BATHROOM RENOVATION COST: WHAT MOVES THE PRICE

Two bathrooms of the same size can carry very different numbers, because price follows the work, not the floor plan. This guide walks through the things that genuinely change a bathroom renovation quote in Murrumbeena and nearby suburbs, so you can read a quote properly and set a range you are comfortable with before anything is ordered.

A QUOTE IS A PLAN WITH NUMBERS ATTACHED

COST DRIVERS · 01–07

SEVEN THINGS THAT MOVE THE NUMBER

Every line in a bathroom quote traces back to labour hours, materials, or both. These are the decisions that add or remove hours before a single tile is chosen.

Room size and surface area

Bigger rooms mean more waterproofing membrane, more tiles, more cuts and more hours on the floor. A large bathroom is rarely a small job, even when the layout stays exactly where it is.

Layout changes and moving plumbing

Keeping the toilet, shower and vanity near their existing services is the cheapest path. Moving a waste, relocating a shower or adding a second basin brings the plumber and electrician back for extra visits and more making-good.

The state of the existing structure

Soft floorboards, rotted studs, old plumbing or a floor that needs levelling all add work that only shows up once the room is stripped. A good assessment flags the likely ones early.

Waterproofing and tiling scope

Full-height tiling to the ceiling, a fully tiled shower niche or a floor falling to a linear drain all take longer than a half-height splash and a standard fall. See Waterproofing and Bathroom Tiling.

Tile, fixture and tapware choices

This is the part you control most directly. Large-format or patterned tiles take longer to lay than a simple rectangle; a wall-hung pan, a freestanding bath or a concealed cistern each change both the product cost and the install.

Custom joinery and storage

An off-the-shelf vanity is the quick option. A made-to-measure unit that fills an awkward wall, a mirrored shaving cabinet or a full-height linen tower is drawn, built and fitted, so it sits higher on the sheet. Compare options on Custom Bathroom Cabinetry.

Access and site conditions

A first-floor ensuite with a narrow stair, a shared driveway or a heritage-era home with lath and plaster all slow down demolition and delivery. Waste removal and protection of floors and stairs belong in the quote, not in a surprise.

Layout and selections are settled during Bathroom Design, before the quote is priced.

THE WORK YOU NEVER SEE

MOST OF THE BUDGET IS LABOUR

Screed, membrane, waterproofing to the right heights, set-out, adhesive and grout are a large share of the hours in any bathroom, and none of them are visible when the job is finished. It is why a cheap tile rarely makes a cheap bathroom, and why the trade order matters: work done out of sequence gets pulled apart and paid for twice. The running order is set out stage by stage on our 12-stage renovation process.

READING THE SHEET

HOW A CLEAR QUOTE IS SET OUT

An itemised quote lets you compare like with like and adjust one line without redrawing the whole job. If two quotes are far apart, the difference is usually in what one of them leaves out.

Demolition and waste removal — strip-out, protection of the rest of the house and skip or truck costs.

Plumbing and electrical — rough-in, fit-off, and any relocation of waste, water or power.

Waterproofing — preparation, membrane and the certificate paperwork for the wet area.

Tiling — screed, set-out, laying, grouting and silicone, with tile sizes noted.

Joinery and fixtures — vanity, cabinetry, screen, mirror and tapware, listed as supplied or client-supplied.

Finishing and handover — painting, door hardware, final clean and the walk-through.

BEFORE YOU ASK FOR NUMBERS

SETTING A RANGE YOU CAN LIVE WITH

Work with a range rather than a single figure, and decide in advance where you would spend more and where you would hold the line. A short checklist before you brief anyone:

Separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves, and mark which ones you would drop first.

Decide early whether the layout stays put — it is the single biggest lever you hold.

Choose tile format and fixture style before pricing, so quotes reflect the room you actually want.

Keep some room in the range for what the strip-out uncovers in an older home.

Check every quote covers the same stages, and ask what a line means rather than guessing.

Read next: Full Bathroom Renovations for what a complete strip-out to handover involves, Bathroom Design for the planning stage that sets the scope, How Long Does a Bathroom Renovation Take? for the time side of the same question, and Projects to see how briefs turn into finished rooms.

GET YOUR BATHROOM PRICED PROPERLY

Tell us about your bathroom in Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Hughesdale, Oakleigh, Chadstone, Malvern East, Bentleigh East or Ormond. The quote follows the consultation, assessment and agreed design.

Still weighing up options? Send a question through the contact form.