Bathroom Renovation Perth: A Practical Guide for Homeowners and Landlords
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
A dated bathroom drags down the overall feel of a home faster than almost anything else. It doesn't matter how good the rest of the house looks. Yellowing grout, old tiles and a vanity that's seen better days signals neglect to buyers and tenants before they've even looked at the rest of the property.
The flip side is just as true. A clean, well-finished bathroom renovation lifts buyer confidence, improves tenant appeal and makes daily life noticeably better. It's consistently one of the highest-return renovation projects in residential property, and in Perth's competitive market, buyers and renters notice the difference.
Whether you're updating your family home, preparing a property for sale or maintaining an investment, here's what a bathroom renovation in Perth actually involves, what it costs and where things commonly go wrong.
What's involved in a bathroom renovation
Bathroom renovations are more complex than they look. The finished result is clean and simple, but getting there involves multiple trades working in a specific sequence, with mandatory inspections required at certain stages before the next stage can begin.
A typical bathroom renovation in Perth includes:
Strip-out of existing tiles, fixtures and fittings
Waterproofing applied to walls and floor before any tiling begins
Wall and floor tiling
New shower recess or bath installation
Vanity and basin
Toilet replacement
New tapware, showerhead and accessories
Plumbing connections
Exhaust fan and lighting
Painting and finishing
The waterproofing stage matters most and gets cut corners most often. In Western Australia, waterproofing in wet areas must comply with AS 3740-2021 (Waterproofing of Domestic Wet Areas) and is subject to a mandatory building inspection before tiling can proceed. This is a legal requirement under the Building Act 2011 (WA), administered by the Building and Energy division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.
Skipping or rushing waterproofing is the most expensive mistake in any bathroom renovation. Water getting behind tiles is slow to show up and very costly to fix once it's tiled over. If a quote barely mentions waterproofing, ask about it directly before agreeing to anything.
If you're also planning a kitchen or laundry renovation at the same time, This & That handles all three together so you're not managing multiple teams across overlapping timelines.
Do you need a building permit for a bathroom renovation in Perth?
This is one of the most common questions homeowners ask, and the answer depends on the scope of work.
Under the Building Regulations 2012 (WA), a building permit is generally required for any work that involves structural changes, changes to the drainage layout or alterations that affect the waterproofing system. A straightforward retile and fixture replacement typically doesn't require a permit. Moving a wall, relocating drainage or altering the footprint of the wet area usually does.
Your local council is the relevant authority for permit applications in most cases. Perth metro homeowners can check permit requirements through their local government. A useful starting point is the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) or your specific council's building services page. Councils including the City of Perth, City of Stirling and City of Swan all have building permit information available online.
A licensed builder or registered building practitioner can advise on whether your specific project requires a permit. All building work in WA must be carried out by or under the supervision of a registered building practitioner, as required under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011.
Bathroom renovation costs in Perth
Costs depend on size, materials and the extent of the work. As a rough guide for Perth in 2024 to 2025:
Basic refresh — new vanity, toilet, tapware, accessories and paint: $3,000 to $8,000
Mid-range renovation — full retile, new shower screen, updated fixtures throughout, new lighting: $12,000 to $22,000
Premium renovation — large format tiles, freestanding bath, custom shower, high-end tapware: $25,000 to $45,000 and up
Ensuites are smaller but not necessarily cheaper per square metre. The trades involved are the same, and small spaces can be more fiddly to tile well because every cut is visible. Budget for that rather than assuming an ensuite will cost half of a main bathroom.
These figures include labour, materials and plumbing. Always confirm exactly what's inside and outside any quote before work starts.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
A standard bathroom renovation takes around two to three weeks of on-site work once materials are on hand. Tiles are the main variable. If you're ordering tiles not held in local stock, allow additional weeks for delivery.
Waterproofing also requires drying time before tiling can begin. Most products require a minimum of 24 to 48 hours cure time, and this cannot be rushed without compromising the integrity of the membrane.
