Ensuite Renovations Wollongong

In Wollongong and the Illawarra, a full ensuite renovation typically runs $15,000–$28,000, depending on the size of the space, the fixtures you choose, and whether plumbing needs to be moved. Simple ensuites with the plumbing left in place sit at the lower end; anything involving a layout change or premium fittings pushes toward the top.

Most existing Wollongong ensuites are small — often around 1.5m x 2m. A small ensuite redo, keeping the existing footprint and plumbing locations, generally costs $14,000–$19,000. Moving the toilet or shower to a new wall adds to that.

Realistically, no — not a full renovation. $5,000 covers a cosmetic refresh: re-grouting, a new tapware set, repainting, or replacing a vanity. If your ensuite’s structure, waterproofing, and layout are sound and it just looks dated, a refresh at this budget can genuinely help. If there’s any sign of water damage, mould behind tiles, or failing waterproofing, this budget won’t stretch to fix the actual problem.

At $10,000, you’re generally looking at new tiling, a new vanity and tapware, and a new shower screen — without moving plumbing or replacing waterproofing membranes. It’s a meaningful cosmetic and functional upgrade, but not a full strip-out-and-rebuild.

Keep the existing layout. The single biggest cost driver in any renovation is moving plumbing — every metre a drain, water line, or waste pipe has to shift adds cost. Reusing the existing footprint, upgrading surfaces and fixtures rather than repositioning them, and choosing mid-range tiles over premium imported stone are the three levers that bring a quote down without cutting corners on waterproofing or workmanship.

Waterproofing and plumbing relocation, consistently. Waterproofing isn’t optional or negotiable — it’s what stops the $25,000 renovation of your neighbour’s nightmare stories, where a corner was cut and the subfloor rotted out within two years. It’s a smaller line item than tiling in raw materials, but the labour and compliance requirements around it (and the cost of getting it wrong) make it the area worth never discounting.

A full strip-out and rebuild — removing everything back to the studs and rebuilding from scratch — typically costs $18,000–$32,000 for an ensuite-sized space in this market, depending on whether asbestos removal is required (common in Wollongong homes built before 1990) and the finish level you choose.

• Matte black or brushed brass tapware over chrome
• Large-format tiles with minimal grout lines, for a cleaner, larger-feeling small space
• Heated flooring — a genuine comfort upgrade in Illawarra winters, and one of the more requested add-ons this year
• Frameless glass over framed shower screens
• Integrated niche shelving over freestanding caddies

• Choosing tiles or a vanity before confirming they’ll physically fit your ensuite’s dimensions — this is the single most common source of regret we see
• Skimping on ventilation — a good exhaust fan is cheap insurance against mould in a small, enclosed ensuite
• Prioritising a striking design feature over waterproofing quality
• Picking a contractor on price alone without checking licensing, insurance, and real project photos

Busy mosaic feature walls, high-gloss chrome tapware sets, frosted glass shower screens, and the boxed-in “shower over bath” combo that was standard in the 1990s and 2000s. If your current ensuite has any of these, that’s usually the clearest sign it’s due.

In most cases, no — if you’re not changing the building’s structure or footprint, standard renovation work doesn’t trigger a DA. Plumbing and electrical work still needs to be carried out by licensed trades and certified accordingly.

Most ensuite renovations take 2–3 weeks. If your ensuite is your only bathroom, we’ll plan around that at the quote stage so you know what to expect before work starts.

Waterproofing. It takes time to do properly, it can’t be rushed for the sake of a shorter timeline, and it’s the single point of failure that causes the most expensive problems down the track if it’s cut corners on.

Often the design has to adapt to the space, not the other way around. We’ll tell you honestly what’s achievable in your footprint at the consultation stage, before you commit to anything.