Renovation costs, Melbourne VIC
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Melbourne?
A standard Australian bathroom has about 8 m² of floor and 20 m² of tiled wall. The table below prices that bathroom in eight interior styles using real products and current supplier pricing: tiles by the box with wastage built in, grout matched to the tile, adhesive, a vanity, tapware, a mirror, paint for the walls above the tiling, and tiling labour at metro supply-and-fix rates. These are live numbers from the same engine that powers the TuttoCasa app, not last year's averages.
Melbourne trades price 10 to 15 per cent above the national average, with heritage housing stock and permit overhead adding friction on older homes. The tables below keep national supplier pricing on every material line and apply Melbourne rates to the labour lines only. Tiles cost much the same in Melbourne as anywhere in Australia; the tiler does not.
Bathroom renovation cost by style
Based on a 8 m² floor and 20 m² of wall tiling, priced live from current supplier data. AUD, ex-GST.
| Style | The look | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Century Modern | Terrazzo, bold colour, tapered legs, retro confidence | $13,733 |
| Hotel Luxe | Book-matched marble, brushed gold, freestanding bath | $13,960 |
| Dark & Moody | Charcoal tiles, matte black tapware, cave-like drama | $14,227 |
| Modern Hamptons | White shaker, honey oak, marble bench, matte black tapware | $14,233 |
| Modern Coastal | Sandy neutrals, pale oak, honed stone calm | $14,344 |
| Japandi | Warm greige, matte stone, charcoal, zero gloss | $14,354 |
| Warm Minimalist | Vein-cut travertine, warm greige, honed everything | $14,737 |
| Industrial | Exposed concrete, raw steel, black pipe, warehouse meets home | $14,780 |
| French Provincial | Cream cabinetry, carved timber, aged brass, effortlessly romantic | $14,803 |
| Contemporary | Clean lines, neutral palette, the reno everyone wants right now | $14,810 |
| Neo-Deco | Curves, fluted panels, zellige, jewel tones | $16,126 |
| Heritage Modern | Period bones, marble, coloured joinery, brass | $16,290 |
| Modern Classic | Half traditional, half modern, warm, timeless, never trendy | $17,703 |
| Modern Farmhouse | White subway, shaker doors, black iron handles | $17,773 |
| Modern Mediterranean | Sun-baked terracotta, limewash, soft arches | $18,421 |
| Earthy Boho | Terracotta, zellige, rattan, layered earthy warmth | $18,421 |
| Biophilic | Raw stone, living green, timber grain, nature brought inside | $18,577 |
| Earthy Australiana | Sage, terracotta, brushed brass, raw clay | $18,612 |
Mid-Century Modern at $13,733. Terrazzo, bold colour, tapered legs, retro confidence.
Earthy Australiana at $18,612, a spread of $4,879 across the eight styles for the same room.
What is included: an example schedule
Here is the full line-item schedule behind the Contemporary figure above. Covers floor and wall tiling, grout, adhesive, vanity, basin mixer and rail shower set, mirror, wall paint above the tiled zone, and tiling labour. It does not include demolition, waterproofing, plumbing or electrical rough-in, or a new bath or screen.
On a tighter budget?
The same engine can work to a number. Give it a budget and it swaps the dearest tile lines for honest cheaper alternates, smaller formats or ceramic instead of porcelain, then steps the labour band down a tier if it still needs to. Asked to bring the Contemporary bathroom in at $12,589, it lands at $13,774, saving $1,036 against the standard schedule (the closest it can get with real products). The swapped lines are flagged as budget picks so nothing is hidden.
The costs that catch people out
Demolition and skip bins
Strip-out labour plus bin hire. Allow $800 to $1,500 for a wet area, less for a dry room.
Waterproofing
Mandatory in wet areas under the NCC. Allow $500 to $900 for a bathroom, $300 to $500 for a laundry.
Contingency, 15 to 20%
Walls and floors hide things: out-of-level slabs, old leaks, surprise plumbing. Price it in up front, not after.
Lead times
Imported stone and feature tiles run 3 to 6 weeks. Order when the schedule is locked, not when demolition starts.
Frequently asked questions
What does a budget bathroom renovation cost in Australia?
Working from the schedule above, switching the feature tiles to honest cheaper alternates (smaller formats, ceramic instead of porcelain) and using a budget labour band typically trims 15 to 25 per cent off the materials-and-tiling total. The structure of the job stays the same; the finishes step down a tier.
How much of the cost is labour?
Tiling labour in metro Australia runs $85 to $95 per m² laid for bathrooms, more for herringbone or small-format tiles. On a standard 28 m² of tiled surface that is usually the single largest line on the schedule after the tiles themselves.
What costs are not in these figures?
Demolition and skip bins (allow $800 to $1,500), waterproofing (allow $500 to $900 for a standard bathroom, and it is non-negotiable under the NCC), plumbing and electrical work, and a contingency of 15 to 20 per cent for what the walls hide.
Are these prices GST inclusive?
No. Every figure on this page is in Australian dollars ex-GST, matching how trade quotes are usually built. Add 10 per cent for a GST-inclusive view.
Price your own room
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Try it freeKeep reading
Bathroom renovation costs by city
- How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Australia? — national guide
- How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Sydney?
- How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Brisbane?
- How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Perth?
- How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Adelaide?
Costs for other rooms
- How Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost in Melbourne?
- How Much Does a Living Room Renovation Cost in Melbourne?
- How Much Does a Laundry Renovation Cost in Melbourne?
- How Much Does a Bedroom Renovation Cost in Melbourne?
The eight styles, in depth
- Contemporary: ideas and real costs
- Modern Classic: ideas and real costs
- Industrial: ideas and real costs
- French Provincial: ideas and real costs
- Biophilic: ideas and real costs
- Modern Coastal: ideas and real costs
- Warm Minimalist: ideas and real costs
- Modern Mediterranean: ideas and real costs
- Japandi: ideas and real costs
- Modern Hamptons: ideas and real costs
- Earthy Australiana: ideas and real costs
- Neo-Deco: ideas and real costs
- Heritage Modern: ideas and real costs
- Dark & Moody: ideas and real costs
- Earthy Boho: ideas and real costs
- Modern Farmhouse: ideas and real costs
- Hotel Luxe: ideas and real costs
- Mid-Century Modern: ideas and real costs