COST TO RENOVATE A BATHROOM | NZ
COST TO RENOVATE A BATHROOM?
What is the cost to renovate a bathroom? Well, a bathroom renovation in Auckland is likely to cost in the region of $8,000 – $37,000+ depending on your specifications and requirements.
So, if you are looking to renovate your home and would like to know the cost to renovate a bathroom in NZ, there are a number of key costs that create the overall bathroom renovation project budget.
The team at Style Plus Renovations North Shore Auckland who over the year have created some beautiful bathrooms, take a look at a number of common costs associated with a bathroom renovation:
SETTING A BUDGET
Determine Your Budget
Before you start a bathroom renovation project, it’s essential to establish a budget. You will need to consider how much you’re willing to invest in your bathroom renovation. This initial step will guide your decisions throughout the project.
Prioritise Your Needs & Wants
The next step is to list down your priorities and preferences. What aspects of your bathroom are non-negotiable, and where can you make compromises? Prioritising helps in allocating your budget effectively.
toilet
tapware
tiles
SELECTING YOUR SHOWER
When it comes to showers, you have few options to select from. Either,
- Fully tiled walk-in.
- Acrylic tray with tiled walls.
- A full acrylic shell type.
1. Fully tiled walk-in
It’s a common notion that tiled walk-in showers when completed look stunning. With no step into the shower, the floor blends seamlessly into the shower area. These types of showers are predominantly associated with larger bathrooms where space is not at a premium.
The cost to create a tiled shower is hard to pin down as each shower is a custom creation and requires the shower floor to have a fall to the drain. Labour time from a licensed builder and tiler is a significant cost in these types of installs.
2. Acrylic tray with tiled walls
The second type uses an acrylic tray and tiled walls. The use of an acrylic base can reduce installation costs and the fall for drainage is already built into the tray.
A quality 1200 x 900 shower which includes tray and door set is priced from $1,800+.
You would need to allow for a plumber, waterproofing, and tiling costs.
3. A full acrylic shell type
Full acrylic shell type. These types of showers provide a clean, seamless style in conventional sizes and shapes to suit almost any space. In comparison to a tiled shower, the installation time savings make them an attractive option as they are pre-made with set installation instructions.
Overall, all install components including labour can be easily costed. A quality 1200 x 900 shower which includes a tray, flat acrylic wall liner, and door set is priced from $ 2,000+.
Deciding between acrylic or a tiled shower? Then check out our article that reviews both options.
Allproof Shower Channel Drain Options
SELECTING YOUR SHOWER DRAIN
Bathroom floor wastes (shower drain) have come along way in the last few years. Here are a few options:
- Basic Shower Drain – chrome – You can still buy the regular round chrome floor wastes. These can range from $20 upwards.
- Standard Shower Drain – concealed – Concealed floor wastes are square or round in shape and are designed so a tile can be inserted into the top – hence concealing the floor waste. These can range from $50 upwards depending on quality and design.
- Premium Shower Drain – trough – Floor troughs look great when installed in a walk-in tiled shower. For a mid-range 900mm wide channel drain these range from round about $200+. Designer materials and colours cost more.
The vision series is an all stainless steel shower channel and grate system, available off the shelf from Allproof and represents the “top end” of floor wastes when renovating.
SELECTING YOUR FREESTANDING BATH
Nothing says luxury like a freestanding bath. With beautiful designs in different shapes and finishes, it will make your bath experience just that much more special.
Whether you choose acrylic, enamel, composite or natural stone – there is a bath to suit every budget.
More recently manufacturers have created a range of sizes, so even the smaller sized bathrooms can feel luxurious. There are now also back to wall models that replicate the look of being freestanding but take up less room.
A good quality acrylic freestanding bath can purchased for around $2,000. A stone bath would cost around $2,500+. Both types require a freestanding floor mounted column bath filler which can be bought from around $700 and from $2,500+ that includes a shower head.
To install the bath, from $700 for a plumber and around $520 for a builder. Both depend on the extent of work required.
toilet
SELECTING YOUR TOILET
Consideration must be taken to the type of toilet that will be replaced, for example, the type of trap to suit the current connection.
Stick to well-known brands. It pays to be aware that as well as costing more to purchase in-wall cisterns and wall-hung toilets, it will also cost more in labour as they generally take an additional labour time (2 to 3 hours) to install them compared to conventional toilets.
A modern looking, quality, back-to-wall close coupled toilet suite with soft close seat, with a good WELS rating (efficiency rating), can range from $680 and up to as much as $1,600.
There is the plumber cost to disconnect and cap the pipes, re-pipe where required and finally install the toilet after any remedial work is completed. The plumber should be able to install this for around $700 – depending on the work required.
Toilets: VCBC.
SELECTING YOUR BATHROOM VANITY
Vanities come in a range of designs and sizes to suit your bathroom renovation. The basic types are:
- Freestanding
- Wall-hung
Natural themes in bathroom renovation design are becoming more popular.
Cabinet finishes range from Dark Oak, Mali, and Wenge to bolder colours such as Piper, Savanna, and high gloss Exochique finishes, all have a place in the modern bathroom design. If these colours are too strong for your pallet, consider a softer hue like Sabine or White Ash.
A stylish full-depth, double bowl (1200mm) wall-hung vanity will make a statement in any bathroom. A quality mid-end vanity is priced from $1,200, with a basin priced from $775. Allow $700 for plumbing. Mid and high-end vanity summary costs are shown at the bottom of this page.
Vanities: Athena.
If you would like to know more about bathroom vanities, then check out our post on Bathroom Vanities With Style.
tapware
SELECTING YOUR TAPWARE
At Style Plus Renovations, we would always recommend using high-quality tapware. However, it may be viable to use cheaper tapware in areas that are not as frequently used throughout the house. Basin mixers and bath taps are typically used less frequently than other tapware and can be replaced without too much hassle if they were to fail down the track.
