Another Bathroom Reno Complete
Another bathroom renovation finished and handed over, start to finish by one team.
Bathroom renovation in Wollongong and the Illawarra, done wet-area first
We do bathroom renovations in Wollongong and right across the Illawarra, from a fixture-and-tile refresh through to a full strip-out back to the studs. If you own a house or unit between Helensburgh and Nowra and your bathroom is tired, leaking, or laid out badly, this is the page for you.
Wet area first, written scope before anyone starts
You get a written scope and a firm price before anyone picks up a tool, the waterproofing photographed and flood tested before a single tile goes on, and one person to call the whole way through. Use the instant estimate tool below for a ballpark in about a minute, or ring Marcio on 0413 147 335. If the job runs wider than one room, start with home renovations instead.
Handy Tradie 4 U. Licensed and insured. ABN 91 639 254 685. Wollongong NSW 2500. Plumbing and electrical work on our jobs is carried out by licensed partner trades under their own licences, not in-house.
What a bathroom renovation in the Illawarra actually covers
Four jobs get called a bathroom reno and they are not the same job or the same length. Work out which one you are actually asking for before you compare quotes, because a quote for one held up against a quote for another will look like a bargain and is not.
Fixture and tiling refresh
The layout stays exactly where it is. New vanity, toilet, tapware, shower screen and tiling, with the existing plumbing points reused. No walls move, no waste relocates, so there is no slab chasing and no new set-out. This is the fastest option and usually measured in days rather than weeks.
It is the right call when the bathroom works but looks dated and the existing waterproofing is sound. The honest catch is that you often cannot tell whether it is sound until the tiles come off, which is why we would rather look at the room first than quote a refresh sight unseen over the phone.
Full strip-out back to the studs
Everything out: tiles, screed, old membrane, fixtures, sometimes the wall sheeting too. New set-out, new falls, new membrane, new floor-to-ceiling tiling, new fixtures. Plumbing can be relocated at this stage because the walls and floor are open, and that is the only sensible time to do it.
A strip-out is the only version of this job where we can stand behind the whole wet area, because it is the only version where we built the whole wet area.
Ensuite and powder room renovations
Small rooms are harder, not easier. In a tight ensuite the set-out has to be drawn properly before anything is ordered: a wide vanity you liked at the showroom can make the door unopenable, and a hob-less shower needs the fall worked out across a short run without ponding. We draw the set-out on paper first, with real door swings and real clearances, so you are not finding this out on install day.
Small bathroom renovations
Same principle in the main bathroom of an older Illawarra cottage or a 1970s unit. Large-format porcelain with fewer grout lines, a shadowline where the wall meets the ceiling, a wall-hung vanity to show more floor, a frameless screen instead of a framed one. These are the moves that make a small bathroom read bigger without moving a wall.
How we prove the waterproofing, not just promise it
Waterproofing is where bathrooms fail, and it is the one part of the job you cannot inspect once it is finished, because it is under the tiles. Almost nobody hands you evidence that it was done properly. We do.
What the membrane has to do under AS 3740
Waterproofing on our jobs is carried out to AS 3740:2021, the Australian Standard for waterproofing domestic wet areas. In practice that means the membrane is taken well up the shower walls and carried past the shower screen line, with upstands where the floor meets the walls and the membrane continued past the doorway so the threshold is not the weak point. The floor is screeded to fall toward the waste, so water leaves the room rather than sitting in it.
We use trade-grade membrane systems, Ardex or Davco tier, applied to the manufacturer's coat count and cure times rather than whatever fits the schedule.
Waterproofing is carried out by our waterproofer, who issues the certificate for it. You get photographs of the membrane before any tile goes down.
The flood test, and why it happens before tiling
Once the membrane has cured, the floor waste gets plugged and the shower base is filled and left to stand. If the level drops, there is a problem, and the time to find that is while the membrane is still the top layer. Tiling does not start until the test passes. It is a day of waiting that saves a rip-out in year three.
Your waterproofing certificate and photo set
At handover you get a photo set of the completed membrane before tiling, covering the upstands, the shower walls, the doorway and the floor waste, plus the waterproofing certificate and the product details for the membrane used. Keep it with your house papers. It is the document that matters if you ever sell, insure or make a claim.
