Bathroom Renovation Cost in Sydney — 2026 Guide
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Sydney? In 2026, $22,000–$30,000 for a basic refresh in the existing footprint, $35,000–$55,000 for a mid-range renovation with a new layout, and $65,000–$120,000 once you are into stone, a freestanding bath and custom joinery. A small ensuite kept where it is can come in under $20,000. Figures below are Rawlinsons 2026 rates checked against Buildana's (Lic. 487805C) own bathroom jobs across Western Sydney.
Cost by Scope
Basic renovation (3–4 sqm bathroom, existing layout, new tiles, vanity, toilet, shower screen, tapware): • $22,000–$30,000
Mid-range renovation (full strip-out, new waterproofing, floor-to-ceiling tiles, frameless screen, quality fixtures, some layout change): • Rawlinsons 2026 for the strip-out, waterproof and re-tile alone: $29,375–$33,125 • With fixtures, lighting, flooring and any plumbing moves: $35,000–$55,000
Premium renovation (freestanding bath, wall-hung vanity, niche shelving, underfloor heating, large-format or natural stone tiles, custom joinery): • $65,000–$120,000
Note: Waterproofing is mandatory and non-negotiable. AS 3740 standards must be met. Buildana uses licensed waterproofers with manufacturer-backed warranties on every bathroom.
Key Cost Drivers
1. Tiling: the single biggest cost — floor-to-ceiling tiles in a 4 sqm bathroom = 25–30 sqm of tile area. Tiles $30–$100/sqm, labour $60–$90/sqm. 2. Waterproofing: $1,500–$3,000 for a standard bathroom. Mandatory under NCC. 3. Plumbing: relocating fixtures adds $3,000–$8,000. Like-for-like replacement minimises cost. 4. Fixtures: vanity ($500–$3,000), toilet ($300–$1,500), shower mixer ($200–$800), bath ($800–$5,000). 5. Structural: moving walls, enlarging the bathroom, or converting a bath to walk-in shower may require structural modifications ($3,000–$10,000).
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Small Bathroom and Ensuite Renovation Cost
People assume a small bathroom is a cheap bathroom. It is cheaper, but not by as much as the floor area suggests, because most of the bill is not area. Waterproofing, plumbing rough-in, the electrician, demolition and the skip cost about the same whether the room is 3 sqm or 6 sqm. Only tiles, and the labour to lay them, scale with size.
A 3 sqm ensuite or second bathroom, kept in its existing footprint with a shower, wall-hung basin and toilet: $16,000–$24,000 in 2026. Push into a frameless screen, large-format porcelain and a stone-top vanity and you are at $24,000–$32,000. Add a bath into a room that never had one and the plumber's bill and the structural check for the extra load on a timber floor add $4,000–$9,000 on top.
The cheapest bathroom renovation is the one where nothing moves. Keep the toilet, the shower drain and the basin where they are, replace everything around them, and you avoid chasing the slab, re-running waste lines and the certifier's interest in your changes. On a like-for-like refresh the plumbing is often under $3,000. Shift the toilet 1.5 metres on a concrete slab and that line item can triple.
Apartment and Strata Bathroom Costs
Apartment bathrooms in Sydney cost more per square metre than the same room in a house, and it is mostly logistics. Materials go up in a lift or a stairwell, a skip cannot sit outside the door, working hours are restricted by the by-laws, and every wet-area change needs owners-corporation approval and, in most schemes, a waterproofing certificate lodged with the strata manager before you tile.
Budget $28,000–$40,000 for a mid-range apartment bathroom in the existing layout, roughly $5,000–$8,000 over the equivalent house bathroom. Where the building's waste stack cannot be moved (it usually cannot), the layout is fixed, which at least keeps the plumbing honest.
Two things catch apartment owners out. First, acoustic requirements: some strata schemes will not approve hard flooring in wet areas without an acoustic underlay report. Second, the building's hot-water system may not support a rain shower head at the flow rate the brochure promises. Ask before you buy fixtures.
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What a $30,000 Bathroom Actually Buys in 2026
A realistic line-by-line for a 5–6 sqm main bathroom, existing layout, mid-range finish, Sydney, ex-GST:
• Demolition, rubbish removal and skip: $1,800–$2,800 • Plumbing rough-in and fit-off, like-for-like: $2,500–$4,000 • Electrical: exhaust fan, lighting, heated towel rail circuit, IXL: $1,200–$2,200 • Waterproofing to AS 3740 with certificate: $2,200–$3,500 • Wall and floor tiling, 28–32 sqm laid, standard porcelain: $2,600–$4,500 labour plus $1,500–$3,000 tiles • Vanity with stone top and mirror cabinet: $1,800–$3,500 • Tapware set, shower, basin and towel rails: $1,400–$2,200 • Toilet suite, frameless shower screen, accessories: $2,000–$3,500 • Painting, ceiling, door, skirting, final clean: $1,200–$2,000 • Builder's margin, supervision, insurance and warranty: 15–20%
That lands between $24,000 and $35,000. The spread is almost entirely tile choice and how much you move. Anyone quoting well under $20,000 for that scope is either skipping the waterproofing certificate, using a non-licensed tiler to waterproof, or planning to hit you with variations once the old tiles come off and the wall behind them is wet.
May 2026 Bathroom Cost Refresh — Real Sydney Numbers
Bathroom budgets have moved meaningfully in the 12 months to May 2026, and three line items are responsible for most of the shift.
Waterproofing and tiling labour (+6–8%). Licensed waterproofers are the choke point on most Sydney bathroom jobs. AS 3740-2021 compliance plus the post-2024 enforcement uptick from Fair Trading means inspections happen, callbacks are real, and the trade has priced its risk in. Budget $2,200–$3,500 for waterproofing on a standard 6sqm bathroom (was $1,800–$3,000 in 2024). Wall and floor tiling is now $90–$140/sqm laid for standard porcelain — premium large-format and herringbone patterns run $150–$220/sqm.
Vanities and tapware (+4–6%). The mid-range vanity-and-mirror-cabinet combo is now $1,800–$3,500 supply only. Add tapware: a complete Phoenix or Methven matte-black set (mixer, shower, basin tap, towel rails) is $1,400–$2,200 supply. Premium Gessi or Astra Walker walk into $3,500–$6,500.
Plumbing relocation and demolition (+5%). Concrete-floor bathrooms in 1960s–80s Sydney brick veneers (the bulk of Fairfield, Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown housing stock) cost $1,500–$3,000 just to chase the slab for shifted waste lines. Don't underestimate this if you're moving the toilet wall.
Fair May-2026 Sydney bathroom renovation budgets: $22,000–$30,000 for a basic refresh in existing footprint with off-the-shelf vanity and standard tiles; $35,000–$55,000 for mid-range with new layout and frameless shower; $65,000–$120,000 for premium with stone benchtops, freestanding bath, custom joinery and underfloor heating.
If you're combining bathroom and kitchen, see /insights/kitchen-renovation-cost-sydney for the matching kitchen numbers, or call 0476 300 300 for a fixed-price quote on your actual scope.
