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Before the fun of choosing tiles, bathtubs and vanities comes a long list of decisions and hard
work.
Bathrooms are often one of the most important and expensive areas of the house to renovate
and add value to your home.
A complete bathroom renovation can involve a number of different trade specialists from
plumbers, tilers, electricians, plasterers, painters, waterproofing specialists and more. Costs
can range from $10,000 for a basic small bathroom or ensuite renovation to more than
$50,000 for highly customised and specially designed fitouts with high-end fixtures and fittings.
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With thousands of plumbing, tiling and bathroom renovation jobs completed every year through
ServiceSeeking, our expert renovations team has listed 32 key things every potential home
renovator should consider before tackling the bathroom.
The obvious plumber will complete a lot of your work so find one you trust. Plumbers average
$86/hr. You’ll also need a waterproofing specialist (check with your plumber as many do both)
and a tiler. Note that tilers generally work per metre squared than on hourly rates, so bear this
is mind if you choose an intricate tiling pattern, or small time-consuming tiles.
You’ll also need an electrician. You may need a carpenter, cabinet maker, plasterer and painter
as well.
The biggest advantage of having a project manager is less stress for you as they will
coordinate everything. They have expert knowledge in the field, contacts and experience. The
reason most people don’t hire a project manager is to save money. So it’s a battle between
money and stress.
In the shower, the whole floor must be waterproof and the shower walls should
be waterproofed up to 1800mm
The walls need to be waterproofed up to 150mm.
If the bathroom floor is made of or contains wood, or if the bathroom is on the
second floor or higher, the whole floor must be waterproofed
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Each state has differing requirements for standards, so research yours on the links below.
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If you’re updating the pipes, you might want to consider upgrading the size of your pipes for
drains in the bathroom to counter all the hair that goes down there too. And sometimes, you’ll
need upgraded piping to work new fixtures that aren’t suitable to the old style or ensure
adequate water pressure.
If you’re changing the layout, be prepared for big expense as you’re likely to need to remove
the wall linings for access. You may need to rip up floors too, or at the very least add in new
core holes for the plumbing.
To ensure you don’t run the risk of overcapitalising, a guide is 5% of your property cost in total
renovations. So based on the current mean national house price of $679,100 (source: ABS),
your total renovation budget shouldn’t exceed much more than $33,955. Obviously, the higher
your purchase price the more you have to spend and still stay within the 5% range.
6. Dizzying heights
Where do you want your vanity to sit? If you don’t speak up it, it will be installed at standard
height which is generally 850mm. The biggest impact on the height, is your basin type.
Depending on whether your basin is a drop-in, undermount, basin, pedestal or wall mount you
need to take this into account and discuss with your team before it is installed.
Likewise, the depth of your bathroom vanity will be dependent on if it is recessed into the wall
or not so be sure to measure and re-measure to ensure you leave enough space to
comfortably navigate the room.
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The most common toilet is the close coupled due to affordability and ease of installation. They
range from $300-$1000, whereas an in-wall cistern will start from close to $1000. You’ll also
need to decide on wall or floor mounted.
The pros for hiding the cistern are clean and modern; space-saving; hygienic as there is no
cistern to harbour dust and bacteria. The cons include accessing the cistern for replacement or
repair; you can’t manually fill the cistern; it’s not as easy to turn the water off as it’s not easily
seen; they are more expensive to install and may need an additional bracket for support.
The concealed cistern needs to be installed prior to walls being sheeted and are therefore
suited more to full bathroom renovations where the space has been gutted.
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8. Wall recesses
Never throw out a rusted over-the-head shower caddy again! Inserting a wall recess or two into
your shower and next to your bath is practical and aesthetically pleasing by decluttering your
spaces.
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Even if you don’t change the layout, altering other aspects might still have a flow-on effect
such as installing a new floor could increase floor height and affect pipe positions; and wall-
mounted fixtures might require modifying the stud walls.
Unless you’re knocking out walls to create a bigger space, there are likely limited options for
the layout. So weight up the costs and benefits of making big changes. But key consideration
in a bathroom layout include:
A square or rectangle bathroom layout work well. The length of the rectangle
should not be more than twice its width.
Don’t make the toilet the first thing you see. In following this theme, place the
more intimate parts of the bathroom furthest from the door.
Have a central area for drying off that is not cluttered by fixtures.
Use natural light as much as possible.
If you have the space, double vanities are a practical addition to accommodate multiple people
sharing a bathroom.
While there are additional labour, material and plumbing costs associated with installing a
double sink vanity, the added convenience at peak times such as the morning rush before
work is highly valuable. They are generally not double the price of purchasing and installing
two single sinks separately.
You should consider the type of home you are renovating – a large family home would be
expected to have a double vanity in the master bedroom ensuite; while it wouldn’t be a good
use of limited space for a small bathroom in an apartments.
Generally, it only makes sense to renovate your bathroom this way if your existing layout and
plumbing supports it, as the cost of structurally changing walls and re-configuring plumbing is
expensive.
The downside of a WC room is that it takes up more floor space than a combined bathroom, so
is more suitable to larger house plan sizes.
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Mixer taps generally attract a lower labour cost to install compared to separate hot and cold
water taps because they do not require an isolation valve. The popularity of mixers in recent
years means there is a wide array of styles and prices to choose from.
They are more convenient as only one hand is required to operate the tap to
produce warm water
Energy and water efficiency savings as it is easy to turn on water at the desired
temperature
Less clutter with a single tap versus two taps
On the other hand, mixer taps can require more ongoing minor maintenance work as the single
tap handle is used more frequently, therefore parts such as washers need to be replaced more
often compared to separate hot and cold taps. If you’re not replacing your sink and have
existing separate taps, additional work will also be involved to convert your sink and tap
plumbing to accommodate a single mixer.
