Cosmetic refresh: $8k–$18k. Mid-tier full renovation: $25k–$42k. Premium with stone, custom joinery and feature tiles: $45k–$75k+. A typical Northern Beaches mid-tier full reno runs 3–5 weeks on site once design and selections are locked.
Bathrooms are the most expensive room in the house per square metre. Six trades pass through a 5sqm space, the waterproofing has to be tested and certified, and old Northern Beaches homes hide things behind the wall sheets. Here’s what each tier actually buys you in 2026.
The three tiers
| Tier | Cost (typical) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $8,000–$18,000 | New vanity, tapware, mirror, paint, sometimes tile resurfacing. Existing layout and waterproofing kept. |
| Mid-tier full reno | $25,000–$42,000 | Full strip-back, new waterproofing, new tiles floor-to-ceiling, new vanity, frameless shower, mid-range fixtures. |
| Premium | $45,000–$75,000+ | Stone benchtops, custom joinery, feature wall tiles, freestanding bath, premium tapware (Astra Walker, Brodware), niches, underfloor heating. |
Bathrooms in older Mosman, Manly or Balgowlah homes regularly sit at the upper end of mid-tier because of access, asbestos handling, and rotten substrate behind 30-year-old wall sheets.
Cosmetic refresh — what $8k–$18k buys
You’re keeping the existing tiles, waterproofing and layout. The work is:
- New vanity and basin (off-the-shelf, $800–$2,500)
- New tapware (mid-range, $600–$1,800)
- New mirror, towel rails, accessories ($400–$900)
- Paint walls and ceiling ($800–$1,500)
- Sometimes: tile resurfacing or epoxy-paint floor tiles ($1,500–$3,500)
- Sometimes: new shower screen ($800–$2,200)
This works when the bathroom is structurally sound, the tiles are fine but dated, and the waterproofing is still doing its job. If the existing membrane is past 15 years old, don’t spend $15k on a cosmetic — spend $30k on a full strip-back. You’ll do it in 3 years anyway.
Mid-tier full reno — what $25k–$42k buys
Full strip-back to studs and slab. New everything. Layout can stay or move within reason. Typical breakdown of a $35,000 mid-tier renovation on a 5sqm bathroom:
- Demolition and rubbish — $2,500–$3,500
- Plumbing rough-in & final — $3,500–$5,500 (more if relocating fixtures)
- Electrical (lights, fan, GPOs, towel rail) — $1,500–$2,500
- Waterproofing membrane & certification — $1,800–$3,000
- Tiles (supply) — $2,000–$5,000 floor + walls
- Tile labour — $4,500–$7,500
- Vanity and basin — $1,800–$3,500
- Shower screen (frameless) — $1,500–$2,800
- Tapware, toilet, mixer, accessories — $2,200–$4,500
- Carpentry, painting, glazing, build management — $4,500–$7,500
Add 12–15% contingency on top for the surprises old bathrooms hide.
Premium — what $45k–$75k+ buys
The jump from mid-tier to premium is mostly materials and joinery, not labour. Numbers we see in 2026:
- Stone-top vanity, custom joinery — $5,500–$12,000 (vs $1,800 off-the-shelf)
- Feature stone wall or large-format porcelain — $4,000–$10,000 supply alone
- Premium tapware (Astra Walker, Brodware, Sussex) — $4,500–$9,000
- Freestanding bath — $2,500–$8,000
- Underfloor heating — $1,500–$3,500
- Tiled niches, recessed shaving cabinet, hidden cisterns — $1,500–$4,000 added labour
Premium also tends to mean longer build — custom joinery is 6–10 weeks lead time, stone tops are 3–5 weeks, imported tapware can be 8–12 weeks. Plan the sequencing or the bathroom sits half-finished waiting on a $1,200 part.
Where the surprises live
Old bathrooms on the Northern Beaches hide all of these regularly:
- Asbestos in wall sheeting. Pre-1985 fibro homes (Cromer, Beacon Hill, Allambie, parts of Forestville). Licensed removal: $1,500–$4,500.
- Rotted floor framing. If the previous waterproofing failed, the joists underneath are usually compromised. Add $2,000–$6,000 to repair.
- Galvanised plumbing. Original 1960s–70s pipework. Code now requires copper or pex on a strip-back. Re-pipe: $2,500–$5,500.
- Inadequate waste falls. Old bathrooms often have falls that don’t meet current code. Re-screeding the floor: $1,500–$3,000.
- Uneven walls or out-of-plumb framing. Adds tiling labour because every wall needs setting out and packing.
What drives the variance within a tier
Two mid-tier quotes can come in $8,000 apart on a similar bathroom. The drivers, in order:
- Tile area and type. Floor-only vs floor-to-ceiling. 600×600 porcelain vs 200×200 mosaic (mosaic is 3× the labour).
- Frameless vs semi-frameless shower screen. $800 vs $2,200.
- Layout change. Moving plumbing adds rough-in and core drilling.
- Tapware and fixture brand. $1,500 vs $4,500 swing on the same items.
- Builder margin and supervision. Cheap quotes often mean unsupervised subbie work — sometimes fine, sometimes a disaster.
How long it actually takes
- Design and selections: 2–4 weeks
- Material lead times: 1–6 weeks (longer for custom joinery and imported fixtures)
- On-site build (mid-tier): 3–5 weeks
- On-site build (premium): 5–8 weeks
From first conversation to handover: 8–14 weeks for mid-tier, 14–22 weeks for premium.
The bottom line
If your existing bathroom is sound and just dated, $12k–$18k cosmetic is honest value. If anything is leaking, mouldy, or older than 20 years, spend the $30k once instead of $15k twice. Premium makes sense when you’re renovating to live there, not to flip.
For more on managing the process end-to-end, see our bathroom renovation planning guide. For the kind of work this applies to, see our bathroom renovations service page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost on the Northern Beaches?
Cosmetic refreshes run $8,000–$18,000. Mid-tier full renos run $25,000–$42,000. Premium runs $45,000–$75,000+. Tiling area, waterproofing, fixtures and plumbing changes drive most of the variance.
What’s the difference between cosmetic and full bathroom reno?
A cosmetic refresh keeps the layout and substrate, replaces vanity, tapware, mirror, and sometimes paints tiles. A full renovation strips back to studs, replaces waterproofing membrane and tiles, and often relocates plumbing.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
A full bathroom renovation takes 3–5 weeks on site for a single bathroom, plus 2–4 weeks of pre-build for design and selections. Custom joinery or imported fixtures can extend lead times by 4–8 weeks.
Why are bathroom renos so expensive?
Six trades pass through a 5sqm room — demolition, plumber, electrician, waterproofer, tiler, carpenter — plus painter and glazier. Waterproofing alone takes 3 days with cure time and a third-party inspection. Trade density drives the per-sqm cost.
Do I need council approval for a bathroom renovation?
Renovations within the existing footprint are usually exempt — no DA or CDC needed. You still need a licensed plumber issuing a Certificate of Compliance and a waterproofing certificate from a licensed waterproofer.
Planning a Bathroom Reno?
We renovate bathrooms across the Northern Beaches — cosmetic refreshes through to premium full strip-backs. Get in touch for a quote with the tier and inclusions in writing.
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