Choose your bathroom renovator in five steps
In short
To find a bathroom renovator in Melbourne, prepare a brief with your suburb, property type and proposed layout, then shortlist contractors with comparable bathroom experience. Check their current registration and permitted work through Victoria’s Building and Plumbing Commission. Ask who manages the trades and takes responsibility for waterproofing, resolve apartment or permit questions, and compare written quotes following site visits. Agree on the contract, changes and handover records before demolition starts.
Step 1
Separate the essentials from the choices still to make
Describe what needs fixing and what you want to change. Include room measurements, photos, leaks and whether the toilet, shower and vanity will stay in their current positions. A fixture replacement and a bathroom stripped back to its underlying surfaces need different quotes.
Give your suburb and access details. For a Richmond terrace, mention a narrow side passage or limited space for demolition waste. For a Southbank apartment, include the floor, lift access and building management contact. These are planning examples; the contractor needs the conditions at your address.
Details for your first enquiry
| Include in the brief | What it helps establish |
|---|---|
| Layout and fixtures to retain | Whether services can stay in place and what must be removed or rebuilt. |
| Leaks, damaged surfaces and photos | What needs investigation during the site visit before a repair scope can be priced. |
| Suburb, property type and access | Service area, deliveries, waste removal and any building access arrangements. |
| Budget, selections and bathroom availability | Which choices remain open and whether temporary washing or toilet arrangements are needed. |
Step 2
Check registration against the actual scope
Ask each contractor for recent examples of similar bathrooms and a referee you can contact. Ask the referee how the contractor dealt with delays, concealed damage and defects. Confirm who will supervise your job and whether the contractor arranges the plumber, electrician, tiler and other trades.
Use the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) registers to check current registration or licence status, permitted work and any conditions. Match the details to the person or business you will contract with. Check plumbing credentials too, and ask how the electrical contractor’s credentials will be verified.
Victoria has a Domestic Builder class limited to bathroom, kitchen and laundry renovation. BPC describes this class as work within the existing external walls, floor and ceiling, including coordinating trades and selecting and applying waterproofing. Ask BPC for advice if the proposed work extends beyond that scope or the contractor’s registration is unclear.
Step 3
Check approvals before committing to the layout
Discuss any wall removal, changed openings or work affecting the building structure with an appropriate building professional. Confirm whether building or planning permits are needed, who will arrange them and what the price includes. Get this settled before authorising demolition.
For an apartment or unit, get the owners corporation’s rules and ask the manager about the proposed work. Consumer Affairs Victoria says these rules can require prior written approval for changes to the structure or exterior and can govern access to common property. Confirm requirements for shared services, deliveries, waste and protecting corridors or lifts.
For example, moving a shower waste in a Docklands apartment may raise questions about the floor and shared services. Give the manager and renovator the proposed layout before assuming that work inside your bathroom needs no further checks. Ask what notices or approvals apply to your specific proposal.
Step 4
Compare complete quotes, including waterproofing
Arrange site visits and give each renovator the same layout and fixture list. Ask for a written quote showing included work, exclusions and allowances. An allowance is an amount set aside for an item or work not fully selected or priced; ask how it will be adjusted once the actual cost is known.
Waterproofing is the system that stops water reaching the building beneath wet-area finishes. Ask who prepares the surfaces, installs the system and checks it before tiling. Agree which installation records, product details and photos you will receive, and who takes responsibility if work by one trade damages another trade’s preparation.
Ask how concealed damage will be investigated and priced after strip-out. A quote should explain how you approve extra work and its effect on the completion date, rather than leaving you to discover the process during the renovation.
Step 5
Set the agreement and completion checks
Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends a written contract regardless of the cost. Check its current guidance on when a major domestic building contract is required for your work. Only registered builders can enter that type of contract. Confirm the applicable insurance requirements and obtain any required evidence before proceeding.
Review the plans, specifications, fixture selections, start and finish arrangements, payments and process for changes. Ask for time to have unclear terms reviewed before signing, and keep a copy signed by both parties.
At handover, walk through the bathroom with the contractor, check it against the agreed scope and record unfinished or defective items with a date for resolution. Collect the agreed waterproofing records, care instructions and any required trade compliance or permit completion documents. Keep them with the contract and approved changes.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- BPC: find and check a practitioner
Checking current registration, licence scope and conditions before engaging a practitioner.
- BPC: what is domestic building work?
Scope of the bathroom, kitchen and laundry renovation class, including waterproofing and trade coordination.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: owners corporation rules
Rules can cover prior approval for structural or exterior alterations and use of common property.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: building contracts
Written agreements, major domestic building contracts, registered builders and matters to check before signing.
