocating the drain runs $2,500–$6,000 on a raised foundation and $5,000–$12,000+ on a slab. In a small bathroom there is rarely a layout reason to move the drain. That guide also covers resale and curbed versus curbless.
Where the extra space actually comes from
- Recessed shower niche. Framed between studs on an interior wall, it holds bottles without a caddy intruding into the 30-inch circle. It must be waterproofed as part of the shower, not patched in later.
- Recessed medicine cabinet. Several inches more storage depth than a surface cabinet, provided the wall behind is free of vents, pipes, ducts and wiring. Check before buying the cabinet.
- A vanity chosen for the room. Drawers hold more than doors. A wall-hung vanity shows more floor. In a 5×7 room, a narrow vanity or wall-hung sink is usually what lets the toilet keep its 30-inch slot.
- Shelving over the toilet. The wall above the tank is the one surface nothing else can use.
- A pocket door. It gives back the arc an inswing door needs, but the wall it slides into cannot carry plumbing or wiring.
- Glass instead of a curtain. A fixed panel or slider lets the eye run the full length of the room. Frameless glass is templated after the tile is grouted and takes one to two weeks to fabricate.
- A tight palette. Fewer tiles and finishes read calmer in 40 square feet. For tile and finish ideas, see our bathroom design ideas gallery.
Ventilation matters more in a small bathroom
A small room has less air to absorb shower steam, which is why paint peels and grout darkens first in hall bathrooms. California’s rules are clearer than most people realize:
- A window does not count. California Residential Code R325.2.1 requires every bathroom with a tub or shower to be mechanically ventilated for humidity control, and says opening a window is not a permissible substitute.
- The fan has to reach outdoors. The California Mechanical Code requires exhaust directly outdoors, at no less than 50 cfm for a fan that runs on demand. A fan that dumps into the attic does not meet that, and it is a common defect when we open up older bathroom ceilings.
- It is controlled by humidity. CALGreen 4.506.1 requires an ENERGY STAR fan ducted outside and, unless it is part of a whole-house system, a humidity control settable between 50 percent or lower and 80 percent.
Fifty cfm is a floor, not a target, and a short, straight duct matters as much as the fan. Our cost guide lists ventilation as a place worth spending more; in a small bathroom that counts double.
Electrical in a small bathroom
New electrical work in a bathroom has to meet the current requirements that building departments list: a 20-amp GFCI-protected receptacle within 36 inches of each basin, a 20-amp circuit for the bathroom receptacles, and tamper-resistant receptacles. In a small room the challenge is placement, keeping the outlet near the sink and clear of the shower, backsplash and mirror. Electrical work on our projects is done by licensed specialty contractors we schedule and supervise. Our guide to electrical decisions to make before the walls close covers lighting and switch planning.
What a small bathroom remodel costs in Los Angeles
A small bathroom is not proportionally cheaper than a large one. Plumbing, the shower valve, waterproofing, the fan, electrical and the permit cost much the same in a 40-square-foot room as in a 100-square-foot one; mostly the tile and vanity shrink. That is why our Los Angeles bathroom remodel cost guide prices by scope. The same budgeting ranges, not a quote, mapped onto a hall bath:
| Scope | In a 5×8 hall bath | Budgeting range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic refresh | Same layout: new tub or surround, tile, vanity, toilet, fixtures, lighting, floor | $8,000–$18,000 |
| Mid-range remodel | Tub swapped for a tiled walk-in shower, frameless glass, better ventilation, plumbing moved a short distance | $18,000–$40,000 |
| High-end renovation | Full reconfiguration, plumbing moved across the room, custom cabinetry, natural stone, heated floor | $40,000–$80,000+ |
Two line items from our tub-to-shower cost breakdown matter in small rooms. Floor tile installed runs $12–$25 per square foot, which on a 40-square-foot floor (a 5×8 room) is roughly $480–$1,000, so a better floor tile is one of the cheapest upgrades in a small bath. An electrical package (exhaust fan, GFCI receptacle, lighting) runs $1,000–$3,000. Hold a 15 to 20 percent contingency for what demolition uncovers, such as water-damaged subfloor or framing around an old tub. If you are spreading the cost, see our financing options.
How long it takes, and the one-bathroom problem
Our cost guide puts construction at two to three weeks for a same-layout refresh, three to five for a mid-range remodel and five to eight for a high-end reconfiguration, after one to four weeks of design, selections and permitting. The room is out of service from demolition until the glass goes in, and glass is measured after tile, then fabricated over one to two weeks. If the hall bath is the only full bath, plan where everyone will shower, and order tile, vanity, valve and glass hardware before demolition. Our guide to the order of a bathroom remodel walks through the sequence.
Do you need a permit for a small bathroom remodel?
Usually, yes. In the City of Los Angeles, LADBS issues a combined online permit for bathroom work limited to replacing cabinets, flooring, wall finishes, tile, counters and plumbing and electrical fixtures; changes to walls or openings need plan check, according to the city’s bathroom remodel permit guide. A same-layout small bathroom usually stays on the simple path; borrowing space from a closet or recessing the floor for a curbless shower does not. Our Los Angeles bathroom permit guide covers inspections and the retrofit items a permit triggers.
