Remodeling your bathroom gives your home a fresh update. An personal loan is one financing option that doesn't use your home as collateral. Compare bathroom remodel loans.
This service is free and will not affect your credit score.
Upgrade personal loans offer multiple rate discounts and direct payment to creditors. A low minimum credit score requirement makes the perks stand out even more. Read our review of Upgrade
Best for Online bathroom remodel loans with low rates
Wells Fargo personal loans are likely a good fit for existing customers, thanks to a wide range of loan amounts and repayment terms, plus perks like pre-qualification and a rate discount. Read our review of Wells Fargo Personal Loan
Best for Bathroom remodel loans for credit union members
Upstart personal loans offer fast funding and may be an option for borrowers with low credit scores or thin credit histories. Upstart is a solid financing choice for large purchases. Read our review of Upstart
Achieve personal loans can be a good debt consolidation option for fair- or good-credit borrowers who qualify for one of the lender’s rate discounts. Read our review of Achieve Personal Loans
How we chose the best personal loans
Our team of consumer lending experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best.
35+
Lenders reviewed
We review over 35 lenders, including major banks, top credit unions, leading digital platforms, and high interest installment lenders operating across multiple states.
25+
Categories assessed
Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories and 27 subcategories, covering affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process.
70+
Data points analyzed
Our team tracks and reassesses hundreds of data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.
Star rating categories
We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
Affordability
25%
We review lenders’ annual percentage rate offerings at least twice per year and the competitiveness of each lenders’ APR range. We also assess whether a lender charges an origination fee and any opportunity for borrowers to receive a rate discount.
Customer experience
20%
We consider the experience of the consumer trying to manage a personal loan, which means accessibility of customer service representatives, whether borrowers can choose and change their payment due date, and the ability to track their loan on a mobile app.
Underwriting and eligibility
20%
We consider the rigorousness of each lender’s underwriting practices and how widely available their loans are. This category includes whether a lender does a hard credit check before providing a loan, the range of credit profiles they accept and how many states their loans are offered in.
Loan flexibility
20%
We assess how flexible lenders can be with borrowers, including whether they offer multiple loan types, personal loan amounts and repayment term options and whether they offer direct payment to creditors on debt consolidation loans.
Application process
15%
We consider the lender’s full application process, including a borrower’s ability to preview their loan offer via pre-qualification, whether basic loan information such as APR range and repayment terms are available and easy to find online and how quickly a loan can be funded after approval.
5.0
Overall score
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 35 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 70 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
How much does it cost to finance a bathroom remodel?
The average cost for a midrange bathroom remodel is $25,251, according to the Journal of Light Construction’s 2024 Cost vs. Value report. A more extensive “upscale” project costs an average of $78,840.
What is a bathroom remodel loan?
A bathroom remodel loan is a personal loan you get in a lump sum and repay, with interest, in monthly installments.
These loans are unsecured, meaning they aren’t backed by collateral. Rates are 6% to 36% and loan amounts can be $1,000 to $100,000. The rate and amount you’re approved for depend on your credit, income and other debts.
Interest costs are determined by the loan’s annual percentage rate and the repayment term. Personal loans have terms from about two to seven years. A loan with a longer term will have lower monthly payments but cost more in total interest.
Bathroom remodel loan example
Say you get a $30,000 bathroom remodel loan at 12% APR. Here’s what you’d pay each month and in total with two different repayment terms.
Borrowers with good to excellent credit get the lowest rates. The rate you receive on a personal loan depends primarily on your credit and finances. Borrowers with good or excellent credit (a score above 689) and low debt are likely to get the best rates.
Funding is fast. Many online lenders can fund a loan within a day or two of approval. You typically won’t wait more than a week to get the funds, which is faster than home equity financing.
You get the money in one lump sum. Have a solid estimate of the project’s cost before you shop for a personal loan so you can apply for the amount you need.
The loan isn’t secured by your home. Unlike a home equity loan or line of credit, unsecured personal loans don’t require you to pledge your home — or anything else — as collateral.
You repay in fixed installments. Personal loans have fixed rates, which means your monthly payments are the same for the duration of the loan, and you can budget accordingly.
How to get a personal loan for a bathroom remodeling project
Compare lenders. The most important features to compare on personal loans are the APR and monthly payments. But other features, like fast funding or the ability to manage payments on a mobile app, may alleviate some stress during the bathroom remodel.
Pre-qualify. Many online lenders and some banks allow you to pre-qualify for a personal loan online, so you can see your potential loan amount and rate without affecting your credit score. Pre-qualify with multiple lenders to find the best offer.
Prepare documents. Once you’ve got a solid quote from the contractor, get ready to apply for a loan. Gather documents like W-2s, pay stubs, bank statements and other required information to help the application process move smoothly.
Apply. When you submit your application, the lender will do a hard credit check, which will cause your score to dip. Most lenders take a day or two to make a decision.
A home equity loan is a second mortgage you borrow in a lump sum and repay in monthly installments. Rates are fixed and usually lower than personal loan rates, and repayment terms are up to 15 years.
A home equity loan is best if:
You can borrow enough to cover the bathroom remodel.
You have a firm cost estimate.
You don’t mind using the home as collateral.
You want to begin rebuilding equity immediately through payments.
You can wait for the underwriting and possible appraisal process to be complete.
A HELOC is an open credit line that you draw on as you need it during the initial draw period, which usually lasts 10 years. Then, you repay it at a variable interest rate over a term lasting up to 20 years.
A HELOC is best if:
You can borrow enough to cover the bathroom remodel.
You want extra funds available for surprise expenses, or you don’t have a firm cost estimate.
You don’t mind using the home as collateral.
You can manage fluctuating payments within your budget.
You can wait for the underwriting and possible appraisal process to be complete.
With a cash-out refinance, you get a new mortgage that’s larger than your existing loan. You use the new mortgage to pay off the old one, and “cash out” the rest of the money. That extra money becomes your bathroom remodel loan.
Cash-out refinancing is best if:
You can get a lower mortgage rate than your existing rate.
You don’t mind using the home as collateral.
The cash you have left will be enough to pay for the remodel after an appraisal and closing costs.
You have time for the underwriting, appraisal and closing process.
0% APR credit cards have promotional periods — usually 15 to 21 months — when you can use them without incurring any interest. These cards work well for DIY remodels.
A 0% APR credit card is best if:
You qualify, which usually means having good or excellent credit.
You can pay off the card by the end of the promotional period (to avoid paying the regular APR).
You aren’t using a contractor who charges a fee for using a credit card.
You can use an FHA Title 1 loan for remodels that improve the livability and usefulness of the home, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
You don’t mind using the home as collateral for projects that cost more than $7,500.
Frequently asked questions
Can you finance a bathroom remodel?
You can finance a bathroom remodel using a home improvement loan, home equity loan, home equity line of credit or credit cards. The best option depends on things like how much equity you have, how much you want to spend and your credit score.
How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom?
The cost to remodel a bathroom varies depending on what your project entails. The average cost ranges between around $6,000 and $18,000, according to home services website Angi.
