Bathroom Renovation on a Realistic Budget
Bathrooms are the most expensive rooms per square foot to renovate. A small space contains supply plumbing, drainage, ventilation, electrical, waterproofing and tiled surfaces, and every one of those trades has to work in sequence in a room barely large enough for two people.
Typical mid-range full bathroom remodels commonly run $12,000 to $30,000, with upscale projects considerably higher. A cosmetic refresh that keeps all fixtures in place can be done for a few thousand.
The single biggest cost decision
Keeping fixtures where they are is the difference between a moderate project and an expensive one. Moving a toilet requires relocating a three-inch drain with correct fall, which frequently means opening the floor and, in a slab house, cutting concrete.
Moving a shower or bath means new drainage and often new venting. Moving a sink is the least disruptive of the three but still involves supply and waste changes.
If the layout works, spend the budget on tile, fixtures and lighting, which is what you see and touch daily. If the layout genuinely does not work, accept that fixing it is the expensive option and budget accordingly rather than discovering it mid-project.
Waterproofing is not optional and not visible
The most consequential part of a bathroom renovation is the part you will never see. Behind tile, a proper waterproofing assembly prevents water reaching the structure. Cement board alone is not waterproof.
Modern practice uses a sheet or liquid-applied membrane over the substrate, with seams and corners treated, and either a pre-formed sloped shower base or a properly formed mud bed. Green board drywall is not adequate in a wet area.
Ask contractors specifically which waterproofing system they use and whether they perform a flood test on shower pans before tiling. A contractor who cannot answer clearly is not the right contractor for a wet room.
Ventilation prevents most future problems
An adequately sized extractor fan, ducted to the exterior rather than into an attic, prevents the mould and paint failure that plague bathrooms. Sizing is roughly one CFM per square foot for typical ceiling heights, with more for larger or enclosed spaces.
A timer or humidity-sensing switch matters, because the fan needs to run for fifteen to twenty minutes after use, and nobody does that manually. This is a cheap component with an outsized effect on how the room ages.
Where to economise and where not to
Economise on tile format and material. Large-format porcelain in a simple layout costs less to buy and less to install than mosaic or herringbone patterns, which multiply labour hours. A modest tile well installed looks better than an expensive tile installed poorly.
Economise on vanities by buying a stock unit and fitting a better countertop, and on tapware by choosing solid brass in a simple finish over designer pieces.
Do not economise on the shower valve, which is buried in the wall and expensive to replace, or on the waterproofing, or on the extractor fan. Also worth paying for: a comfort-height toilet, decent lighting at the mirror rather than only overhead, and a proper shower door rather than a curtain if the layout suits.
Timelines and contingency
A full bathroom remodel typically takes three to six weeks, with the trades sequence being demolition, rough plumbing and electrical, inspection, waterproofing, tiling, then fixtures and finishes. Rushing the sequence, particularly allowing tile before inspection, is how problems get buried.
Hold 15 to 20 percent contingency. The recurring discoveries are rot around the toilet flange and shower pan, inadequate or ungrounded wiring, missing GFCI protection, galvanised supply pipe that should be replaced while open, and subfloor damage.
If it is your only bathroom
Plan the logistics before demolition. Three to six weeks without a shower requires a genuine arrangement — a gym membership, an accommodating neighbour, family nearby.
In a single-bathroom house it is worth asking the contractor to sequence the work so the toilet is reinstalled as early as feasible, and to agree that they leave the space usable at the end of each week where possible. It costs nothing to ask and makes the project far more tolerable.
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