What a bathroom renovation costs in Australia in 2026
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Australia?
Most full bathroom renovations in Australia cost between $15,000 and $25,000. Cosmetic updates without moving plumbing can be done for $5,000 to $15,000, while premium renovations commonly exceed $35,000. Labour usually makes up 40 to 60 per cent of the total.
The bathroom is usually the most expensive room in the house per square metre, and the one where quotes vary the most. Two quotes for what sounds like the same job can be $15,000 apart, and both can be honest.
Here is what renovations typically cost at each level, and more usefully, what actually moves the number.
Typical costs by scope
These are all-in ranges for a standard-sized bathroom. Prices in Sydney and Melbourne tend to sit at the top of each range.
- Cosmetic refresh, $5,000 to $15,000: new vanity, tapware, toilet and some retiling, with the plumbing staying where it is.
- Standard full renovation, $15,000 to $25,000: stripped back to the frame, new waterproofing, full retile, new fixtures in the existing layout.
- Premium renovation, $25,000 to $35,000 and above: layout changes, moved plumbing, custom joinery, and higher-end tiles and fittings.
Why it costs what it does
A bathroom is small, but it needs more trades per square metre than any other room: a plumber, an electrician, a waterproofer, a tiler, and often a carpenter or builder. Labour is typically 40 to 60 per cent of the bill, and every trade has to be scheduled in the right order.
The single biggest cost driver is moving the plumbing. Keeping the shower, toilet and basin where they are is the most reliable way to keep a renovation in the lower half of its range.
The part not to economise on
Waterproofing is invisible once the tiles go on, which is exactly why it matters. Failed waterproofing is one of the most common and most expensive defects in Australian homes, and it rarely shows until the damage has spread.
Ask who is doing the waterproofing, whether they are licensed for it where your state requires that, and whether you will get a certificate when it is done.
Before you sign
A full bathroom renovation is usually large enough to trigger the rules on written contracts, deposit caps and, in most states, home warranty insurance. Get at least three written quotes for the same scope, and check each business has actually finished a bathroom before -- not a kitchen, not a deck.