A wall tile set along the floor line. Where a wall meets a floor is one of the first things worth checking.
ASSESSMENT AND QUOTATION PROCESS · MELBOURNE
I’m Ivan Bodnar, an independent home renovation specialist working as a sole trader in Melbourne. I don’t sell or book anything through this website. Work is arranged directly with me after I’ve seen the property, talked through the job with you and given you a quotation. This page sets out how that works, step by step.
0413 142 055 · 9:00–18:00, Mon–Sun
01
THE QUESTION MOST ENQUIRIES START WITH
That’s usually the first thing homeowners want to know, and the inspection is where every job starts. A bathroom that looks tired on the surface can have problems behind the tiles, and a laundry that seems straightforward can turn up an uneven floor or a damaged wall. The work you need depends on the condition of the property, so I’d rather see it than guess.
You deal with me the whole way through. The person who inspects your property is the same person who talks through the scope with you and takes responsibility for the work.
02
FOUR STEPS FROM MESSAGE TO QUOTATION
STEP 1 OF 4
Tell me your suburb and give a brief description of the work: which room, what’s damaged or worn, and what you’d like to change. A written message is the easiest way to reach me while I’m on site. What to include when you send a message has a few pointers.
STEP 2 OF 4
I come and look at the room myself. I check the surfaces, floors and walls I’d be working on, and the condition of what’s already there. I also note anything that looks like it will need plumbing, electrical or other regulated work.
STEP 3 OF 4
I explain what work I believe is necessary, why I’d recommend a particular approach and what limitations may affect the job. If part of it has to be done by a licensed specialist, I tell you at this stage. See working with licensed specialists.
STEP 4 OF 4
The quotation is based on what we discussed and what I saw on site. You can read it, ask questions and decide in your own time. Nothing is booked until you and I have agreed on the work directly.
03
There’s no price list on this website. A fixed figure before an inspection wouldn’t mean much.
The assessed scope
What actually needs doing once the room has been inspected, not just what shows on the surface.
Materials
The tiles, flooring, board, plaster and paint you choose, and how much of each the job needs.
Existing conditions
Uneven floors, damaged walls or old finishes that have to be dealt with before anything new goes on.
Project-specific requirements
Including any regulated components that need an appropriately licensed specialist.
04 · WHY THE INSPECTION COMES FIRST
In my experience, good preparation matters just as much as the visible finish. That’s why I look closely at the substrate, the walls and the floor during the inspection. If tiles have been laid over a surface that has started to fail, the quotation has to include putting that right. Otherwise new tiles go on top of the same problem.
I’d rather explain that before the work starts than find it halfway through. If you want more on this, read why preparation matters or look at the renovation stages explained.
Exposed substrate with damp staining above the tile line. This is the sort of condition an inspection is meant to find.
05 · BEFORE YOU SEND A MESSAGE
☐ Your suburb, whether it’s Murrumbeena or elsewhere in Melbourne and the surrounding suburbs
☐ Which room: bathroom, kitchen, laundry or a smaller repair
☐ What’s damaged, worn or impractical, in your own words
☐ Anything you already know about plumbing or electrical changes
Still weighing it up? Questions homeowners ask covers more of the detail.