Ceramic and porcelain are the most commonly-used bathroom tiles. Ceramic needs to be
glazed. Be sure to check which have anti-slip properties added to determine if they are best for
wall or floor tiles. Ceramic are low maintenance and can fit into all budgets.
Porcelain tiles are also low maintenance, hard-wearing and suited to most budgets with plenty
of options for colours, patterns and ant-clip properties. They can also mimic a natural stone
look which makes them attractive to those who like the look with the extra maintenance that
natural stone brings. They can also be laid closer together to achieve more subtle grout lines.
Natural stone requires waterproofing to be used in the bathroom. Glass tiles – which are
naturally water resistant – are excellent on feature walls or shower recesses due to their
reflective, luminous qualities.
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ensuite, toilet and bathroom. Total area is 45m2 (33m2 of walls and 12m2 of
floor). Work will start in just over a week with ongoing work for other bathroom
renovations. All tiles and materials supplied.
Heat lights are also a great way to warm up after a shower in winter. They start from $150 for a
large four light suitable for a family bathroom. Likewise, a heated towel rail from $150 for a
four-rail can help with cold mornings adjustments. BE sure to use them as needed as leaving
them on all day will increase your energy bill.
Although there are many types of stand-alone storage options such as ladder shelves, bench
boxes and hampers that can be purchased if you aren’t looking to integrate built-in storage
options into your design, it’s also very important to consider the layout of your bathroom to
accommodate spaces where stand-alone storage will be placed permanently. For example, it’s
not advisable to reserve space very near the toilet for storing personal toiletries such as
toothbrushes, or a hamper that’s very near the shower area as it can be exposed to
splashback from showers.
Shelving space above a toilet for items such as toilet paper and candles
Use bare walls to install a decorative wall feature supporting individual storage
jars.
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Shopping choices can affect your budget big time. There are plenty of specialty bathroom
renovation suppliers, but there’s also the likes of Harvey Norman and Bunnings which are
great for some supplies. It pays to do your research and decide which fittings are best, which
ones you should splurge on and which ones are okay to settle for generic over brand names.
Keep an eye on sales, travel a bit further from home for a bargain, but be sure to have all your
plans in place and measurements (done twice!) before buying items. Fittings such as tapware
can make a big impact in the bathroom so while it’s a small item, don’t just dismiss it as a small
cost too.
19. Ventilation
No-one wants mould – it’s unsightly, hard to get rid of and hazardous to your health. So thwart
it from the get-go by installing preventative measures such as exhaust fans, natural ventilation
with windows, using moisture-proofing grout, paint primers and anti-mould paint.
If your bathroom is close to bedrooms, the biggest consideration with anti-mould prevention is
the noise from the exhaust fan. It could be worth spending more on a quieter unit and also
investing in one with a timer or humidity sensor so it doesn’t get left on all day.
20. Timing
A bathroom renovation is definitely not an overnight job and the time from start to completion
can take between 2-8 weeks.
Further delays can often be caused by specialist tradespeople being unavailable at certain
times, and holding up the process because additional work afterwards cannot be completed.
For example, shower and floor tiling cannot be completed until waterproofing has been
completed and you have been issued a waterproofing certificate.
Attempting to fast track work is very risky and can lead to expensive and even more time
consuming re-work, so it’s important to have a complete plan of your renovation timeline,
what’s needed, and contingencies when things go wrong.
If you’re doing a full gut yourself, then you’ll need to hire a skip bin for waste removal or
transport it to a waste disposal site. Items such as baths, shower units and vanities can be
recycled so be sure to check out your local buy, sell, swap groups before heading to landfill.
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In NSW, approximately 75% of construction and demolition waste is diverted from landfill.
22. Inspiration
There are plenty of renovation blogs, home magazines and TV shows to get you started.
Pinterest is always a good starting point, so sign up if you haven’t already to see not only
professional examples of exquisite bathrooms but amateur ones too.
23. Lighting
The bathroom is one space where lighting comes in many different shapes and sizes and all
are equally important. It won’t cut it to throw a single globe in the middle of the room – in
addition to that overheard general lighting, you’ll need task lighting at the vanity and maybe
some accent lighting to show off artwork or recess areas.
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Task lighting is best as two sconces at eye level on either side of the mirror to create the best
lighting for make-up application, shaving and tooth care.
24. Mirrors
Large, well positioned mirrors can add additional depth to small bathrooms and give the
illusion of more space.
There are a lot of different options, add-ons and features that can be added to your bathroom
mirror to make your design really stand out. For example, a backlit bathroom mirror can
instantly create beautiful soft lighting and a sense of luxury similar to a bathroom in a high-end
hotel.
The shape (rounded or square/rectangle) and framing of your mirror (frameless/modern and
minimal vs decorative) should complement the style of the rest of your bathroom’s interior
design choices.
When building a new bathroom, it’s worth considering what environmentally-friendly aspects
you can incorporate. They start as small as installing an aerator on the faucet and showerhead
to reduce water consumption, choosing a low-flow toilet system, using low-VOC paint and
energy-efficient lighting sources. Many of these options will not increase your out-of-pocket
expense so are worthwhile as they create future savings.
28. Toilets
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In addition to the aesthetics of your toilet choice, you should also consider the WELS ratings,
to find the best water-efficient toilet for your new bathroom.
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