How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Australia?

Are you planning a bathroom renovation? I bet you’re feeling excited, you’ve filled up your Pinterest board, been lusting after those tiles and that vanity for months. Then it hits you: how much does a bathroom renovation cost, really? Unfortunately, as with most things in the home improvement space, it’s one of those annoying answers: it depends. However, after months of research and interviews with builders, plumbers, and homeowners across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, I can offer you a far more precise answer than the generic “between $10,000-$50,000” you’ll find online.

What the Average Bathroom Renovation Actually Costs in Australia

Quick answer? The average bathroom renovation cost in Australia is between $15,000 and $25,000 for a standard bathroom. This is what I call the ‘mid-range’, a decent quality fit-out, professional labour, and a finish that looks and feels good. If you’re after a basic cosmetic renovation, new tiles, paint, new vanity and tapware, and nothing moved, you’ll probably be looking at between $10,000-$15,000. If you want the full monty, a new bathroom, with the plumbing moved, underfloor heating, custom cabinetry, and high end finishes, you’re looking at $30,000-$50,000 or more. And if you live in a capital city as opposed to a regional town? Yep, you guessed it: it costs more. A lot more. Labour costs in Sydney, for example, are 20-30% higher than they are in Adelaide or Hobart. So if you’re wondering how much does a bathroom renovation cost in your area, location is one of the biggest factors.

Breaking Down the Costs — Where Your Money Really Goes

Here’s something that will surprise you. Labour is the cost of engaging a plumber, electrician, tiler, waterproofer (and maybe a carpenter). Each of these trades charges separately. And each of these trades is absolutely necessary to do the job. Labour alone can account for 40-50% of your total bathroom renovation cost. Here is a general breakdown of the average bathroom renovation cost Australia has to offer: waterproofing runs $1,000-$3,000 (this is a legal requirement, and there’s no way to avoid it), tiling materials cost between $50-$200 per square metre with installation between $60-$120 per square metre, and your vanity, basin and tapware will cost between $800 for a basic but nice set and $5,000 or more for a designer set. Then there are the hidden costs: demolition and tip costs ($500-$1,500), council permits and fees (if required), and the nasty surprises like structural issues that you don’t find until the tiles and walls are off.

The Budget Bathroom Renovation — Getting More for Less

Don’t worry if you don’t have huge amounts to spend on your bathroom renovation, it is still possible to achieve a great result on a budget. The simplest way to save money on your bathroom renovation cost? Don’t move any of the plumbing. Yep, you heard that right: if you don’t move the plumbing you’ll save between $3,000-$5,000 straight off the bat. Another simple way to save money is to resurface rather than replace, you can buy an epoxy coating for bathtubs and tiles that will make them look brand new. When it comes to vanities, consider a cheap restroom vanity, you can pick up a basic, but lovely looking and well made vanity for under $800. You don’t need to spend $3,000 to get a well-presented bathroom. Buying your bath vanities cheap online also means you can get stylish vanities at reasonable prices. One secret to saving is to splurge on what you’ll be using and seeing every day – the tapware, the showerhead, the handle on your vanity – and save on the rest.

When DIY Makes Sense (and When It Does Not)

A DIY bathroom renovation is tempting when you look at those labour costs. And, in fact, there are some things you can DIY. Painting is an obvious DIY job, paint for your bathroom is cheap and a new colour will make the difference. Installing towel rails, toilet roll holders and mirror frames is also simple. Even installing a new vanity is DIY friendly, as long as you’re not changing the plumbing configuration, an inexpensive vanity with a standard basin cutout will save you hundreds in both the vanity itself and in installation costs. Here’s where I must get really blunt. In Australia, you cannot legally DIY your own plumbing or electrical work. It’s the law. You cannot DIY your own waterproofing, either, it needs to be done by a licensed water-proofer, and it needs to be inspected and certified. If you don’t, and you spring a leak, you will not be covered by your home insurance. I’ve spoken to too many people who tried to DIY their waterproofing and ended up paying three times as much to repair water damage to the subfloor and adjacent rooms.

Planning Your Renovation So Costs Do Not Spiral

The best way to avoid cost overruns and control how much does a bathroom renovation cost is in the planning stages, before a single tile is removed. Get three quotes from different licensed contractors. Don’t get a verbal quote, get a written quote that separates materials from labour. Always allow for a 10-15% contingency in your budget. When you knock down the walls, surprises will pop up: old pipes, termite damage, non-compliant wiring. You need a budget buffer for that. Understand the order of works, too. The order of works is demolition, then rough-in plumbing and electrical, then waterproofing (which must be inspected and certified), then tiling, then installing fixtures and fittings, then final connections. If you do the works out of order, you will need to pay to undo them. Finally, don’t change your mind once the works have begun. Mid-project variations are the number one cause of cost overruns.