As a rough guide
These bands are deliberately broad. They are here so you can tell whether a plan is in the right territory, not to price your room.
| Type of job | Rough guide | What usually sits in it |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller or lighter jobs | $10,000 – $20,000 | Powder rooms, laundries, and refreshes where the waterproofing is sound |
| Mid-size rebuilds | $20,000 – $35,000 | Ensuites and small apartment bathrooms taken back to frame |
| Main and complex bathrooms | From around $30,000 | Family bathrooms, layout changes, strata or access constraints, or two rooms in one program |
All figures are indicative, in Australian dollars and including GST as a planning assumption. They are not quotes or offers, and a job can fall outside them.
What moves the price
Size and layout. A bigger room means more tiling, more membrane and more fittings. Moving the toilet or shower waste, especially on a concrete slab, adds plumbing and floor work.
What is behind the tiles. Old showers on timber floors often hide rotten joists, bearers and studs. Fibro beach cottages and many pre-1990 homes and units need asbestos testing, and removal where it is confirmed.
Strata and access. Walk-up stairs, lift bookings, common-area protection and restricted hours all add time in apartment bathrooms.
Level-entry showers. Setting down a floor or recessing a slab is more work than a standard hob or step-down.
Tiles and patterns. Large-format, handmade, mosaic or herringbone layouts take longer to lay than a simple grid.
Fittings and finishes. Coastal-grade tapware and hardware cost more up front and last longer near the ocean. Custom vanities and frameless screens cost more than off-the-shelf equivalents.
External changes. A bigger window or skylight — and on bushfire-prone land, a window that meets bushfire construction requirements.
Difficult sites. Steep blocks, narrow streets with no parking, and busy main-road frontages slow deliveries and waste removal.
What keeps a job down
- Keeping wastes in their current positions
- Choosing tiles within the stated allowance
- A shower screen with a fixed panel rather than a custom enclosure
- An off-the-shelf vanity in moisture-resistant materials
- Locking selections before demolition so nothing waits
- Renovating the bathroom and laundry, or two bathrooms, in one program
Partial upgrades
Not every bathroom needs a strip-out. If the waterproofing is sound and the tiles are intact — common in homes built from the 2000s onward — new tapware, a vanity, a screen, lighting, a better fan, and regrouting and resealing can transform the room for well under the cost of a rebuild. Where there are signs of leaking, a partial upgrade is money spent twice.
Payments in NSW
The maximum deposit is 10 per cent of the contract price. For work above the statutory threshold, home building compensation cover must be in place before a deposit is requested. Progress payments should follow completed stages — strip-out, rough-in, waterproofing, tiling, fit-off — not dates.
Every job is different
No two bathrooms are the same, even in the same block of units. The only way to give you a customised price is a proper on-site quote: we measure the room, check the floor, the wastes, the ventilation path and the access, and look for signs of what is behind the tiles. That becomes an itemised written quote with fittings named, a tile allowance stated and the membrane system specified.
The measure is free. See how a renovation runs and the FAQ.
Call 02 4705 5289 or book your on-site quote.
Questions people ask before they commit
What does a bathroom renovation cost on the Northern Beaches in 2026?
As a rough guide only: a powder room, laundry or cosmetic refresh commonly falls somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000; an ensuite or small apartment bathroom rebuilt from the frame between $20,000 and $35,000; and a main bathroom or a more complex job from around $30,000 upward. Every job is different, so a proper on-site quote is needed for a price on yours.
Why do apartment bathrooms cost so much for their size?
Because much of the cost is not the room. Strata approval, insurance documentation, stair carries in walk-ups, protection of common areas, restricted working hours, waterproofing certification and careful demolition over an occupied unit below all add time.
How much does asbestos removal add?
It depends on the amount and type of material. Testing comes first. Removal by a licensed asbestos removalist is quoted separately once testing confirms what is there, and in a fibro-lined bathroom it can be a meaningful addition to the budget.
What deposit is allowed in NSW?
The maximum deposit on a residential building contract in NSW is 10 per cent. For work above the statutory threshold, home building compensation cover must be in place before a deposit is requested.