Lets be honest, a whole bathroom renovation can make a massive difference to your home value, but they can also be really expensive if you aren’t careful with who you build with and what materials you choose.
If you want to increase the value of your home, a new bathroom is the perfect solution. And I’m not just talking about slapping on a coat of paint and calling it done, I mean actually transforming the space into something that works better and looks better.
Companies like Complete Bathroom Solutions have been helping homeowners figure this stuff out for years. They understand what it means when it comes to return on investment.
Bathrooms usually the smallest rooms in the house, but they tend to massive affect how a person feels about a property. Ever been to house that seems okay, but when you go into the bathroom its old, outdated and not that pleasant? It changes your feel about the whole place even if its just the bathroom that needs redoing.
A dated, grotty bathroom can turn potential buyers off faster than almost anything else, while a modern well designed one has people imagining themselves living there before they’ve even walked through the rest of the place.
Why bathrooms matter more than you’d think
Bathrooms and kitchens are the two rooms that make or break a sale but bathrooms are generally cheaper to renovate.
You can completely transform a bathroom for somewhere between $15,000 and $35,000 depending on how far you go, whereas a full kitchen might cost you $40,000 or way more if you get top of the range appliances.
Kitchens are also more personal, which is sometimes better left to the buyer to do themselves, someone doesn’t want a four door oven built into the wall and a high tech stove top if they order in take out or eat out at restaurants every night.
That makes bathrooms a better starting point if you’re working with a limited budget and want to cover all bases.
The return on investment typically sits around 60-80% in most Australian markets. That might sound low at first, but it’s actually pretty solid compared to other home improvements some renovations barely return 30-40%.
People spend a lot of time in bathrooms. Morning routines, getting ready to go out, winding down at night. If that space is cramped, dingy or just unpleasant, it affects your daily life way more than you might think. So even if you’re not planning to sell anytime soon, there’s a strong case for doing it just for yourself.
What actually adds value (and what doesn’t)
Not all bathroom renovations are created equal, right? Some changes genuinely increase your home’s value, while others are just expensive mistakes that future buyers won’t care about or might even actively dislike.
The best way to go is doing the main things like fixing water fixtures. The feel of a new showerhead and taps is unmatched. Installing proper ventilation is also great, it may not be visibal but mentioning it to clients helps.
Adding storage, since every bathroom needs more storage than it has. And if you’ve got the space then separating the toilet from the shower area is something families really appreciate.
Tiling choices matter more than people think. Bold trendy tiles turn most people away, im just being honest. Let people have their own personal design choices when it comes to bold choices as its rare to find someone with your exact taste.
Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring though there’s plenty of beautiful stone look tiles and subtle textures that give you a high end feel without being polarising. I reckon aim for timeless rather than trendy, at least for the main elements.
What doesn’t add value? Super expensive designer tapware that costs thousands, buyers won’t pay extra for it. Overly personalised colour schemes.
Cramming in a spa bath if you don’t have the space for it because they just make small bathrooms feel smaller.
And heated floors are nice but most buyers won’t pay significantly more for them, so they’re more of a personal luxury than an investment.
The layout question
The layout of a bathroom matters, especially if there’s more than one person using it. You need to make space for everything. My biggest tip is don’t try too squeeze a tub in if you already have a small space. It will make it smaller than it already is.
If it has been one of your life goals to have a tub and it really matters to you then id opt for a tub that doubles as a shower. That way you can have the best of both worlds without compromising on space. Because doing your hair in the morning standing in your tub will get pretty old pretty quick.
Generally speaking, if your current layout is functional, work with it. You can achieve a lot with better fixtures, new tiles, improved lighting and smarter storage without touching the plumbing.
A well designed layout that uses every bit of space efficiently will add more value than beautiful finishes in a poorly planned room. Depends on your starting point really.
Doing it right vs doing it cheap
There’s this temptation to go with the cheapest quote you get because bathroom renovations aren’t cheap and everyone wants to save money where they can. But this is one area where cheap often costs you more in the long run.
Poor quality waterproofing fails. Cheap tiles crack or stain. Bad installation means things don’t work properly or start leaking within a year or two.
And fixing these problems later costs way more than doing it right the first time, plus you’ve got all the disruption again.
That doesn’t mean you need to go for the most expensive options either.
There’s a sweet spot in the middle where you’re getting good quality materials and experienced tradespeople without paying for designer brand names or unnecessary luxury features. So try to look for some middle ground options if your budgeting.
Is it actually worth it?
Coming back to the original question, does a bathroom renovation actually increase your home value enough to justify the cost?
If your bathroom is already reasonably modern and functional the value add from renovating again will be much less.
You might be better off focusing on other areas of the house that need work or simply save that money for later investments.
At the end of the day, a well executed bathroom renovation is one of the smarter home improvements you can make in Australia. Just make sure you do it properly, because future you and future buyers will thank you for it.