Start with the scope, not the tiles
Most bathroom projects in Ibiza fall into one of three categories, and the category decides almost everything else: budget logic, permits, duration and who you need to hire.
- Refresh: new sanitaryware, taps, shower screen and paint, keeping the existing layout and pipework.
- Full renovation, same layout: everything stripped back to the walls, new waterproofing, tiling and fittings, but drains and supply stay where they are.
- Layout change or extension: moving the toilet or shower, opening a wall, adding a second bathroom in a finca, or converting a storeroom.
What drives the cost in Ibiza
We deliberately give no figures here: every house is different and prices move with the season. What matters is understanding the factors so you can read a quote intelligently.
- Demolition and access: an upper-floor bathroom in Dalt Vila with no vehicle access costs more in labour than a ground-floor bathroom in Sant Jordi with a driveway.
- Waterproofing system: liquid membranes, sheet systems and shower trays with integrated slopes have very different labour times.
- Materials and lead times: most tiles, sanitaryware and taps ship from the mainland. Special orders add weeks and transport costs.
- Fittings quality: in a hard-water, salt-air environment, cheaper chrome and thin ceramics age fast. Better fittings cost more upfront and less over ten years.
- Season: quotes obtained for November to April work are usually easier to get and easier to schedule than for July.
If you are also opening walls or touching the kitchen, look at the wider renovation category and consider whether a full home renovation makes more sense than a series of small jobs.
Permits: what to check before anyone lifts a hammer
In the Balearic Islands, replacing fittings without touching structure or layout is generally treated as maintenance. As soon as you alter partitions, move drainage, change windows or work on the facade, a licencia de obra menor from the town hall is usually required, and in some cases a communication procedure with a technical report.
Three situations deserve extra care:
- Dalt Vila and other protected areas in Eivissa: heritage rules apply to almost any intervention, including some interior works. Ask the town hall before ordering materials.
- Rural land (suelo rústico): fincas in Sant Joan, Santa Eulària or Sant Josep countryside often sit on rural land where extensions and changes of use are strictly limited, and where the legality of existing constructions matters.
- Community of owners: in an apartment block, works that affect shared pipes, the facade or common drainage need the community's agreement.
Waterproofing: the one thing you cannot skimp on
Bathroom failures in Ibiza rarely come from the tiles. They come from water finding its way behind them. Insist on:
- A continuous waterproof membrane on the floor and up the wet walls, with corners and pipe penetrations reinforced.
- A tested slope towards the drain, verified before tiling.
- Proper sealing around the shower tray or bath, not just a bead of silicone.
- Ventilation: many island bathrooms have no window. A mechanical extractor prevents the mould that thrives in humid winters.
Water, pressure and the island's particular chemistry
Hard water
Ibiza's mains and well water is strongly calcareous. Scale builds up on shower heads, thermostatic valves and inside water heaters. When choosing fittings, favour designs that can be descaled easily and cartridges that are replaceable locally. A whole-house softener is worth discussing with your plumber if you are already opening pipes.
Salt air
Close to the coast, from Platja d'en Bossa to Portinatx, cheap chrome pits and blackens within a few seasons. Solid brass, quality stainless steel or well-finished PVD coatings last longer. The same applies to towel radiators and shower rails.
Cisterns and pumps in fincas
Many rural houses are not connected to mains water. They rely on a cistern filled by rain or by truck delivery, with a pressure pump feeding the house. A new rain shower or a second bathroom can change the demand on that pump. Have the pump, expansion vessel and filter checked as part of the project, and consider where the water heater sits relative to the new bathroom to avoid long waits for hot water.
Timing: work with the island's calendar
- Low season, November to April: tradespeople are available, quotes arrive faster and you avoid competing with hotels and villas doing their own refits.
- Summer: several municipalities restrict noisy works in tourist zones during the high season, and many contractors pause renovations to focus on emergency callouts.
- Materials: order early. Ferry logistics and mainland suppliers add lead time, especially for anything not held in stock on the island.
Managing the project from abroad
A large share of Ibiza bathroom renovations are commissioned by owners living elsewhere. It works, provided you set up the project for it:
- Agree a written scope with a room-by-room description, and a payment schedule tied to milestones, not dates.
- Ask for weekly photo updates and a video call at each key stage: after demolition, after waterproofing, after tiling.
- Nominate someone on the island who holds a key and can let trades in.
- Confirm who receives deliveries and where materials are stored.
- Keep the contract and invoices; you will need them if you rent the property or sell it.
How to compare quotes
Two quotes for the same bathroom can look wildly different simply because they describe different work. Put them side by side and check:
- Is demolition and rubbish removal included, with a licensed skip or container?
- Is the waterproofing system named and described?
- Are materials specified by brand and model, or listed as "to be chosen by client"?
- Are electrics included: extractor, lighting, shaver socket, underfloor heating if any?
- Are permits, technical reports and community notices covered?
- What is the payment schedule and the guarantee period?
- Who is on site day to day, and who is your single point of contact?
Checklist before signing
- Written scope with plan or sketch, including what is excluded.
- Permit status confirmed with the town hall or the contractor in writing.
- Waterproofing method and photo documentation agreed.
- Material list with brands, models and delivery lead times.
- Start and end dates, with what happens if materials are late.
- Milestone payment schedule and a retained final payment until snagging is done.
- Proof of the contractor's registration and liability insurance.
When to call a professional
Some tasks can be done by a confident owner: painting, changing a tap or a toilet seat. Everything else in a bathroom renovation touches water, electricity or structure, and in Ibiza's building stock the surprises are frequent. Call a professional when:
- You are moving any drain or supply pipe.
- The floor or walls show damp, staining or loose tiles.
- The house has a cistern, pressure pump or old galvanised pipes.
- The property is in Dalt Vila, on rural land or in a community building.
- You cannot be on site during the works.
Post your request on Octo
Describe your bathroom in the two-minute guided form, upload a few photos, and receive an instant indicative estimate. Then invite the verified bathroom renovation professionals in Ibiza covering your postal code that you want quotes from; others can show interest too, and your contact details go only to the ones you choose. It is free for you, and you pay the professional you hire directly. Before summer arrives, it is the simplest way to get the project moving.