Photography: Sue Ferris
Making over any room in the house can be exciting, but renovating a bathroom can be particularly challenging. It’s a complex (and often, costly) project, so it’s important to soak in as many bathroom renovation tips as you can rather than simply ‘winging it’ and hoping it turns out for the best.
Here we round up 8 things you must consider before you even think about looking for feature tiles or bathroom tapware. These bathroom renovation tips will motivate you to set your budget (and stick to it), pay attention to your project planning and achieve the bathroom design of your dreams.
How much does a bathroom renovation cost?
HiPages estimate that the average cost of a bathroom renovation can range anywhere from $8000 to $35,000. Earlier this year, Compare the Market found that Australians could have to fork out a third of their yearly wage to renovate an average-sized bathroom ($17,250). The Housing Institute of Australia data indicates that bathroom renovations, on average, cost about $26,000.
1. How much you can spend
Get a few quotes and a realistic idea of what the bathroom renovation will cost – having this comparison could save you thousands. So many variables can have an impact on the cost of a bathroom, so it’s important to get these quotes before you decide on anything. Once you have nutted out your renovation budget, the next step is to stay on track. Downloading a free payment and project management app like Witzer can help you plan your renovation, compare quotes, organise contracts with tradies, automate payments and communicate with your renovation team.
It takes more tradespeople to reno a bathroom than any other room in the house, so it can get expensive. The best way to source quotes is through word of mouth or by researching online reviews. If you get really stuck, try calling your local bathroom store. They should have a few quality recommendations for you.
Did you know?
2. Patience pays
Give yourself time and be sure to not rush it. Good products may take time to source, especially if you’re going for custom finishes on your joinery or hardware, such as brass, nickel, matte black, or copper.
These can take 6-8 weeks to produce, so patience is a virtue here! It’s the same sort of timeframe for custom-made cabinets and stone for your benchtops. It might be an idea to take a look at some bathroom designs for inspiration and have a good understanding of what you want to achieve before setting off.
3. Plan, plan, plan
Here’s a budget-friendly bathroom renovation tip you won’t see often: sometimes it pays to get expert advice. That’s because bathrooms can be toughies! To ensure your bathroom layout is spot on, it’s a good idea to invest in a draftsman or architect to draw some plans for you. This will only cost you a few hundred dollars but it is likely to save you many hundreds more. It will give you – and the shops you visit – a firm understanding of what will fit and what will work in a bathroom, not to mention it will give the plumber, electrician, and carpenters guidelines to work to.
Most tradies will tell you they would all prefer to work off a detailed set of plans than a rough sketch done on the bathroom door!
4. Define the “why”
It always helps to have a clear understanding of why you are renovating your bathroom. Is it to increase the value of your property or are you wanting to create a dreamy space you can enjoy for years to come? If it’s the latter, have some fun with it. There are so many trendy looks available, so don’t be scared to put your stamp on it: minimalism, maximalism, Art Deco, Hamptons – we all have a style we love. And think about adding some luxury additions, like underfloor heating or a minimalist linear drain in your shower.
If you’re thinking of re-sale, it’s good practice to keep your design safe and practical. Think about your target market and stick to the one design. You could use a timeless range of taps, and opt for showers that are practical for your target market. Simple colour tones and quality products are also advised.
Renovating your bathroom for re-sale?
5. Being organised is key
Finally, have as much of the product ready prior to the start of the bathroom renovation as you can. Having the tiles, toilets, taps, basins ready for your tradies will not only save you money but also reduce the time it takes to renovate.
It helps the tradies get an understanding of what needs to be installed, and there are no excuses if something is done wrong in the bathroom if all the goods were available to them during the renovations. Combine that with a good set of plans/drawings and a great team of tradies and you’ll be on your way to achieving the bathroom you’re after.
6. Simple design doesn’t always equal budget friendly
While sleek, simple bathrooms may look like an affordable option for a bathroom renovation, they can actually end up being one of the more expensive styles. Specifying large single sheets of material such as stone, large tiles, no joins in benches, no handles on cabinetry and no grout lines in the tiles (which are common to this aesthetic) are all costly design features because they usually require professional installation, custom cuts of materials and custom cabinetry.
7. DIY could cost you more…
Even if your brand-new bathroom cost a small fortune to design, all it takes is badly done tiles to cheapen the end result. Conversely, an expert tile job can elevate a cheaper bathroom. When it comes to planning and undertaking tiling, it’s better to leave it to the professionals so they get the tiles perfectly straight and fitted to your space correctly, especially if you plan to use contrasting grout.
A good tiler can tile a space in a short amount of time, disguise uneven walls and provide a waterproof barrier between your bathroom and the structure of the house without the risk of leaks. As an added bonus, tiles can also act as the style statement in your bathroom.
8. Don’t skimp on finishing touches
If you’re on a tight budget and have chosen a more practical, economical bathroom, add drama by way of oversized handles on cabinetry or a statement-making pendant light can to draw the eye towards the more directional design features of the room and make it feel more expensive. Another trick is to pick a shape and use it repetitively.
For example, if you’ve got round tiles, pick a rounded basin, rounded tapware and a round mirror. You can do this with any shape, and it’ll make the space look high-end.
Enter the Tradie of the Year 2025 competition
Better Homes and Gardens, in partnership with Witzer, wants to give a shout-out to Australia’s awesome tradies. Do you know someone, or are you someone? – who has what it takes to be an award-winning tradie? Enter now, or nominate a tradie you know to win recognition and prizes. T&Cs apply.
