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Remodelling your bathroom
When planning your bathroom renovations in Sydney, you must ensure high-quality results. Remember that renovating your bathroom is an investment, so you should get a good return on the investment. To get your desired results, there are multiple factors that you need to consider.
One of the most critical factors is the cost of the entire remodelling project. It's important to understand that bathroom renovation costs are determined by several factors. Some of these factors include the overall size of the renovation project. If you want to renovate the entire bathroom, it will cost you more than it would if you were only renovating specific parts.
Renovation costs differ from one part of the bathroom to the other. As a result, knowing which part of your bathroom is the most expensive to remodel is essential in planning your budget more effectively. This article seeks to find out which parts of a bathroom are the costliest to remodel.
Most expensive parts of a bathroom remodel
Labour costs
Like any other building or renovation project you may undertake in your home or business in Australia, labour costs take a considerable percentage of your budget. A bathroom remodel involves a lot of work, including replacing tiles, installing a new sink, shower, plumbing, and many others. You need to ensure that only highly qualified professionals do all the renovation tasks to get the best results.
It is essential to understand that expert tradesmen charge higher prices since they are sure of their high quality and durable work. So, you need to be ready to pay a high price for the same. The labour costs will take up almost 60 per cent of your overall bathroom remodelling budget. This makes labour the most expensive part of your bathroom remodel since the costs take more than half of your budget.
As you plan to perform essential updates or a full remodel in your bathroom, you need a highly qualified professional to guide you through the project from the start to the end. This will help you understand your bathroom renovation labour costs and other expensive aspects. It is also good to note that delays can also add to the high labour costs. As a result, you need to work with an efficient bathroom remodelling contractor to avoid these delays.
Another clever way to avoid delays is to hire a bathroom remodelling company. A good company ensures you have a lead contractor and project manager to oversee all the tasks to ensure they are completed within the given timeline. Therefore, ensure you have a written agreement and a fixed timeline on when your bathroom remodel project should be completed.
Plumbing work
Your bathroom plumbing system is complex, so if your renovation project involves any tasks that touch on this system, you can expect it to cost you more. If you plan to alter the layout, demolish all your space or move some fixtures, the plumbing work will cost you a lot of money. Regardless of the size of your bathroom, installing and moving fixtures will require a considerable budget. The cost will be high if the job involves changing the piping system and purchasing new fixtures.
The most expensive plumbing installation involves tiling or installing a bathtub. The job requires more labour, materials, time, design work, and other costs. It is also worth noting that some plumbing work, such as moving pipes, may require you to receive permits from your local building authorities, further increasing the price.
Some other factors that make plumbing an expensive part of your bathroom remodel include:
Plumbing requires ample time
Your bathroom plumbing work requires a considerable amount of time to complete. So, the fees charged by your plumber will also be high as they will spend more time doing the installations or making all the necessary changes during the bathroom remodel process.
For instance, if you need some pipes to be relocated or want to install a new toilet, the process would take a long time to complete, leading to high costs. Your plumber might also take more time figuring out how to do the installations or make changes to your plumbing system to help attain your overall bathroom remodel goals.
Plumbing involves replacing several parts
Unlike most other tasks in a bathroom remodel, plumbing work consists of replacing several parts that come with their costs. The price of these parts reflects in your overall bathroom renovation costs, making the process expensive. Some parts you might have to pay for include appliances, pipes, valves, hardware, connectors, etc. You should also remember that most of these parts are also not cheap, so a reasonable budget is needed.
Plumbing requires high tech tools and techniques
With the complexity of your bathroom plumbing system, you can expect more complex tools to be used while working on it. In addition, your tradies also apply high-level techniques while working on several parts of the plumbing system. Most of these high-tech tools may not be available in your local hardware store.
Therefore, your plumber uses tools sourced from professional suppliers, which are not cheap. If you were to purchase the tools yourself, you would spend more since you probably do not know any suppliers who sell them at a more discounted price.
Adding sanitary ware and new fixtures
Another expensive part of your bathroom remodel entails the addition of new fixtures and sanitary ware. Durable fixtures are not cheap as they also make your bathroom look great. Some of the fixtures needed to give your bathroom a fantastic look and make it fully functional include a sink, faucet, bathtub, and shower. Upgrading these fixtures with new ones will make up a good percentage of your bathroom remodel costs.
In addition, opting for certain luxury fixtures significantly raises the cost of your renovation project. For instance, freestanding soaking bathtubs are more expensive than other low-end bathtubs. However, it's also worth noting that such high-end fixtures tend to have a better return on investment if you opt to resell your property.
Structural work
If your bathroom remodel plan involves structural changes, you can expect this to cost you a lot of money. Structural work includes waterproofing, installing new windows, underfloor heating, plastering walls, installing skylights, and moving plumbing and electrical points. The complexity involved in the process makes the job even more expensive. You require several tradies, including plumbers, electricians, and designers, to help make the necessary changes.