How we quote your bathroom renovation
We do not publish prices, rates or ranges for our own work, and we will not guess at a figure over the phone. Every bathroom is quoted individually after we have seen it, because the things that move the number are things you can only read in the room.
What we look at: how much of the existing room can be kept and how much has to come out, the size of the room and the access to it, whether the plumbing stays where it is or a waste has to be relocated, the condition of what sits behind the tiles, and the fixtures and materials you have chosen. Moving a waste is the big one. Chasing a slab or re-running into a waste stack is work you cannot see in the finished room but pay for all the same.
You get a ballpark in about a minute from the instant estimate tool below. From there we come out, look at the room, and give you a firm figure against a written scope before any work starts, at no charge. If you would rather just talk it through, ring Marcio on 0413 147 335 or use the contact page.
Who does what on your job
Most renovation sites are vague about this. Here is the structure.
Plumbing and electrical work is never carried out in-house. Both are done by the licensed specialist trades we work with, and each issues the compliance certificate for their own work.
Carpentry, framing, set-out, sheeting, tiling, fit-out and project management:
Handy Tradie 4 U, in-house.
Custom steel and fabrication
such as a shower screen frame, a vanity base or a towel rail made to size: in-house. Welding and metal fabrication is our own trade, and it is why we can make a one-off instead of specifying around whatever is in stock.
Plumbing:
a licensed partner plumber does the rough-in and the fit-off, under their own licence.
Electrical:
a licensed partner electrician does the lighting, exhaust, heating and any new circuits, under their own licence.
Waterproofing:
our waterproofer, who issues the certificate.
Our four-stage bathroom renovation process
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1. Look at the room, then quote it.
We come out, measure, talk through what you want and put the scope in writing with the inclusions and the exclusions. You get a firm figure against that scope before anything is booked in.
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2. Strip-out and waterproofing.
Everything out, rubbish removed, hidden problems reported to you in writing with a price before we proceed rather than after. Plumbing and electrical rough-in by the licensed partner trades. Screed laid to fall, membrane applied, cured, flood tested, photographed.
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3. Tiling and fit-out.
Tiling starts only once the test has passed. Floor-to-ceiling where you have specified it, grout and silicone to the right joints, then vanity, toilet, tapware, screen and accessories. Fit-off by the licensed partner plumber and electrician.
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4. Handover and clean-up.
We walk the room with you and write down every snag you can find. They get fixed, not argued about. You get the waterproofing certificate, the membrane photo set, the product and manufacturer paperwork, and the site left clean.
Fixtures, tiles and tapware we work with
Tapware and toilets:
Caroma Luna is the premium range we most often specify. We are also happy to install what you have bought elsewhere; if you supply it, the product warranty sits between you and the supplier and our work covers the installation.
Tiling:
large-format porcelain for fewer grout lines and easier cleaning, through to feature tile on a single wall or in a niche. Floor tile needs the right slip rating for a wet area, and we will tell you if the one you have picked does not have it.
Screens:
framed, semi-frameless or frameless. Frameless looks best and needs the membrane carried properly past the screen line to work.
Vanities:
off-the-shelf where it fits the set-out, custom where it does not. Soft-close as standard.
Details that cost little and read expensive:
a shadowline at the ceiling, a tiled niche instead of a hung caddy, a linear waste in a hob-less shower.
Contracts, insurance and your protections
If your bathroom is part of a wider job, the same structure covers it: see kitchen renovations for a single room, or multi-room work run under one scope and one sequence.
Insurance.
We are licensed and insured and carry public liability cover. Ask and we will send you the certificate of currency.
Written contract.
In NSW a written contract is required for residential building work when the contract price is over $5,000 including GST. A small works contract covers work worth $5,000 to $20,000; work worth more than $20,000 requires a full home building contract.
Deposit.
The maximum deposit that may be requested is 10 per cent, and that cap applies to both small jobs and large jobs. We do not ask for more than that.
Home building compensation cover.
HBCF cover, and the insurance certificate that goes with it, is required when the contract value is over $20,000 including GST.
Variations.
Agreed in writing before the varied work happens, every time. A variation that is not in writing first is not a variation.
Warranties.
NSW statutory warranties are implied in every contract to do residential building work, and manufacturer product warranties are passed through to you with the paperwork at handover.
Recent bathroom work across the Illawarra
The project photos and short clips in this section are all bathrooms we have completed across the Illawarra, captioned with the suburb and the scope of work and nothing else. There are more of them on our our work page.
