All Topics / Value Adding / Bathroom Reno Cost

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Profile photo of yoyo galaxyyoyo galaxy
    Member
    @yoyo-galaxy
    Join Date: 2009
    Post Count: 79

    Hi everyone,

    Previously we had a budget of 10k including quality materials and labor for our bathroom renovation. now I was told by the showroom guy that If i want the fittings with the quality that I want, my budget has to rise to at least 15-17k. :(

    Also got quote from 2 tradies for the labor, surprisingly they gave me similar price — 6K + GST. including rip off old tiles, waterproofing, re-tiling, putting the new fittings in.

    Here are some prices of the fittings:
    – vanity : 500 (standard) -3000 (marble or stone benchtop with basin on top)
    – Toilet: 300-800
    – shower screen: 800 (framed) – 1500 (standard frameless) – 2500 (customised frameless)
    – bathtub: 600-1000

    I will check out more show rooms later. It surprises how much more a frameless shower screen cost compare with a framed one, and how much more a model basin set up (with the basin siting on top of benchtop instead of sinking in the benchtop) cost. Does this sound like a reasonable quote/price to everyone? adding them up, It is way above my initial budget of 10k.

    Could anyone share the quote or price of their project please?Just wondering if i am getting ripped off because I am new in renovation. :) thanks a lot

    Profile photo of shellethoshelletho
    Member
    @shelletho
    Join Date: 2010
    Post Count: 6

    Hi there, the cost on trades sound about right, but if you would like to save money on the shower screens, bath, vanity, taps and tiles etc.  try the auctions

    I know the ones in NSW are great you will save thousands.

    laws auctions (wetherill park)  have everything to build a complete house!  and you can get brand new things for under cost price.

    also graysonline.com.au have excellent fittings all the time on sale, but remember, dont bid until the end because your pushing the price up on yourself!

    Hope this helps :)

    Profile photo of broccoli2broccoli2
    Participant
    @broccoli2
    Join Date: 2010
    Post Count: 1

    Hi,

    We just renovated our upstairs bathroom late last year. The old bathroom and shower room were gutted, the wall between them pulled down, new walls and ceilings, rewired, replumbed, new sliding door, floor and wall tiles, new window frames. And also included a new meter board with safety switches (we still had the original board from 1970!).

    My shower screen, semi frameless, cost $600 installed (separate company). The base was about $190. My bath was $170, but i did splurge on the vanity which was $2000 – I got all my stuff (except showerscreen and mirror) from Reece, which aren’t the cheapest.

    My builder initially quoted 13K but it went up to 16K, PLUS the fittings that I had bought. All up it came to 20K and we’re very happy, seeing as several other quotes were over 20K (some WAY over) for the work required. (I always assume that they’ll go over their quote).

    Hope this helps. If you’re in Melbourne I can recommend my builder.

    Profile photo of yoyo galaxyyoyo galaxy
    Member
    @yoyo-galaxy
    Join Date: 2009
    Post Count: 79

    Thanks a lot for the tips Shelletho, I will keep an eye on the auctions, sounds interesting and a good way to save money!

    Broccoli2, thanks for the info, one of the builders I contacted quoted told me my budget has to be increased to 17k to 20k, which is way over my original budget. your builder's price sounds really good. unfortunately I am in Sydney.

    Profile photo of itsandrewitsandrew
    Participant
    @itsandrew
    Join Date: 2007
    Post Count: 294

    Broccoli2, who was the builder?  And which side of town do they do their work?

    itsandrew

    Go as far as you can see and you will see further.

    Profile photo of LinarLinar
    Member
    @linar
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 567

    A bathroom reno can cost as much  or as little as you like.  I have done a bathroom reno on an investment property for $1500, but I also recently paid about $70,000 to have a room in our house converted into a bathroom.  The IP reno was quite basic (pretty much new tiles and paint and a vanity from an auction house).  As to my bathroom, to say is was not a basic reno is a bit of an understatement!

    Get quotes from at least three tradies and then look around at auction houses for fittings, tiles etc.  And then perhaps look at doing some of the work, such as removing old tiles and repainting yourself.

    Cheers

    K

    Profile photo of Eco BuilderEco Builder
    Member
    @eco-builder
    Join Date: 2008
    Post Count: 47

    Hey Danviv,
    Our IP bathrooms normally set us back about 6k to do properly, but then i am a registered builder and being in the game helps alot.
    We do many bathrooms for private investors here in Bris, and the average cost is between 10-15k depending on who is supplying the PC items, and the quality of PC items.
    It really pays to ask around for a good quality builder or tiler, as this is a much bigger consideration than budget in my opinion.
    Example – 2 weeks ago, we quoted on a bathroom which had recently been done (18months)
    The owners had only paid a small sum and got a “Handyman” in to tile etc.
    The result was we have to totally rip out the bathroom, and start from scratch.
    Yes the PC items can be re-used, but at the end of the day, they will have spent far more than if they had it done correctly in the first place.
    Due diligence should apply to any reno and really screen your trades.

    good luck with the project

    Adrien

    Profile photo of bouncecfbouncecf
    Participant
    @bouncecf
    Join Date: 2010
    Post Count: 14

    Hi:) Ive never done a reno bathroom so this is just a thought, but is there any possibility that you can do some of the work yourself to save on the labour cost – ie ripping out the old tiles /  fixtures, which might offset the cost of the more expensive fixtures?