Tiling
Bathroom tiles have a significant impact on the entire look of your bathroom. So, in most cases, when you are undertaking a bathroom remodel, you need to retile. This part can be expensive depending on the type of tiles you want to install. The process is time-consuming if you wish to install floor, backsplash, or shower tiles. It's also a job that requires a lot of focus to guarantee your bathroom looks nice.
Tiles are laid in sections, and mastic needs to dry before applying grout. You also need to measure to ensure that the tiles are installed perfectly for the best results. The tile materials used also makes the process expensive. For instance, if you want to install tiles made of natural stone, you can expect them to cost you almost ten times more than the basic ceramic products.
Vanity
Another part that can contribute to the expensive cost of your bathroom remodel is the vanity. A bathroom vanity is vital to your bathroom because it is convenient and adds to its market value. If you want to install high-end custom vanities like the vessel vanities, you are bound to fork out a lot more than you would for stock vanities since they generally give your bathroom a modern and unique look. Granite and marble are high-end and expensive options. Therefore, installing a custom, made-to-order vanity significantly inflates your bathroom remodelling budget.
Reducing the cost of your bathroom remodel
Just as you would when undertaking a kitchen remodel or any other renovation project in your home or business in Sydney, Australia, it is essential to check for money-saving tips to apply when dealing with the most expensive parts of your bathroom remodel. Here are some of the tips on how to save on the high remodel cost.
Don't move fixtures around
The plumbing system is typically one of the most expensive parts of a bathroom renovation project. Luckily, you can save on the cost by keeping all the fixtures in the same place. For instance, you can keep your shower, tub, or vanity in the same locations to avoid unnecessary costs.
Massive work is involved in moving these fixtures, especially the toilet. Therefore, if your bathroom is working appropriately with the fixtures in the current location, there is no need for you to move them. To put it into perspective, if you opt to convert your tub into a shower, the process will cost you less than moving the shower to another location.
Only replace the damaged stuff
One of the costly mistakes during bathroom remodelling is wanting everything in your bathroom to look new, but this comes with extra costs. It is not always required to replace each thing during the bathroom remodel. For instance, if your toilet is about four years old or less and is working perfectly, you don't have to replace it. Rather, if you want to upgrade your toilet's look, you can install a new toilet handle and seat.
In the same vein, you won't have to replace your vanity if you want to upgrade it. The most cost-effective option is to reface it, giving it your desired look. For instance, you can simply replace the drawer fronts and doors if it is a wall-to-wall vanity. With a new sink, faucet, and countertop, your bathroom will attain a new look at a lower cost. At times, little disposal, demolition, or plumbing can help give your facility an improved look.
Install vinyl plank flooring
Tiling is another part that costs a lot of money. You don't have to strain yourself if you work on a budget. Instead, you can opt to install vinyl plank flooring, which is less costly than installing tiles. Less work is needed with vinyl plank flooring since removing the existing flooring is unnecessary.
This allows you to save on disposal and demolition costs. The great thing about vinyl plank flooring is that it is long-lasting and available in a wide range of colours and designs to pick from, depending on your bathroom's theme. In addition, it is 100 per cent waterproof, warm, and soft.
Avoid buying expensive products
It is essential to make sure that you only buy the highest quality products. However, if you have a limited budget, you do not have to opt for high-end bathroom fixtures and products if there are mid-priced alternatives that can effectively perform similar functions.
For example, if you are replacing your vanity, mid-range vanity can do you the magic with its nice features, such as dovetail joints and soft-close doors. However, don't buy the cheapest vanities since they are made using particle board and will warp because of moisture and humidity in your bathroom. As a whole, do not go for the cheapest alternatives as they will cost you more in the long run.
Consider a cosmetic remodel
You do not have to renovate the whole bathroom if you are working with a low budget. Instead, you can opt for a cosmetic remodel. A cosmetic remodel can give your entire bathroom a new look by performing simple, less costly tasks.
For instance, you can apply a new coat of paint on the ceilings and walls, install an updated light fixture, purchase a new countertop for your vanity, and install a new vinyl plant on your floor. You can also buy a new colourful shower curtain to give your space a new look at a low price.
Want a high-quality bathroom remodel?
To get high-quality results at more affordable pricing, you need to work with the best bathroom remodelling company in Sydney, Australia. Competent companies can help you save on costs by advising you on affordable ways to renovate the parts that make up the most significant percentage of your remodelling project.
In addition, they apply the proper techniques and tools to ensure high-level efficiency. You can also expect your bathroom remodel project to be completed within the stipulated timeline, thus saving unnecessary delays that add to the costs involved.