Bathroom renovation service areas
We are based in Wollongong and work across the Illawarra and South Coast: Helensburgh, Thirroul, Woonona, Bulli, Corrimal, North Wollongong, Fairy Meadow, Figtree, Unanderra, Port Kembla, Dapto, Horsley, Albion Park, Warilla, Oak Flats, Shellharbour, Shell Cove, Minnamurra, Kiama, Jamberoo, Gerringong, Berry and Nowra. You can see all our Illawarra and South Coast service areas on one page.
Coastal suburbs get an extra consideration most quotes skip. Salt air and high humidity are hard on tapware finishes, hinges, exhaust fans and any exposed fixing. In Thirroul, Shell Cove, Kiama and the South Coast service area">Kiama and the South Coast service area">Kiama and the South Coast service area">Kiama and the South Coast service area">Kiama and the South Coast service area">Gerringong or anywhere else close to the water, we will specify finishes and fixings that survive it rather than ones that look good for two years.
Get a ballpark estimate on your bathroom
Use the instant estimate tool below. Answer a few questions about the room and the scope and you get a ballpark straight away, with no email wall and no phone tag. If it looks workable, we come out, look at the room and confirm a firm price against a written scope at no charge.
Or just ring Marcio on 0413 147 335, or email info@handytradie4u.com. Handy Tradie 4 U, ABN 91 639 254 685, Wollongong NSW 2500.
Our Work
Recent Work
Bathroom renovations finished wet-area first
Videos
Watch Our Bathroom Renovation Work
Real jobs from our own crew, filmed on site. See all our work videos.
Bathroom Renovation
Another bathroom renovation, start to finish.
Want a firm price on this?
Send a photo and a short description. You get a straight answer on what it needs and what it costs before anything starts.
Questions
Bathroom Renovations Questions
How do you price a bathroom renovation?+
We do not publish prices, rates or ranges, and we will not guess at a figure over the phone. Every bathroom is quoted individually after we have seen it. We look at how much of the existing room can be kept and how much has to come out, the size of the room and the access to it, whether the plumbing stays put or a waste has to be relocated, the condition of what sits behind the tiles, and the fixtures and materials you have chosen. The instant estimate tool on this page gives you a ballpark in about a minute, then we come out and give you a firm figure against a written scope before any work starts, at no charge. You can also ring Marcio on 0413 147 335.
Who actually does the work?+
Carpentry, framing, set-out, sheeting, tiling, fit-out and the project management are ours, in-house, and custom steel and fabrication is our own trade. Plumbing and electrical work is carried out by licensed partner trades under their own licences, not in-house, and each of them issues the compliance certificate for their own work. Waterproofing is done by our waterproofer, who issues the certificate for it. One person coordinates the lot, and one person answers the phone.
Who does the waterproofing?+
Our waterproofer, working to AS 3740:2021. He issues the waterproofing certificate, and you get a photo set of the completed membrane before any tile goes down along with the product details for the membrane used. Tiling does not start until the flood test has passed.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?+
A refresh is days. A full strip-out is typically two to five weeks. The membrane cure and the flood test are a fixed part of that and cannot be compressed, so anyone promising a full strip-out in a week is tiling over something they should not be.
Can I use the bathroom while you are working?+
No. For a full strip-out the room is out of use for the whole job. If it is your only bathroom we will tell you that at the quote and plan around it, rather than letting you discover it on day one.
How much is the deposit, and when do I pay the rest?+
Under NSW law the maximum deposit that may be requested is 10 per cent of the contract price, and that cap applies to both small jobs and large jobs. We do not ask for more. The rest is paid against a progress payment schedule written into the contract, and any variation is agreed in writing before the varied work happens.
Can I move the shower or toilet?+
Yes, during a full strip-out, when the floor and the walls are open. That is the only sensible time to do it. It does add to the job, because the waste has to be re-run, which can mean chasing a slab or working back to the stack. It is also one of the things we price on what we actually find in your room rather than from a photo.
What happens if you find something behind the tiles?+
You get told in writing, with a price, before we go any further. Rotten studs, a previous leak, failed old membrane, asbestos-backed vinyl under the floor: these turn up in older Illawarra homes and they are the main reason a bathroom quote moves. A variation that is not in writing before the work happens is not a variation.
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