    Profile photo of amazingjefferyamazingjeffery
    Participant
    @amazingjeffery
    Join Date: 2010
    Post Count: 68

    Im also interested in this, how bad was the builders previous tiling Eco Builder?  I have a few friends that have done there own tiling with great results and I have seen some tiler apprentice work and its been terrible.  Do you guys believe tiling can be done by an informed renovator or best left to proffessionals.  I would have thought if you go slow and take your time and make sure its all accurate then it would be a decent job, then thinking some tradies might rush the job and it looks spoilt?  I am trying to do a budget for a bathroom reno for a house im looking at doing and I was going to do all the work myself.   Does this seem accurate below? 

    BathroomBudget 
    Vanity and Basin850
    Mirrors100
    Towel Racks80
    Waterproofing400
    Taps200
    Shower Screen1000
    Shower Head and handles200
    Bathtub1500
    Bathtub tap and handles200
    Heat Lamp and Light50
    Plumbing  Materials200
    Tiles and Mortar400
    Paint150
    Consumables200
    Total5530

    Sorry for the layour of it, i copied from excel and it didnt transfer like it showed in the text box.

    Profile photo of NBSNBS
    Member
    @nbs
    Join Date: 2010
    Post Count: 60

    You can do a lot of the work yourself to cut down on cost BUT if you intend to get a builder or tradie in find out to what extent the rip out is to be.

    If people just go slow and be organised you can do a lot of the work yourself, but you will need a sparkie, plumber, waterproofer, glazier and remember to get a form 15 when completed for your records.

    The hardest is for home owners is knowing if the trades are doing the work to the standard. Its hard enough as a builder to check on the trades works thats why you get good tradies they are worth the $$$. 

    I had a tiler come to do my place (my usual tiler had broken his leg) and i had the angle for the shower set 10mm above the finished tile height so the shower screen sits over. The tiler said why did you do it that way, its a waste of time, I just cut them off and tile over them, suffice to say I got another tiler to do my place. 

    Brian

        
     

     

    Profile photo of Eco BuilderEco Builder
    Member
    @eco-builder
    Join Date: 2008
    Post Count: 47

    Hey Amazing Jeffery,
    The tiles were pretty bad, as they were very drummy.
    This is THE biggest issue with tiling, doesn't matter how slow and careful you are with the layout, the issue is the preparation. Some types of glue will not adhere properly to some types of waterproofing.
    The BSA recently held seminars here in Bris to highlight the need for a super clean site prior to waterproof and laying of tiles.
    The other issue is the look- If you decide to lay the tile yourself, and you mess the job up, even just a little bit- you cant relay the tiles. It's not like painting, where you can just keep at it till it looks right!
    I have extensive experience tiling, and for this reason , i always use my qualified tiler ,  just not worth the problems.

    As for what can you do to save money, and get a mickey mouse bathroom-
    If you are using a builder, tell him that you want to do the demo, he will be able to organise a sparky and plumber to isolate the power and water to allow you to work safely.

    If you are handy with a pinch bar and a hammer etc, do the demo yourself-
    First ensure the lining is not asbestos
    Next- wack on the safety gear- goggles (Sealed ones, not just glasses) gloves, and sealed shoes. The tiles get very sharp when broken and removing from substrate.
    Remove all PC items, tiles, lining etc. You want to completely gut the room, and bring it back to bare timber.
     

    If you are handy with a power-saw, screw gun etc
    Check all of the subframe timber, and studs, and repair as necessary. Remove all dry rot, as this is like cancer for timber, and will continue to spread. You can get treatments for dryrot, to stop the process.
    Double check all of your studs, make sure everything is plumb, and the room is square (As much as possible) as your tiles will highlight a room that is out of plumb or out of square.

    At this stage you get the plumber and sparky in to do his/her rough in.
    Regardless of budget, make sure you replace the combination for the taps, as the demo may have weakened the welds, and the last thing you want, is to spring a leak in 2 weeks time, and have to rip tiles off the walls again. Ensure your plumber changes this!

    If you are handy with a tape measure and fibro shears, you can have a crack at installing the lining.
    If you have a timber floor. you will need to lay tile underlay (Even for wet beds). Tile underlay for the floor requires a HUGE amount of nailing, so this is one area you can save some dollars, just spend an entire Sat on your knees, nailing down the tile underlay
    (Your builder will LOVE you for it)

    From here on in, the result will be visible, so you need to ask yourself whether you want to risk the job, or get a professional tiler in to do the job!

    good luck with the project, hope this helps you out a bit

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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