Bathroom remodels in Sydney

Will Nu Trend act as the principal contractor?

Yes. Nu Trend is engaged as the sole principal contractor for your bathroom renovation. The business is run by licensed builder Rick Karagiannis and we carry the whole job from strip-out to final fit-off using our own in-house plumber, electrician, tiler, waterproofer and painter. 

You deal with one company and one point of contact for the entire project, not a list of separate trades you have to chase and coordinate yourself. All trades are subcontractors as they need to be licensed in their specific trade. A builder cannot sign off on a plumber or electrician’s work they carry out. At Nu Trend our employees are the demolition team and the carpenters. The waterproofer is also licensed and insured separately.

What are your NSW contractor licence details?

Nu Trend holds a current NSW Fair Trading building licence and works under the Home Building Act. Our licence and the licences of the trades on your job are:

• Builder License Number # 217859C KBL kitchen bathroom laundry 

• Australian Business Number # 89 4787 827 63 

• Plumber: 217859C

• Electrician: 377606C

• Waterproofer and tiler: 283897C 

• Plastering 302022C

You can check any NSW licence yourself on the Service NSW licence check. We are happy to provide copies for your strata records.

Is it worth remodelling a bathroom?

Yes. The bathroom is one of the highest-impact rooms for both daily life and resale value, and small rooms mean fixture budgets go further.

Do I need strata approval to renovate my unit’s bathroom?

Usually yes, for any work involving waterproofing or plumbing. We prepare the documentation strata committees ask for.

What is a complete bathroom remodel?

Normally a bathroom remodel means you are completely stripping the room back to the framework of the building to build an entirely new bathroom. It means that everything from the flooring, walls and tiling is installed as new. This might even include changing the floor plan to create a different layout.

Can a bathroom be remodelled in 5 days?

No — and we’d be cautious of anyone who says yes. A complete bathroom remodel takes 14–28 days because waterproofing cure times and the trade sequence can’t be compressed. Five-day jobs are cosmetic refreshes, not renovations.

What does a bathroom remodel cost in Sydney?

The average cost of a bathroom remodel in Sydney for a room that is up to 5 metres squared will vary from $20,000 to $60,000 depending on the quality of fixtures and fittings used. Read our Sydney Bathroom Renovation Costs guide for more details. 

There are lots of choices and clever design ideas that can be implemented in small spaces if the right choices and preparation is put in place — for example, it is even possible to remodel a bathroom with a freestanding bath. 

Nu-Trend is a Sydney renovation contractor that has built up a wealth of knowledge working in small rooms in houses, unit blocks and apartment buildings. We have lots of experience renovating in tall building blocks where the work must be done to a high standard to avoid complications with adjoining dwellings, which is why we are licensed, qualified and insured renovators with HIA Home Owners Insurance.

How long does a bathroom remodel take?

14–28 days, with most completed in 21. Every site has different requirements, but a full renovation includes: planning, layout and design; floor and wall demolition; rubbish removal; new flooring, walls and waterproofing; floor or wall tiling; moving pipes or services; changing the floor plan; installing a new shower or bath; and painting, electrical and windows.

How can you get an accurate bathroom remodel quotation?

An accurate quote requires a very clear scope of work that every contractor quotes against. If your details are vague, or each company gets slightly different information, none of the quotes coming back will represent the same scope. 

Nail down four things: clearly define the room or space to be renovated; decide whether it stays within the existing walls or the room gets bigger; confirm whether plumbing, electrical, lighting, doors and windows stay where they are; and confirm the products to be installed. With those fixed, every contractor can accurately estimate the labour, all quotes become comparable, and your decision comes down to value and how you feel about working with them.

Can you make a bathroom bigger?

Yes. We can take space from an adjoining hallway, bedroom, linen cupboard or laundry — or convert a laundry into a combined bathroom-laundry. We visit your home to assess which walls can be moved, adjusted or removed, and include it in your free on-site quote.

Will there be additional costs on top of my quote?

No — your quote is a fixed price. We include allowances for the common unknowns we’ve encountered over 17 years of renovating, so the price you’re quoted is the price you pay. Some companies quote low, then hit clients with large variations mid-project once the room is demolished. We’d rather be upfront about the real cost from day one. The only time a price changes is if you change the scope.

Can you tile over my existing tiles?

We can, but we recommend against it — and we’ll explain why before you decide. Tiling over old tiles means building on top of old waterproofing, with no way to know how much life it has left or to guarantee against future leaks. The adhesion methods used for tiling over tiles are also unreliable: a primed surface may hold for months, but tiles laid this way commonly crack or detach over time. Stripping back to the substrate and re-waterproofing costs more upfront, but it’s the only way we can stand behind the work.

How can I heat my bathroom?