Shopping around for affordable bath spouts could also save you money, as these have no working parts and the only purpose is to take the water from the wall into the bath. The difference is only in shape and style.
Shower mixers on the other hand have been specifically designed to give you an even mix of hot and cold water, whilst providing as much pressure as possible. Many cheaper mixers fail to do this (low pressure especially).
The tricky thing to remember is that the mixer is housed behind the wall, which makes changing it very challenging. For this reason, I would not recommend buying a cheap shower mixer. A quality mixer is priced from $380.
Shower slides. A quality shower slide is priced from $250.
There are four main types of shower head combinations to consider when you design your bathroom:
- Fixed and mounted on the wall. Priced from $250
- Mounted on the ceiling. Priced from $250.
- A shower column, made up of a fixed shower head and a hand shower. Priced from $650.
- A shower kit and slide rail, made up of a hand shower on a slide rail. Priced from $250.
Depending on the final design, plumbing costs will apply and in some cases, a licensed builder may need to be involved.
tiles
SELECTING TILES
When designing the bathroom, the size of the tile can have as much effect on the look of your project as the colour and texture will. It comes down to personal preference but over the years we have seen a growing trend towards using larger format tiles.
On a design note, larger tiles will leave a room with fewer grout lines, thus creating a more streamlined look to a room. It’s quite common now to incorporate large tiles in even the smallest bathroom.
Ceramic tiles are a popular option for bathroom renovation as they are durable and moisture-resistant. They are available in a good range of styles and colours. And are priced from $50 per square metre. With all tiled bathrooms, they must be properly installed and grouted.
The cost of tiling per square metre is approx. $90. However, it’s best to discuss the rates as some tilers will price based on the size of the tile.
If you would like to know more about tile options for your renovation, check out our article on Tile Options.
Also, we can provide a tiling service for your renovation, check out Other Services we provide.
WATERPROOFING SERVICES.
Before you can tile or waterproof the bathroom floor, you will need to put down a tile and slate underlay, which is a cement-based product. Then a waterproof membrane can be applied. Waterproofing is a specialist trade, so use an accredited applicator, your bathroom depends on the waterproofing being done right.
Depending on the level and complexity of your bathroom renovation, your waterproofing will need to be inspected by a Building Inspector, once dried, or a Producer Statement (PS3) & warranty is supplied.
The cost of waterproofing per square metre is approx. $70. There are a few factors that dictate the final cost of waterproofing, however, an indicative cost for a medium-sized bathroom, with a tiled shower, and inset bathtub, would be in the region of $1,600+.
If you are looking for a tiler or waterproofer, Style Plus Renovations can provide a Tiling & Waterproofing Service.
BATHROOM WARE COST SUMMARY
The cost of bathroom wares can vary considerably based on quality and your allocated budget. The following shows an indicative price comparison between ‘Good’, ‘Better’ and ‘Best’ quality.
| Type | Good Quality | Better Quality | Best Quality + |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close Couple Toilet | $680 | $850 | $1,600 |
| 900mm Vanity | $950 | $1,500 | $2,200 |
| Basin Mixer Tap | $120 | $290 | $450 |
| Free Standing Bath | $1,900 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| 1200x900mm Glass Shower Cubicle Kit | $1,800 | $2,600 | $3,600 |
The costs to renovate your bathroom are typically broken down into three parts, however, other main costs to consider include:
- The cost of labour which in most parts remains fairly consistent.
- The cost of fixtures which greatly depending on what items you choose.
- The final cost relates to the size and complexity of your bathroom renovation.
In general a bathroom renovation can be expressed as a cost percentage.
- Bathroom Wares 30%
- Building Materials 15%
- Trade Labour Costs 55%
Since one standard bathroom renovation can cost up to $15,000 and another full bathroom renovation over $37,000+, the “average renovation cost” can be deceptive.
The best way to review how much to renovate a bathroom is to establish a budget for your new bathroom, this entails creating an estimate based on the size of your bathroom and the inclusions you want, for example the type and quality of fittings.
The following renovation costs are indicative only to give a general guideline.
- Standard size bathroom renovation cost start at approximately $8,000 – $15,500.
- Mid sized bathroom renovation cost range from $15,000 – $22,500.
- Full bathroom renovation cost range from $22,000 – $37,500+; for a fully tiled bathroom.
For an indicative bathroom renovation estimate, check out our Bathroom Renovation Costs Calculator.
BUDGET FOR THE UNEXPECTED.
At Style Plus Renovations when we undertake a basic bathroom renovation we can sometimes find unanticipated surprises. These include:
- The substrate (floorboards) and in some cases, the floor joists (timber beams) are water-damaged or need to be strengthened to comply with the current building code.
- Older type of plumbing that requires replacement so that they comply with the New Zealand Plumbing & Drainage standards.
- Pipework that is leaking, such as a slow leak that will cause damage of a number of years.
- You may also need asbestos testing as some older ceilings may have an asbestos content.
These “unknowns” require a contingency to be built into the renovation budget. A typical contingency would be a minimum of 15% of the project value.
If you are confused with building contract jargon, check out our articles.
- Building Contract Jargon Part 1
- Building Contract Terms (Part 2 of Building Contract Jargon)
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YOUR RENOVATION PROJECT
Tel us about your renovation project and we’ll call you back for a no-obligation chat about your ideas.
Alternatively, if you prefer, we can initially set up a meeting using Microsoft Teams or Zoom (and other meeting apps) for a no-obligation chat about your ideas.
We look forward to hearing from you to discuss your project and get you started on your renovation journey.
If you would like to know more about our renovation process, check it out here.
