Renovation costs, Sydney NSW

How much does a living room renovation cost in Sydney?

The figures below price a 25 m² living room floor in eight interior styles, plus wall paint, a style-matched light and real furnishing picks from Australian suppliers. Every total is computed from current pricing: tiles by the box with wastage built in, adhesive, grout, paint for 30 m² of walls at two coats, and laying labour at living-area rates, which sit lower than wet-area rates because there is no waterproofing or falls to work around.

Sydney carries the highest trade rates in the country. Strong construction demand and tight tiler availability keep labour roughly a quarter above the national metro average. The tables below keep national supplier pricing on every material line and apply Sydney rates to the labour lines only. Tiles cost much the same in Sydney as anywhere in Australia; the tiler does not.

Living room renovation cost by style

Based on a 25 m² floor, priced live from current supplier data. AUD, ex-GST.

StyleThe lookEstimated total
Heritage ModernPeriod bones, marble, coloured joinery, brass$5,842
Modern CoastalSandy neutrals, pale oak, honed stone calm$5,899
Dark & MoodyCharcoal tiles, matte black tapware, cave-like drama$5,937
JapandiWarm greige, matte stone, charcoal, zero gloss$5,992
ContemporaryClean lines, neutral palette, the reno everyone wants right now$6,022
French ProvincialCream cabinetry, carved timber, aged brass, effortlessly romantic$6,064
Neo-DecoCurves, fluted panels, zellige, jewel tones$6,152
IndustrialExposed concrete, raw steel, black pipe, warehouse meets home$6,283
BiophilicRaw stone, living green, timber grain, nature brought inside$6,333
Hotel LuxeBook-matched marble, brushed gold, freestanding bath$6,382
Modern HamptonsWhite shaker, honey oak, marble bench, matte black tapware$6,685
Modern FarmhouseWhite subway, shaker doors, black iron handles$7,217
Modern ClassicHalf traditional, half modern, warm, timeless, never trendy$7,287
Mid-Century ModernTerrazzo, bold colour, tapered legs, retro confidence$8,275
Warm MinimalistVein-cut travertine, warm greige, honed everything$8,513
Earthy BohoTerracotta, zellige, rattan, layered earthy warmth$13,406
Modern MediterraneanSun-baked terracotta, limewash, soft arches$13,446
Earthy AustralianaSage, terracotta, brushed brass, raw clay$13,456
Cheapest

Heritage Modern at $5,842. Period bones, marble, coloured joinery, brass.

Dearest

Earthy Australiana at $13,456, a spread of $7,615 across the eight styles for the same room.

What is included: an example schedule

Here is the full line-item schedule behind the Hotel Luxe figure above. Covers floor tiling, grout, adhesive, wall paint at two coats, a style-matched pendant or floor lamp, real furnishing picks and laying labour. Demolition of existing flooring, subfloor preparation and electrical work are excluded.

Material scheduleliving room · Hotel Luxe
MATFloor: Emperador Firenze (300x600mm, polished)20 box @ $41$822
MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 02 — Natural White for floor2 bag @ $45$90
MATAdhesive: Kerakoll Biogel No Limits (gel-technology, 25kg)4 bag @ $71$284
LABFloor tiling labour (living, supply-fix band)25 m² @ $88$2,188
FURAmalfi 2 Seater1 item @ $1,190$1,190
FURRoma Marble Coffee Table1 item @ $890$890
FURRoma Bar Stool Leather1 item @ $199$199
FIXCrystal Chandelier 600, brushed gold1 item @ $589$589
FIXWall paint, low-sheen interior acrylic (30 m² non-tiled walls, 2 coats)5 L @ $26$130
Estimated total, ex-GST$6,382

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 Hotel Luxe living room in at $5,424, it lands at $5,792, saving $590 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

Is tiling a living room cheaper than a bathroom?

Per square metre, yes. Living-area laying runs about $70 per m² against $95 in a bathroom, because there is no waterproofing, no falls to the drain and far fewer cuts. The room is bigger, so the total is higher, but the rate is friendlier.

Why do the style totals differ so much?

The floor tile does almost all the work in a living room, so the per-square-metre tile price drives the total. A large-format marble-look porcelain costs meaningfully more per box than a concrete-look tile, and over 25 m² the gap compounds.

What about timber or hybrid flooring instead of tiles?

These schedules price tiled floors, which suit Australian living areas for thermal mass and durability. Hybrid plank typically lands at a similar supply price to mid-range porcelain but with cheaper installation; engineered timber usually costs more on both lines.

What should I add on top of these figures?

Removal of the old floor covering and a skip bin, floor levelling if the slab is out, and a 15 to 20 per cent contingency. All figures here are AUD ex-GST.

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Keep reading

Living room renovation costs by city

Costs for other rooms

The eight styles, in depth