There are three main options: a traditional ceiling-mounted heat/fan/light unit, electric underfloor heating, or in-wall heating installed behind the tiles — which can also replace a heated towel rail. We’ll recommend the right option for your room size, layout and budget during your quote.

Can I have a floating vanity without seeing the pipe underneath?

Usually, yes — we’ll always do our best to conceal the pipework in the wall. In some situations it can’t be moved: strata restrictions, a single-skin brick wall, or undersized piping. We assess this during your on-site quote, and anything affecting the outcome is listed on your written quotation, so there are no surprises.

Can you improve my water pressure?

Honest answer: no renovation can increase your actual water pressure — it’s set by Sydney Water at the mains in your street, and nothing done inside a house or apartment changes it. What we can do is make sure your fittings aren’t making it worse. Some water-saving fixtures restrict flow, and choosing the right tapware and shower head can create a noticeably stronger flow — but that’s an effect of the fittings, not a change in pressure. We’d rather tell you that straight than promise something plumbing can’t deliver.

Why do some companies quote a 2-week turnaround when others say 3–4 weeks?

Because a complete renovation physically can’t be done properly in 2 weeks. Waterproofing, screeds and adhesives have manufacturer-specified drying times that can’t be compressed, and trades shouldn’t be working on top of each other to squeeze the schedule. Any company guaranteeing 2 weeks for a full strip-out renovation is cutting corners somewhere you can’t see — usually behind the tiles. Our projects take 14–28 days because we build bathrooms to last decades, not to hit a marketing claim. Cheaper and faster usually means paying twice.

Can I use my bathroom during the renovation?

No — the bathroom is out of action for the full construction period. If it’s your only bathroom, let us know at the quote stage and we’ll help you plan around it.

Do I need to move out during the works?

No — most of our clients stay home. Your water and electricity stay connected throughout the project; only the bathroom itself is out of use. Whether you stay is entirely up to you.

Why does an ensuite renovation cost about the same as a main bathroom?

Because the biggest costs are labour and compliance, not floor area. A compact ensuite needs the same licensed plumbers, electricians, waterproofers and tilers as a large family bathroom, each completing their work to the same Australian Standards, and each charging for their time and site visits regardless of room size. A smaller room does use fewer tiles — but those savings are often offset by the extra time needed to work in a confined space, and many ensuites include premium fixtures and custom storage that further close the gap.

Heated floors or a heated towel rail — which is better?

Rick’s honest take: the heated towel rail. You get the comfort of a warm towel after every shower, and it keeps towels dry between uses — which also helps with moisture and mould in bathrooms. Underfloor heating feels luxurious underfoot, but if you’re choosing one, the towel rail delivers more benefit for less cost.

What warranty do I get on the work?

Every project is backed by our written satisfaction guarantee, and our work is covered by HIA Home Owners Warranty insurance as required in NSW for projects over $20,000. Waterproofing and workmanship are covered as per all required statutory guidelines and product warranties from manufacturers pass directly to you. Because Rick and Rob own the business and did the work, there’s no chasing a departed subcontractor if something ever needs attention.

Do I pay a deposit? How do payments work?

Yes — in most cases a deposit of 10% secures your start date, with the balance paid in staged progress payments tied to completed milestones (e.g. after demolition, after waterproofing, on completion). You never pay for work that hasn’t been done, and the schedule is set out in your written contract before anything starts.

The actual payment stages are;

• Deposit

• Demolition

• Rough-ins completed

• Tiling completed

• Fitoff done

• Handover

• A NSW deposit cap is 10% for contracts over $20,000)

Who will actually be in my home?

Rick and Rob — the owners — are on the tools at your site, supported by our own team, not a rotating cast of unknown subcontractors. Everyone on site is licensed, insured, and introduced to you at the start. Your property is protected with floor and furniture coverings, the site is tidied at the end of every day, and you get a progress update each evening.

Is the project covered by Home Building Compensation (HBC) insurance?

Yes. 

For residential building work over $20,000 we take out Home Building Compensation cover via iCare (the scheme formerly known as Home Warranty Insurance) for your project before work starts, and we give you the certificate. This cover protects you if the work cannot be completed or defects cannot be fixed because the builder becomes insolvent, dies, disappears or loses their licence. 

We also carry $20 million public liability insurance separately through HIA

A certificate is issued for each job and given to the owner before any deposit or work commences.

What is your waterproofing method, who does it, and how is it certified?

Waterproofing is built into every bathroom we do, not treated as an optional extra. 

We install a complete waterproofing system exceeding the  Australian Standard AS 3740, we have developed this system over years of trial and error to ensure it is bullet proof, it consists of a 2 layer membrane applied directly to the subfloor, we then let this cure before putting down the sand/cement bedding. 

Once the bedding is dry we then install another layer of waterproofing membrane on top to create a sandwich effect.

