If you have searched "bathroom renovation cost" you have probably seen wildly different numbers thrown around. That is because a "bathroom renovation" can mean anything from swapping a vanity and re-tiling, through to ripping the room back to the studs and reconfiguring the plumbing. The figures below reflect real 2026 Australian pricing.
The quick answer: 2026 cost tiers
For a standard internal bathroom of roughly 4 to 6 square metres:
- Budget refresh — 12,000 to 18,000 AUD. Keep the existing layout and plumbing points. New tiles, a vanity, toilet, shower screen and tapware. Standard off-the-shelf fixtures and porcelain tiles.
- Mid-range full renovation — 18,000 to 35,000 AUD. Strip back to studs, fresh waterproofing, full re-tile, new fixtures, possibly a freestanding bath or frameless shower, and minor layout tweaks.
- Premium / custom — 35,000 to 60,000-plus AUD. Moved plumbing, underfloor heating, stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling large-format tiles, custom joinery and premium imported fixtures.
Most Australians renovating a single bathroom in 2026 spend in the mid-range band of 20,000 to 30,000 AUD once they account for the things added along the way.
What actually drives the cost
- Demolition and rubbish removal — 1,500 to 3,500 AUD. Stripping tiles, old fixtures and waste cartage.
- Waterproofing — 800 to 2,500 AUD. Non-negotiable and code-mandated. Cutting corners here causes leaks and rot.
- Tiling (supply and lay) — 4,000 to 12,000 AUD. The biggest swing factor. Large-format and natural stone cost more to buy and lay.
- Plumbing — 3,000 to 8,000 AUD. Cheap if you keep existing points; expensive the moment you relocate fixtures.
- Electrical — 1,000 to 3,000 AUD. Downlights, exhaust fan, heated towel rail and any underfloor heating.
- Fixtures and fittings — 2,500 to 10,000-plus AUD. Vanity, toilet, bath, shower screen and tapware.
- Labour and project management. Often 30 to 40 per cent of the total.
How much does it cost by capital city?
- Sydney — 22,000 to 38,000 AUD. The most expensive market. See pricing on our bathroom quotes in Sydney page.
- Melbourne — 20,000 to 35,000 AUD. Compare on our Melbourne page.
- Brisbane — 18,000 to 32,000 AUD. A touch cheaper, with Queenslanders adding access work.
- Perth — 18,000 to 31,000 AUD. Competitive labour with some freight premiums.
- Adelaide — 17,000 to 30,000 AUD. Typically the most affordable mainland capital.
- Canberra, Hobart and Darwin — 19,000 to 36,000 AUD. Smaller trade pools push prices up.
Scope creep: the silent budget-killer
Once the walls are open it is tempting to do more. Moving plumbing can add 2,000 to 5,000 AUD; hidden damage, upgraded finishes and structural surprises add the rest. Set aside a contingency of 10 to 15 per cent.
Get an accurate quote in minutes
Every bathroom is different. With Quotefor.au you can get an instant itemised bathroom quote using a quick camera walkthrough of your bathroom — a transparent, line-by-line estimate covering demolition, waterproofing, tiling, plumbing, electrical and fixtures. It takes a couple of minutes and costs you nothing.