The bands
These ranges are a planning guide for bathroom renovations across the Inner West and Five Dock in 2026. They assume a room taken back to the frame or slab and rebuilt with mid-range fittings and tiles, including waterproofing, plumbing, electrical and making good. They are not quotes.
| Job | Typical range | Assumes |
|---|---|---|
| Powder room or separate toilet | $9,000 – $17,000 | Toilet and basin, no shower, small floor area |
| Walk-up unit bathroom | $20,000 – $32,000 | 3–4 m², strata approval, stair-only access |
| Small terrace bathroom | $22,000 – $34,000 | Narrow room, timber floor, room stays in place |
| Main bathroom, cottage or semi | $28,000 – $45,000 | 5–8 m², sound structure, full-height tiling |
| Lean-to needing structural work | $45,000 – $75,000 | Floor frame, wall framing or roof sheeting replaced |
| Renovating an existing ensuite | $22,000 – $36,000 | Upstairs or ground floor, plumbing in place |
| Creating a new ensuite | $35,000 – $55,000 | New waste route, floor stiffening, ceiling repair below |
| Laundry, standalone | $12,000 – $25,000 | Cabinetry, tub, tiling, floor waste |
Balmain, Birchgrove and Rozelle jobs often sit at the upper end because of access and the finishes chosen.
Where the money goes in an old house
In a newer home, most of a renovation budget is visible: tiles, tapware, a vanity, glass. In a 100-year-old terrace, a larger share is spent on things you will never see again. That is not padding. It is the part that stops the new bathroom failing.
Access and handling. Every item is carried through a narrow hallway or up a stairwell, and every piece of old bathroom is carried back out. Street skips need permits; some streets cannot take one at all, so rubbish leaves by van. On a tight street this can add a few thousand dollars.
The floor. A timber floor under a tiled wet area needs to be stiff and flat. That can mean extra joists or noggings, new wet-area sheeting, and a screed to form falls. On a lean-to with rot, it can mean a new floor frame.
Asbestos. Testing first, then licensed removal if needed, priced as its own line.
Walls. Old brick is rendered flat or lined with a stud wall before tiling. A stud lining also keeps pipes out of a shared wall.
Ventilation. A ducted exhaust fan discharging outside, which in a lean-to or terrace may mean a longer duct run or a new roof or wall penetration.
The things that push a quote higher
Moving the bathroom. Relocating a bathroom to a different part of the house, especially upstairs, means a new waste route, floor framing and ceiling repairs. It is often worth it, but it belongs in a different band.
Structural surprises. Rot, termite damage, undersized joists or a failing lean-to roof. A careful measure finds most of this beforehand; the rest is handled by a clearly priced variation.
Tile choice and pattern. Hexagons, mosaics, herringbone and small subway tiles cost more to lay per square metre. Encaustic-look floors are popular in period houses and priced accordingly.
Approvals. A new window, skylight or roof change in a heritage conservation area may need consent, which adds fees, drawings and time.
Strata conditions. Restricted working hours, stairwells with no lift and common-property protection all add labour in a unit.
The things that do not move it much
Tapware and a mid-range vanity. Within reasonable ranges, the difference is a few hundred dollars on a job worth tens of thousands.
Full-height tiling. In a small room it adds only a few square metres, and it removes the painted strip that marks and peels.
Underfloor heating. In a four- or five-square-metre room it is a modest line item and makes a real difference in a cold brick house.
Comparing quotes
When two quotes for the same Inner West bathroom are thousands of dollars apart, check whether both include:
- Asbestos testing, and how removal would be priced
- An allowance or method for floor repairs
- Full floor waterproofing with a certificate
- Access, protection, skip or rubbish removal, and any permit
- An exhaust fan ducted outside
- Named fittings and a stated tile allowance
- A program in working days
- How variations are calculated
Deposits and payments
In NSW the deposit on residential building work is capped at 10 per cent of the contract price. For work over $20,000, home building compensation cover must be in place before a deposit is requested. Progress payments should follow completed stages.
Renovation work is carried out in partnership with Coastal Renovation Group, a licensed NSW builder; licence and insurance details are provided on request.
Getting a real number
A measure resolves the room, the floor, the access, the likely approvals and whether testing is needed. From that, a written, itemised quote replaces the band. See the process page for what happens next, or the FAQ for short answers.
Call 02 5950 5195 or send the room details through.
Questions people ask before they commit
Why are Inner West bathroom renovations dearer than in newer suburbs?
Access, age and hidden conditions. Materials travel through narrow houses or up stairwells, parking and skips need planning, floors are often timber that needs stiffening, and pre-1990 homes need asbestos testing. Each adds cost that a slab-on-ground project home does not carry.
How much should I allow for asbestos?
Testing a few samples typically costs a few hundred dollars. If asbestos is found, removal from a small bathroom by a licensed removalist commonly adds around $1,500 to $5,000 as a guide, depending on the quantity, material and access. It is priced separately once results are known.
What deposit is allowed in NSW?
The deposit on residential building work in NSW is capped at 10 per cent of the contract price. For work over $20,000, home building compensation cover must be in place before a deposit is requested. Ask for the certificate before paying.
Can the price change after demolition?
It can, if something genuinely hidden is found, such as rotten joists or a failed waste under the floor. The quote should explain how variations are priced and require your written approval before any extra work goes ahead.
Is the cheapest quote the best value?
Only if it includes the same scope. Compare whether each quote includes asbestos testing, structural allowances, full waterproofing, access costs, an exhaust fan ducted outside and named fittings. Differences in those lines explain most gaps between quotes.