Guide to Bathroom Renovations
Author: Service CentralA bathroom renovation is one of the largest renovation projects that you can undertake, and when done well a bathroom renovation can add substantial value to your home. A bathroom renovation can bring a home built in yesteryear up to date, or add the luxury of an ensuite to your bedroom increasing your living standards dramatically. The key to a successful bathroom renovation is thorough research and finding the right bathroom renovation company for you.
What is a bathroom renovation company?
A bathroom renovation is a major project and consequently requires someone with a builders licence to complete it. When meeting and interviewing bathroom renovation companies it is essential that you ask to see their builders licence, and ask for their guidance on what council permits may be required. That said, bathroom renovators can come from many walks of life. A bathroom renovation involves a variety of tradespeople including plumbers, electricians, plasterers, tilers, carpenters, painters, and cabinet makers. A good bathroom renovator is able to project manage all of these different types of tradespeople, and often has come from a background as a tradesperson as well.
What does an bathroom renovation company do?
There is a wide variety of bathroom renovation projects that can be undertaken, ranging from small bathroom renovations to home extensions to extend the home to add a whole new bathroom. Some common job requests include:
- Full bathroom renovation.
- Building an ensuite.
- Installation of a new shower or bath.
- Installation of a spa bath.
- Building a new bathroom vanity.
- Bathroom tiling.
- Resurfacing of bath and shower.
- Waterproofing.
In undertaking bathroom renovations, bathroom renovation companies need to be skilled in tasks such as:
- Bathroom design.
- Demolition and removal of old bathroom.
- Plastering and waterproofing.
- Plumbing for the installation of taps, basins, showers, baths, spas and toilets.
- Electricial work for the installation of lights, fans and heaters.
- Glaziers for the installation of shower screens, mirrors and splashbacks.
- Cabinet making for the building of a vanities and cupboards.
- Tiling and painting for the completion of the bathroom.
How much does it cost to renovate a bathroom?
Typically a bathroom renovation would cost between $9,000 and $25,000 depending on a number of factors such as:
- Size of the bathroom.
- Specifications of the work that is required.
- The building materials that are used.
- The choice of fittings such as taps, showerheads, etc.
An ensuite would normally cost less than a bathroom renovation.
An option to reduce the cost of a bathroom renovation is to use tradespeople for the tasks that most require a skilled and licenced tradesperson, such as:
- Plumbing installations.
- Electrical installations.
- Installation of showerscreens and mirrors.
NOTE: Many first time Do-It-Yourselfers are often surprised by how difficult bathroom renovation projects are to do on your own. Tasks such as waterproofing and tiling are often much more complicated than they seem. To save time and distress it can often be best to hire a professional to complete the whole bathroom renovation.
What to consider before starting a bathroom renovation
Before you rush off to speak to a bathroom renovation company and ask for quotes it is very important to have done your research. The variety of bathroom renovation options can be overwhelming including the infinite choices of baths, showers, toilets, taps, showerheads, tiles, paint colours, mirrors, splashbacks, etc. The more firm you are in what you require from your bathroom renovation, the more likely you will be of getting that bathroom that you've always wanted.
The key to obtaining the most competitive bathroom renovation prices is detailed specifications. When specifying what you require, take into account:
- The size of bathroom. How wide, how long, and how high is the bathroom?
- The bathroom products that you would like installed and their price range. Why types of baths, showers, basins, vanities would you like? Which price point is best for you (mid-range, top of the line, etc)?
- The bathroom fixtures that you would like. What types of taps, showerheads, etc? What price points?
- The tiles, glass, mirrors and painting that you would like.
As you can see there can be a wide variety of different combinations and different price points for each option, making the costing of a bathroom renovation vary wildly. Without detailed specifications the costs can get out of hand very easily.
How to find a bathroom renovation company
Service Central makes it easy to find a bathroom renovator. Simply list a job request for a bathroom renovation with Service Central and they will find the right local bathroom renovation company for you. Service Central will notify the local bathroom renovation companies, and those that are available and interested in your bathroom renovation project will call you back.
What to ask a bathroom renovation company
A bathroom renovation is a major project and consequently you should provide your clear specification with a number of bathroom renovation companies to obtain comparative quotes.
When speaking to the various bathroom renovation companies, you should consider:
- Whether they have a builders licence.
- What tradespeople they use (i.e. Electricians, plumbers, etc) and how long they have been using them for.
- What suppliers they use, and how long they have been using them for. If they have recently changed, is this because of a good reason or because they didn't pay their bill.
- Pictures they have of other bathroom renovations they have completed.
- Testimonials of their bathroom renovation customers.
- Whether they are insured to cover an potential personal and property damage.
How to choose a bathroom renovation company
By supplying clear specifications and obtaining a number of quotes from bathroom renovators you should be able to compare prices like for like. You should then also take into consideration their quality and professionalism. If the bathroom renovation company is registered with Service Central then you're able to view their online profile and read ratings and feedback that they have received about their previous bathroom renovation projects. Taking into account both price and quality the decision should become clear as to which bathroom renovation company is right for you.
Other things to consider during a bathroom renovation
During and after your bathroom renovation, you may also wish to consider:
- How you are going to keep your home functioning during the renovation. Some people choose to hire a mobile onsuite service (effectively an ensuite on a trailer) so that they have a fully functional bathroom whilst the bathroom renovation is happening. Other people organise to stay with friends or family during key parts of the bathroom renovation.
- Paying for the bathroom renovation. Will you require finance? What payments will you make to the bathroom renovator? How can you ensure that the final payment is not made before the project is completed to your satisfaction?
- What permits and certificates are required if you ever needed to sell the home?
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