What does a bathroom renovation cost in Australia?

Bathrooms are the most trade heavy room in the house for their size, which is why they cost more per square metre than almost anything else you renovate. Here is what to budget and why.

Typical ranges

A budget refresh that keeps the layout and updates fittings, tiling and paint usually runs $8,000 to $15,000. A standard full renovation lands around $15,000 to $25,000. Moving walls, relocating plumbing or going high end can push past $30,000. The room is small, but the number of trades is not.

Where the money goes

Labour is most of it. A bathroom needs a plumber, an electrician, a waterproofer and a tiler, often with a builder or renovator coordinating the sequence. The order matters: strip out, plumbing and electrical rough in, waterproofing, tiling, then fit off. Skip or rush the waterproofing and you risk an expensive failure later, so it is never the place to cut corners.

Tiling is the big visible cost. Use the tiling cost calculator for your wall and floor area, and the tile quantity calculator to work out how many to order. Not sure who to line up first? The which tradie finder walks through it.

Scope	Typical cost
Budget refresh	$8,000 to $15,000
Standard full reno	$15,000 to $25,000
High end or layout change	$25,000 to $40,000+

Smart ways to save

Keep the existing layout if you can, since moving the toilet, shower and vanity means new plumbing runs and a bigger bill. Choose mid range tiles and tapware that look good without the designer markup. And get fixed price quotes that spell out the inclusions, because a vague quote almost always grows once the job starts.

These figures are estimates to help you plan and sense check quotes. Site access, materials, finish and your location all change the final price. Always get two or three written quotes.

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