Breaking down the cost of a primary bathroom makeover into three expense groups is helpful. As a rough estimate, plan to spend between:
$10,000 to $15,000 A budget or cosmetic remodelling of a smaller main bathroom utilising budget materials and equipment costs.
$15,000 and $30,000 An average sized mid-range main bathroom remodel utilising mid-range materials and equipment
$30,000+ A premium or luxury main bathroom refurbishment with top-of-the-line materials, fittings, and fixtures costs
Let’s take a look at what each budget gets you for your money.
Depending on the quality of the materials/fittings, the size of your bathroom, and how extensive your makeover is, the main bathroom remodel can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000+ or more.
Let’s take a look at what each budget gets you for your money.
Bathroom renovation on a budget or for cosmetic reasons: $5,000 to $15,000
A $5,000 main bathroom renovation is conceivable, but it will mostly be aesthetic or include replacing a few fixtures, such as the toilet and vanity. You can do more with $15,000, but you’ll have to keep all of your plumbing and electrics in place. Your possibilities for materials are as follows:
- Porcelain floor and wall tiles in the $30 per square metre range are standard.
- Shower screen with frames
- Typical back-to-wall toilet
- Vanity for beginners
- The floorplan remains unchanged.
Typical bathroom renovations include: $15,000 – $30,000
Spend between $15,000 and $30,000 on your main bathroom – this is what most people spend – and you’ll get superior materials and fixtures. You will have the ability to:
- Remove everything from the main bathroom.
- Choose from a greater selection of tiles, including mosaics, starting at $60 per square metre.
- Install a shower screen that is semi-frameless or frameless.
- Porcelain, enamelled steel, or acrylic freestanding bathtub
- Vanity in the bathroom
- Make some tweaks to the floorplan, but nothing big.
Renovation of a premium or luxury bathroom: $30,000+
If you have a budget of $30,000 or more, you’ll probably want to completely renovate your main bathroom and make significant changes to the layout and services. You will have enough money to:
- A professional will completely strip away your existing main bathroom 3D design and drawings.
- Service and layout adjustments are significant.
- A frameless shower screen, a built-in toilet, and a wall-mounted vanity
- A stone, stone mixture, concrete, or even wood freestanding bathtub
- Porcelain tiles (starting at $100 per square metre)
- Walls, floors, and surfaces made of composite stone
What to budget for when it comes to bathroom expenditures
The following are some of the primary costs to consider while renovating a bathroom:
- Connecting and installing all of your fittings in the plumbing
- Screeding, floor/wall tile installation, grouting, and sealing
- Semi-frameless or frameless glass shower screens
- Integrated or standalone bath
- Toilet cistern – conventional back-to-wall or in-wall
- Standard or wall-mounted vanity
- Task, general, and mood lighting
- Waterproofing – to keep your bathroom from leaking
What trades did you hire for your bathroom renovation?
Are you trying to figure out who you’ll need to help you refurbish your main bathroom?
Manage the entire job, including all trades, by either employing everyone or engaging subcontractors (subbies). This streamlines the process for you because you simply have to deal with one person who will project manage everything – but you won’t be able to bargain with each trade separately on price.
Top Tip: If you don’t schedule all of your trades in the correct order, your project will be delayed.
Individual tradies or specialists can also be hired. This is appropriate if you have a smaller work or like to be more hands-on, but you must ensure that they are all scheduled in the correct order. The following are essential trades for any bathroom renovation:
Plumbers ($100 – $150/hour) – This is perhaps the most important trade for your project, so make sure you pick someone who has done bathroom renovations before.
Tilers ($40 – $60 per square metre) – Another important trade that can make or break the appearance of your bathroom. They must pay attention to the smallest details, such as ensuring that your shower recess drains properly.
Waterproofers ($500-$750 per bathroom) employ an unique membrane to seal your bathroom, preventing leaks from spreading throughout your home. Waterproofers are some tilers.
Plasterer ($30-$70 per square metre) (hard plaster) $45 to $90 per square metre (wet)
After the plumber and electrician have completed their work, a plasterer will make your walls look brand new.
Electricians ($100 service charge + $70 – $95/hour) — electricians can assist with lighting, power outlets, heating, ventilation, and other tasks.
Cabinet makers ($80–100/hour) can assist with the installation of unique storage in your bathroom, such as a vanity or additional storage.
Top tip: Getting quotations directly from local tradies is the easiest approach to figure out the labour cost of your project.
How to Save Money on Bathroom Renovations
You might find that by the time you’ve estimated the whole cost of your dream bathroom renovation, you’ve gone considerably over budget. Fortunately, there are inexpensive options to update your bathroom, such as:
- Using fewer tiles by reducing the height of your wall tiles.
- Rather than taking everything out, replace a few pieces like your vanity, toilet, and/or shower screens with new ones.
- Instead of replacing your tiles, consider rerouting them.
- Wall tiles, bath, and basin resurfacing
- Purchasing high-quality, low-cost accessories rather than pricey brands