If your renovation is tied to a settlement date or a rental changeover, start planning at least six to eight weeks ahead. That gives you enough time to order materials, schedule trades and not feel pressured mid-project.
Plumbing and licensing requirements
All plumbing work in Western Australia must be carried out by a licensed plumber registered with Building and Energy. This includes connecting or relocating drainage, installing new fixtures and any work on hot or cold water supply lines within the property.
A licensed plumber is also required to submit a Plumbing Notice to Building and Energy for most plumbing work in a bathroom renovation. This is not optional. Unlicensed plumbing work is illegal in WA, voids home insurance in most cases and creates significant liability issues if the property is sold.
This & That works with licensed plumbers across all renovation projects and handles the required notifications as part of the job.
Common mistakes that cost money later
Cutting corners on waterproofing. Worth repeating. It's the most expensive mistake and the one most likely to be invisible until significant damage has already been done.
Choosing tiles that don't suit the space. Large format tiles in a small bathroom create awkward cuts around every fitting. It looks messy and drives up labour costs. Get advice on tile sizing before committing.
No storage plan. Beautiful bathrooms with nowhere to put anything are frustrating to live with. Think through vanity drawers, recessed niches in the shower wall and whether a mirrored cabinet suits the space before the design is finalised.
Cheap tapware. Tapware gets used dozens of times a day. Budget tapware fails within a few years and looks tired well before that. Spending a reasonable amount on quality tapware is one of the better decisions in any bathroom renovation.
Not checking product lead times. Finding out the vanity you ordered takes ten weeks to arrive after the strip-out has already happened is an avoidable situation. Confirm lead times on everything before any work is scheduled.
What landlords should focus on
Investment property bathrooms need to perform across three things: appeal to good tenants, hold up under regular use and not require attention for as long as possible.
Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), landlords are required to provide and maintain premises in a reasonable state of repair. The Consumer Protection division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety provides clear guidance on landlord obligations in Western Australia. A bathroom that's genuinely deteriorated isn't just an aesthetic issue — it can become a compliance issue.
Practically, the priorities for an investment property bathroom are:
Neutral tones that photograph well and don't date quickly
Rectified tiles with tight grout lines, far easier to keep clean than wide grout joints
Wall-hung vanities where the layout allows, easier to clean around and they make small bathrooms feel larger
Quality tapware, not the cheapest option in the range
A properly installed exhaust fan vented to outside, not into the ceiling cavity. Perth's climate means bathrooms without good ventilation develop moisture problems faster than you'd expect.
The renovation doesn't need to be premium. It needs to be solid, clean and well finished. If you're managing multiple investment properties, take a look at how we approach property maintenance across Perth to keep everything in good condition between tenancies.
Pre-sale bathroom renovations
If you're renovating a bathroom before a sale, the goal is to present a space that feels fresh and well maintained without spending more than the market will reward.
In most cases, a clean retile, updated vanity, new tapware and fresh paint will do more for buyer perception than a full premium renovation. Buyers notice whether a bathroom looks cared for. They're less focused on whether the tapware is a designer brand.
Talk to your real estate agent before committing to a large spend. They'll have a clear read on what buyers in your suburb expect. And if you're doing multiple rooms before listing, our guide to pre-sale property improvements is worth reading before you decide where to put the budget.
The trades coordination problem
Bathroom renovations require a plumber, a tiler, an electrician and usually a carpenter for the vanity installation. Each trade needs access at a specific point in the sequence, and a delay in one affects all of the others.
Managing separate trades for this kind of project is where things get frustrating. You're the one chasing everyone, rebooking when someone can't make it and working out what happens when the tiler is ready but the plumber hasn't finished rough-in yet.
Working with a team that handles renovation work, plumbing and carpentry together removes that problem. This & That manages the full project across Perth with one point of contact from strip-out to final finish.
Ready to get your bathroom renovation underway? Call 0487 606 491 or request a quote online and we'll come out to take a look.
