Bathroom Renovations

Renovating a bathroom and want to do it right? Our list of must-know costs, how to get quotes, renovation facts and tips covers what matters

Updated 29 September 2021

Whether you've moved into a new home or improving your current one, bathroom renovations transform a house. However, sky-high quotes and delays in getting a builder have caused frustration among homeowners.

Things have changed. There’s a strong market for bathroom renovations as homeowners re-invest in their property rather than move homes. Our guide explains what you need to know to make the right choice at every step of the process, covering:

Know this first: Future-proofing is essential in any design decision

If you're renovating a bathroom pre-sale, the wrong style can make or limit your sales potential and/or discount the offer prices. Bathroom taste is very subjective for people, more so than other features of a home (kitchen, driveway etc).
Bathroom styles have changed a great deal in recent years with new, sleek, and modern fixtures and fittings now being the preferred choice; being ahead of the trends (but not too ahead) is important for reselling.

How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost?

The cost of bathroom renovations will depend upon the size of your bathroom, and the scope of the refurbishment involved. With so many different fixtures, fittings, and designs – from standard to bespoke – you need to consult an expert for the final price. The following represents a guide to approximate costs:

Fit new furnishings and fixtures in a small bathroom: between $1,500 and $6,000
Average bathroom renovation cost in New Zealand: $10,000 (although Westpac, in 2016 data, claims it is lower)
Larger bathroom with luxury fixtures will cost $20,000 and upwards

From idea to completion - knowing the process of working with a bathroom renovation professional

The process of hiring a bathroom renovations company is simple and usually follows these steps:

Contact a renovations company for a no-obligation consultation - a project manager will visit your home and listen to your ideas, taking measurements and notes, as well as asking questions.
A quote will be provider - this outlines the expected cost of the work you want. Unless specified, it will include standard fittings.
Adjusting the fittings and tile choices - you can upgrade to other products, styles and designs to suit your needs and budget.
Signing the contract - once you're happy with the design and quote, you will sign a contract with the company. It covers the specifications of the work to be completed, and the amount of money you will be. It will also outline the estimated time it will take to complete the work.
Starting the renovation - the trades team will prepare your bathroom by removing the existing fixtures, water pipes and electrical cables as required.
Renovation - the trades team will install everything as per the contract; tiles, fittings, cabinets, new pipes and any decorative details like lighting and mirrors etc.
Completion - the project manager will ask for you to sign-off on the finished bathroom to make sure you're happy. You'll then be given the guarantees and make any final payment (per the contract).

How Can I Get the Best Quote for Bathroom Renovations?

Bathroom renovations quotes can be arranged for below-market, but you'll need to make some concessions, as we explain below:

Look for discounted ranges and display models – Last year’s bathroom suites may come at a better price, or you could see if you can get a deal on showroom models that have been on display a while
Go for standard, not custom design – if you want custom sizing, you'll pay a lot more. If you're ordering standard sizing which comes off a production line (showers, sinks, cabinets etc), you'll pay a lot less.

Questions to Ask a Bathroom Renovation Company

To make sure you get a fully-inclusive quote with no nasty surprises at the end, we suggest asking the following questions:

What is the service offered? Is it "all inclusive" (i.e. design, supply of fittings, project management, fit-out, clean up and disposal of old bathroom fittings) or is it "design and supply", which means you'll have to hire your own trades people to complete the renovation? In almost all circumstances, an "all inclusive" arrangement gives you the most control while limiting the companies or people you deal with to one.
Once you know the service offered, ask for their range of bathroom furnishings and fittings.
If there are non-standard items included in a quote, can these be specified? Are there alternatives to non-standard items to reduce the cost? The more generic your fittings, the cheaper the cost
Is everything included in the price; are there any hidden extras? Get an assurance that the quote is the final price and not an estimate. Ask what the payment terms area, i.e. payment by stage, or 50% upfront and 50% on completion?

Before you settle on a Bathroom Renovation company, consider the following:

Look online for reviews - recent customer experiences are paramount to getting comfortable with a supplier
Ask around family and friends who might have recently had their bathroom remodelled - they may recommend a company
Always ask several companies to quote for your job, and then use the quotes to negotiate.
Does the quote deliver precisely the bathroom suite and design you want, or are there limitations? If they are, why?
What is the time frame in which to complete the job?
Is the company insured for damage and liability while in your home?
How long will the work, fixtures and fittings be guaranteed for? Bathrooms have a lot of wear in tear so you need to be protected should there be issues later on.

Bathroom Renovation Frequently Asked Questions

Bathrooms can be complicated - our frequently asked questions helps pre-empt some of your concerns.