Small bathroom remodel mistakes we see
- Buying the vanity first. Lay out the tub and the toilet’s 30-inch slot; whatever is left is the vanity width.
- Framing the shower to the minimum. Frame for the finished interior, not the nominal size.
- Ignoring door swings. Room and shower doors that swing into the space in front of the toilet make the room awkward every day.
- Moving the toilet for a few inches. It is the most expensive change in the room and rarely buys anything the in-line layout cannot.
- Reusing the old duct. A new fan on a duct that ends in the attic still ends in the attic.
A planning checklist for a small bathroom
- Measure wall to wall at floor and counter height; note the window and door.
- Decide tub or shower based on the household and whether it is the only tub.
- Find out whether the house is on a slab or a raised foundation before considering any drain move.
- Draw the toilet’s 30-inch slot and 24 inches clear in front of toilet and sink; size the vanity from what remains.
- Put storage into the walls: niche, recessed cabinet, shelves over the toilet.
- Confirm the fan ducts outdoors with humidity control, and where the GFCI outlet goes.
- Ask each contractor who pulls the permit and how payments are scheduled; our guide to contractor payment schedules in California explains the legal limits.
Small bathrooms we have rebuilt
In a compact hall bathroom in Ontario, we rebuilt the room from the framing with new rough plumbing, a tiled shower with a mosaic accent band behind a frameless glass door, and a dark two-sink vanity with a white quartz top. In West Hollywood, the tub came out for a tiled walk-in shower with sliding glass, making room for a full-width vanity, with floating oak shelves over the toilet. For contrast, our primary bathroom remodel in Inglewood rerouted supply and drain lines for a freestanding tub beside a large glass shower: relocation worth paying for in a room with space to use it, and rarely in a five-foot hall bath.
Where we remodel small bathrooms
We work across Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and western Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including bathroom remodeling in Van Nuys, where we are based, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills and Glendale. Slab or raised foundation is one of the first things we check, because it decides what moving a drain costs. Our bathroom remodeling service page explains how we run a project from design to final inspection.
Small Bathroom Remodel FAQs
What is the best layout for a 5×8 bathroom?
For most 5×8 bathrooms the best layout is in-line: a 60-inch tub or shower across the five-foot end wall, with the toilet and a 30-to-36-inch vanity along one eight-foot wall. It meets the California Plumbing Code clearances, keeps all the plumbing on one wall and avoids the cost of moving drains.
How much space does a toilet need in California?
California Plumbing Code Section 402.5 requires at least 15 inches from the center of a toilet to any side wall or obstruction, 30 inches center to center from another toilet or bidet, and 24 inches of clear space in front. In practice that is a slot 30 inches wide with two feet of open floor in front of the bowl.
How small can a shower be in a small bathroom?
Under Section 408.7 of the 2025 California Plumbing Code, a shower needs at least 1,024 square inches of finished interior and must contain a 30-inch circle, kept clear to 70 inches above the drain. A receptor at least 30 by 60 inches, the size of a standard tub footprint, is exempt from the area test.
Should I replace the only bathtub in my house with a shower?
It depends on who lives there and who might buy the house. A shower is easier to step into and suits many adult households, but families with young children usually want a tub and some buyers look for one. If the hall bath holds the only tub, keeping it with a better surround is often the safer choice.
How much does a small bathroom remodel cost in Los Angeles?
On our published Los Angeles ranges, a same-layout refresh typically costs $8,000 to $18,000, a mid-range remodel with a tub-to-shower swap $18,000 to $40,000, and a high-end reconfiguration $40,000 to $80,000 or more. These are budgeting ranges, not a quote; small bathrooms are not proportionally cheaper because plumbing, waterproofing, ventilation and permits cost about the same at any size.
Does a small bathroom need an exhaust fan if it has a window?
Yes, if it has a tub or shower. California Residential Code R325.2.1 requires mechanical ventilation for humidity control and says a window is not a permissible substitute. The fan must exhaust directly outdoors at no less than 50 cfm when it runs on demand, and CALGreen requires a humidity control unless it is part of a whole-house system.
How long does a small bathroom remodel take?
Construction typically takes two to three weeks for a same-layout refresh and three to five weeks for a mid-range remodel such as a tub-to-shower conversion, after one to four weeks of design, selections and permitting. Frameless glass is measured after tile and takes one to two weeks to fabricate.
Can I move the toilet in a small bathroom?
You can, but in a five-foot-wide bathroom it rarely gains enough to justify the cost. Relocating a drain runs $2,500 to $6,000 on a raised foundation and $5,000 to $12,000 or more on a slab on our published ranges, and the toilet still needs its 30-inch slot and 24 inches of clear space wherever it goes.
Get a small bathroom layout drawn for your actual room
A small bathroom is won or lost by inches, so the plan has to start from your room’s real dimensions. We measure on a site visit of about two hours, reply within one business day and send an itemized proposal within 48 hours, with the layout, clearances and permit built in. We are open 8am to 6pm daily.