Ensuite Renovations on the Northern Beaches
An ensuite renovation in Sydney typically costs $17,250 to $34,500 for a 3 to 5 m² room keeping the same layout, with about $24,150 typical. A smaller room doesn't mean a much smaller price, because the same trades and waterproofing are needed. One licensed, insured local renovator will measure and quote.
Updated November 2026
Ensuite Renovations prices
- Ensuite renovation (3–5 m², same layout)$17,250–$34,500 (about $24,150 typical)
- Frameless shower screen, installed$920–$2,875
- Heated towel rail, installed$400–$1,375
Published Sydney price ranges, not a quote. Your price is confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Get my free quoteSigns it is time for ensuite renovations
- Mould on the ceiling or in the grout that keeps coming back
- A cramped shower with an old framed screen
- Leaks or loose tiles in the shower recess
- Original fittings from when the house was built
Why do ensuites cost almost as much as a main bathroom?
Most of the cost is the trades, not the floor area: demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tiling and fit-off all still happen. Fewer tiles and a smaller vanity save some money, but the fixed costs stay.
Making a small ensuite feel bigger
A frameless shower screen, a wall-hung vanity and toilet, a niche instead of a shelf, and large-format tiles with fewer grout lines all make a small room feel more open. Good lighting and a properly sized exhaust fan matter just as much in a room with no window.
Ventilation and mould
Ensuites often have small or no windows, so steam stays in the room and mould follows. An exhaust fan that's ducted outside, not just into the roof space, is the fix. Ask that it's included in the quote.
Contracts and insurance
Most ensuite renovations are over $20,000, so a written contract, a deposit of no more than 10%, and Home Building Compensation cover before the deposit are all required in NSW.
How much does ensuite renovations cost on the Northern Beaches?
| Job | Typical Sydney price |
|---|---|
| Ensuite renovation (3–5 m², same layout) | $17,250–$34,500 (about $24,150 typical) |
| Frameless shower screen, installed | $920–$2,875 |
| Heated towel rail, installed | $400–$1,375 |
Published Sydney price ranges (GST incl.) from whatsthedamage.com.au, not our quote. Layout changes, access and the finishes you choose decide your price. See every job in the Northern Beaches bathroom renovation cost guide.
The standard we ask of every renovator we refer you to
The renovator does the work, not us. Ask for each of these in your written quote and contract.
- A renovator licensed in NSW for the work, with public liability insurance (certificate on request)
- Waterproofing by a licensed waterproofer to AS 3740, with a certificate you keep
- Plumbing and electrical done by licensed plumbers and electricians
- A written, itemised quote: demolition, waterproofing, tiling, fixtures and labour listed
- A written contract for any job over $5,000, with a deposit of no more than 10%
- Home Building Compensation cover for jobs over $20,000, before any deposit
- Photos of the waterproofing before it is tiled over, and a walk-through at handover
Photos of the waterproofing, and a written scope
Waterproofing is hidden under the tiles once the job is done. You get photos of the membrane before tiling and the waterproofing certificate, plus a written scope before anything starts.
Licensed, insured renovator, public liability certificate on request
A bathroom done properly, by licensed trades
A bathroom that looks good but leaks behind the tiles means paying twice. That's why every job we pass on goes to a licensed, insured Northern Beaches renovator who agrees to this standard before they get the work.
Licensed for the job
In NSW, bathroom renovation and waterproofing work over $5,000 needs a contractor licence, and plumbing and electrical work need a licence at any price. Jobs only go to renovators who hold the right licences and insurance.
Waterproofing done properly
Waterproofing is the cheapest part of a bathroom and the most expensive to get wrong. It is done to AS 3740 by a licensed waterproofer, flood-tested where appropriate, and photographed before it is tiled over.
An itemised price first
You get the scope and price in writing, broken down by stage, before work starts. Under NSW law, any variation to the contract should be agreed in writing.
Contracts and insurance
A written contract for jobs over $5,000 with a deposit capped at 10%, and Home Building Compensation cover over $20,000, as NSW law requires.
Strata handled up front
In a unit, a bathroom renovation needs owners corporation approval. The renovator should help with the paperwork your strata manager asks for.
A realistic timeline
You get a start date and a stage-by-stage timeline, including curing time for waterproofing, so you know how long you'll be without a bathroom.
Left clean
Ask for demolition waste to be taken away, dust controlled, and the house left clean at the end of each day and at handover.