What is the cheapest way to remodel a bathroom?

The cheapest way is to balance style with functionality and minimise the costs that don’t matter. For example, you don’t need to re-install piping if it functions as is. Also, you can carefully remove the floor to protect the waterproofing underneath – this avoids costly replacement that serves no additional purpose. Going for standard features rather than custom minimises the cost price of the vanities.

Should I DIY my bathroom renovation or leave it to a professional?

You can do some tasks yourself – painting, shelf installation, tiling. However, we believe anything electrical or water-related is best left to a qualified expert who has experience in bathroom renovations.

Avoid six common bathroom renovation rip-offs and mistakes

A bathroom renovation can quickly go pear-shaped in terms of design and costs if you don’t plan carefully. We outline five common mistakes to avoid:

Remember, you want your bathroom to be beautiful, functional, and as you imagine it, so take your time getting the right people on board for your bathroom renovation.

Spending too much (or not enough)

If you cut costs on the fit-out, you’re going to be reminded about what you saved money on and are unlikely to get the finished result you wanted. What’s more, all of the other costs (renovating, waterproofing, tiling, etc.) are incurred anyway, so the savings are relatively minimal as a percentage of the whole project cost.
Conversely, overpaying is also problematic – deciding on the most expensive fittings may blow the budget and adversely make your bathroom the centrepiece of your home (which may not be a good thing).
In summary, it’s all about balance. Bathrooms are renovated every 10-20 years, so keep that in mind when you ask for quotes.

Paying for a complete renovation when a cosmetic improvement would be sufficient

Structurally, most bathrooms are fine – solid pipes, no leaks, no drainage issues. A significant renovation may require changing the layout of your plumbing; this is costly and highly inconvenient, and often completely unnecessary. Replacing the tapware, vanity, toilet and repainting or re-tiling will save thousands if you keep everything in the same location.

Not anticipating the importance of waterproofing (and damaging your home afterwards)

Removing the tiling on a floor is a significant step in a bathroom, so if you plan to re-do the floor, you’ll need to take care. This is because underneath the floor is a waterproof membrane or the underlay. If you damage it without knowing, a lot of problems will follow. Replacing the waterproofing is an expert tradesperson’s job, and not something that should be DIY.

Hiring inexperienced tradespeople

It’s easy to go for a cheap quote, but bathroom renovations can go wrong very quickly if you’re dealing with a cowboy. Our guide to the best experts around New Zealand (see below) solves this issue.

Going for “trendy” at the expense of functionality

Functionality is everything – everything aesthetic will date. It’s essential to keep the style of the bathroom consistent with your home. If you renovate a bathroom in an old house, it won’t increase the value as you’d expect if the rest of the home is dated. If anything, it will look out of place.
Deciding on what you want upfront, and then carefully thinking about it – including evaluating the pros and cons objectively, is the only way to make a fully-informed decision.

DIY disasters can happen without warning (and be expensive to fix)

You may feel confident to renovate a bathroom, but unless you’re an experienced tradie, you may be limited to replacing tiles, painting and installing shelves. Everything else almost always needs a professional - plumbing, electrical and waterproofing. If something goes wrong during your DIY and you can’t fix it, you’ll likely pay a lot to get it sorted. Going in without experience may also be dangerous – electricity, water etc.

Unsure about the scale of your bathroom renovation project? Evaluate your needs first

If you don't know exactly what you need done, and want to minimise the cost while maximising the aesthetics, follow these easy steps to get a complete picture of your current situation:

Review your bathroom - how bad is the current condition? Are tiles chipped, is the colour dated, does the bath and/or sink have cracks or chips? If the answer is yes, contacting a bathroom renovations company is likely to be your next step. Otherwise, superficial cosmetic work (like changing the colour or re-tiling) can be a DIY project.
Assess the fixtures' condition - if pipes are rusting, or if you're noticed blockages that don't seem to go away, it's likely you'll need to budget for a replacement.
Repainting vs. reconstruction - sometimes the colour of a bathroom can be the main problem. Repainting and adding a few bathroom-friendly plants can make the difference between spending $500 and spending $5,000. Don't ask for quotes until you have properly considered a repaint.
Fixture resizing - you may think that fixtures inside your bathroom have become too cumbersome, or you want to eliminate some altogether, i.e. replacing a bath with a shower suite. It's unlikely you can change the size of your bathroom area, so reducing the size of fixtures frees up space while minimising friction in your bathroom.

In summary, thinking about your plans carefully will help you plan the right bathroom renovation, be it a simple redecoration or a full refurbishment. You don't need to invest big if a simple re-paint will solve most of the issues with your current bathroom.

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