The bathroom is the place in your home you prepare for the day as well as wind down and relax in the evening. We’ve come a long way since the outhouse in the backyard and the tin bath in front of the fire; the bathroom is now a sanctuary and a place to grab some of that scarce downtime. A steamy shower or a long, hot bubble bath were once unimaginable luxuries but around the world people are designing and building their bathrooms as stylish oases.

A bathroom renovation is often a necessity. As with kitchens and laundries, water ingress can be a real problem in an older bathroom and is the major cause of problems. Grout and sealant get old and leak, causing timber to swell and tiles to lift. Moisture can make its way into cabinetry and then it’s all downhill from there.

Other times, a bathroom renovation is an opportunity to add comfort and luxury to your daily life. A functional and stylish bathroom makes a tangible impact on your lifestyle and peace of mind. Consideration put into the layout, lighting and finishes of your bathroom renovation will pay dividends for years to come—in addition, bathroom renovations tend to provide a strong return on investment when it comes time to sell. There are so many choices to be made when it comes to tiles, tapware, shower screens, vanities, and so on, for your new bathroom. Browse our gallery for inspiration.

Like a beautiful bathroom, a clean, functional laundry impacts your family’s everyday life. Waterproofing, tiling and grout are the obvious essentials but the functional aspects of your laundry renovation are what will really make the difference. Storage, hanging, bench space and an accessible sink laid out in a stylishly finished space are an underappreciated luxury in a home.

In many cases a bathroom and laundry renovation are undertaken together—this provides the opportunity to create a similar design aesthetic and to reconfigure the layout of each room to maximise functionality, particularly when the rooms are close together. Whether you want to renovate both or just one of these key wet areas you’ll reap the rewards of your new space every day.


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Frequently Asked Questions

  • How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost?

    Whether you want to glam up your forever home or increase your property’s value before you sell, one of the things foremost in the minds of potential renovators like you is, “How much will my bathroom renovation cost?” We understand completely. As with most things in life, money plays a large role, and the type of renovation you undertake comes down to your budget.

    You probably won’t be surprised that I’m not going to throw out a specific figure here and let you move on to planning your colour scheme. The reason that there’s no short answer is that the cost of a bathroom renovation hinges on a huge number of considerations. Even if you and your neighbour both covet that luxurious day-spa bathroom you saw in Grand Designs and went about recreating it exactly—the same tiles, fixtures, fittings, floorplan—it is extremely likely that the final price will differ significantly. Let me explain why.

    The cost of a bathroom renovation project isn’t impacted solely by all the exciting stuff like vanity selection, choosing between porcelain and marble, or splurging on a double walk-in shower. The price of your new bathroom depends very much on what your bathroom is like right now and how it compares with what you want.

    The price of a bathroom renovation ranges from around $10 000 to $30 000, and well beyond if your tastes are reflected in the pages of Grand Designs. The average spend lies around $19 500. For clarity, it helps to break it down into brackets that we’ll call Budget, Standard, and Luxury.

    Budget Bathroom Renovation

    A budget bathroom renovation will land below the $15 000 mark and with careful thought it’s possible to be kept below $10 000. In this type of renovation the changes will be largely cosmetic with some elements being updated. Your bathroom footprint and layout will remain the same, as it’s the cost of relocating plumbing and electrics that put a dent in the budget and the reason that your existing bathroom impacts the cost so significantly. In this range you’ll need to choose easy-lay large format porcelain tiles in the $30 per square metre range and stick to the less expensive fixtures like a floor-mounted vanity and back-to-wall toilet.

    Standard Bathroom Renovation

    Most people spend between $15 000 and $30 000 on their new bathroom and this allows more freedom in your selection of materials and fittings. You’ll be able to relocate some of your services; however, a major floorplan overhaul may not be possible. You’ll be able to select more labour-intensive tiles like the many gorgeous mosaics that are available and you’ll have a greater variety of tiles from which to choose—in the $50 per square metre range. A statement tub or vanity, and functional storage can all be incorporated.

    Luxury Bathroom Renovation

    If you want to make major changes to your bathroom’s floorplan or footprint you’ll need to budget $30 000+. Relocating your bathroom while improving your home’s floorplan will require this price bracket. This is the realm of luxurious, high-end bathroom renovations. Think free-standing tub, wall-hung vanity, and in-wall toilet cistern with stunning statement tiles. Under-floor heating, anyone?

    Your renovation specialist is the best source of information in regard to your renovating options. If you are open and upfront about your budget your builder will be able to talk you through what’s possible with the bathroom you currently have. Renovation builders have seen and done it all and will be able to make suggestions and float ideas to get the most bathroom bang for your buck.