The work is carried out by a licensed waterproofer and we photograph the finished membrane before any tiling goes down, so there is a clear record. 

On completion you receive a waterproofing certificate of compliance for your own files and for strata and photographs of the membrane before tiling.

Could the plumbing changes affect common property, stacks, slab penetrations or structural elements?

Possibly and we are upfront about it rather than discovering it halfway through. 

In an apartment the drainage stacks, the floor slab and some walls can be common property or structural. Relocating a vanity, toilet or floor waste can mean cutting into the concrete slab or connecting to a common stack. 

Where that applies we tell you in writing before work starts, we keep any penetrations to the minimum needed, and we make sure the work is signed off by the right licensed trade. 

Where a change touches a structural element we arrange or recommend a structural engineer. 

Anything that affects common property is flagged so it can go into your strata application. If making structural changes can be avoided we will always suggest that path first, if there is access below we won’t need to cut the slab, we drill core holes instead.

What strata documentation can you provide?

We can put together a strata pack to support your application to the owners corporation or building manager. It can include:

•     A written scope of works

•     Our builder’s licence and the relevant trade licences

•     Public liability insurance certificate

•     Home Building Compensation insurance certificate

•     Waterproofing details and certificate of compliance

•     A work schedule with start and finish dates and committed working hours. Typically that is 7am – 5pm however each strata will have there own rules if its a strata run complex.

•     A waste removal plan

•     A common-property protection plan covering lifts, lobbies, hallways and floors are covered in professional floor wrap from “Protecta Group”, lifts are generally covered by the strata.

This is the paperwork most strata committees and building managers ask for, so having it ready usually speeds up approval. 

What are the full inclusions, exclusions and likely variation triggers?

Your quote is a fixed-price written quote with a clear scope, so you know what is and is not included before you commit, with no surprise charges along the way. 

The full inclusions for your job are set out in the scope which is very detailed.

The things that are usually excluded, or that can trigger a priced variation, are:

•     Strata or council application fees

•     Asbestos, which can be present in older buildings and is only found once the room is opened up

•     Concealed damage behind walls or under the floor that could not be seen at quoting

•     Structural surprises in an older building

•     Any change you make to the agreed scope or product selections after work has started

If a variation comes up, we price it and get your written approval before we do the work, so you stay in control of the cost.

If we discover asbestos in an older building we will stop work. Generally if we think there is asbestos we would get the owner to get a tester out prior to starting, we then have licensed removalists who would do the demo/removal. If its a small piece hidden below a bath or in a roof we generally take this and discard of it appropriately, cost would be provided to the client as well as photos.

Can I select my own fixtures and fittings and have you manage them?

Yes. 

You can choose your own fixtures and fittings and we can guide you on the ordering, delivery and installation. 

We can also help guide your choices using our free 3D design software so you can see the scale and layout before anything is bought and point you to suppliers that suit.

If you would rather not source items yourself, we can supply everything to a set allowance. 

Either way the choice is yours, and we coordinate the lot so it arrives on site at the right time. We offer full trade pricing discounts if you order the products.

If a client-supplied item arrives late, is faulty or is the wrong size we would try avoiding this by making sure all items are onsite before we start to eliminate delays. If there is a faulty product then the client must obtain a replacement. If the client deviates from the agreed items this can cause issues with sizing, spacing and fitment which the client would need to resolve and/or a variation put in place. 

What is the payment schedule and likely timeline?

Most apartment bathrooms are built in around 21 days on site once we start. On top of that, allow lead time at the front for design, product ordering and strata approval, which varies by building. 

Payment follows a staged schedule set out in your contract: a deposit, then progress payments tied to completed milestones, with the final payment on completion. 

Under NSW home building rules the deposit is capped and progress payments are linked to work actually done, so you are never paying for work before it is finished.

The actual payment stages are;

• Deposit

• Demolition

• Rough-ins completed

• Tiling completed

• Fitoff done

• Handover

• A NSW deposit cap is 10% for contracts over $20,000)

The actual timeline can change depending on how quickly the client can select items and get Strata approval. In most cases clients already have everything organised and at other times it has to all be decided. Selections need to be done at least 4 weeks prior to work starting.

What is the defect and warranty process after completion?

Every renovation comes with our 10 year workmanship guarantee, which sits on top of the statutory warranties you have under NSW home building law (6 years for major defects, 2 years for other defects under the Home Building Act).

If something is not right after completion, you contact us and we inspect and rectify any covered defect. Workmanship covers things like, a towel rail coming loose, grout falls out in an area, showerscreen hinges become faulty things like this, it excludes wear and tear and misuse.

Waterproofing and structural work carry the longer statutory warranty period and minor items a shorter one, as set out in your contract. 

At handover we leave you with your certificates and warranties so you have a complete record for yourself and for strata. We are your sole point of contact if there are any issues.

What is typically included