01

What goes into a bathroom job

When I look at a bathroom, I’m looking at more than the surface you’ll see at the end. Depending on the room’s condition, a renovation can involve several kinds of work:

  • surface preparation of walls and floors before anything is fixed to them
  • plasterboard installation where linings need replacing
  • wall and floor tiling and flooring
  • plastering and patching of joints and ceilings
  • painting once the surfaces are ready (see plasterboard, plastering and painting)

Grouping these into one job means one person is responsible for how each stage hands over to the next. I think good preparation matters just as much as the visible finish, so I treat it as part of the job, not an extra. The exact work depends on what I find at the inspection. Why preparation matters explains this in more detail.

02

Who does what on your job

A bathroom brings several trades into one small room. Here’s how the work is split, so you know who is responsible for each part before anything starts.

OPTION A — IVAN DOES IT HIMSELF

Surface preparation

Wall and floor tiling

Flooring

Plasterboard installation

Plastering

Painting

OPTION B — A LICENSED SPECIALIST DOES IT

Regulated plumbing work

Electrical work

Other licensed or regulated work

Where these are needed, I coordinate with appropriately licensed specialists so their work fits around the preparation, tiling and finishes. See working with licensed specialists.

Not offered: 24-hour emergency call-out, architectural design, engineering, major structural alterations, new-home construction.

03

The same work in other rooms

Bathrooms are my main focus, but the preparation, tiling, plastering and painting carry over into other parts of the house. The split stays the same: I do the work within my scope, and licensed specialists handle the plumbing and electrical components.

Kitchen renovations →
Splashbacks, walls and finishes around the cabinetry and services.

Laundry renovations →
A wet area of its own, needing the same careful preparation as a bathroom.

Home improvements and property maintenance →
Smaller repairs and improvements, arranged in advance and not on emergency call-out.

04

Questions before you get in touch

Why group tiling, plastering and painting into one bathroom job?
Surface preparation, plasterboard, tiling, flooring, plastering and painting are all part of my own hands-on work. Grouping them means one person is responsible for how each surface is prepared for the next stage. I think good preparation matters just as much as the visible finish, so the work underneath is treated as part of the job, not an add-on.

Does every bathroom need all of that related work?
No. The work needed depends on the room’s condition. Some bathrooms need new plasterboard before tiling; others only need the existing surfaces prepared, patched and painted. I can only say which applies once I’ve seen the room.

Where do plumbing and electrical work fit in?
Regulated plumbing, electrical and other licensed work is done by appropriately licensed specialists where required. I coordinate with them so their work fits around the preparation, tiling and finishes.

Does adding painting or flooring change the quotation?
Yes, because a quotation depends on the assessed scope, materials, existing conditions and other requirements specific to the job. Each related item is part of that assessed scope.

What should I mention about the related work in my message?
Your suburb and a short description of the work. It helps to say which surfaces you’re thinking about, such as wall tiles, the floor, a cracked ceiling or paint, whether you’re in Murrumbeena or elsewhere in Melbourne. What to include has a few pointers.

How a job goes from your message to a written quotation is set out in the assessment and quotation process. There are more answers in questions homeowners ask.