How Long a Bathroom Renovation Takes, Stage by Stage

The short answer

For a typical full bathroom renovation, where the room is stripped back to the frame and rebuilt, allow roughly three to five weeks on site. A master ensuite of a similar standard usually takes two and a half to four weeks, and a powder room with a toilet and basin can often be done in one and a half to two and a half weeks.

Those figures only hold if every tile, fixture and fitting is on hand before demolition. Counting design, quoting and ordering, the whole project commonly runs two to four months from first conversation to finished room. The build is the shorter part.

Before work starts: usually the longest stretch

Deciding what you want (1–4 weeks)

Working out the layout, the level of finish and what stays or moves. This is quick if you are replacing like for like, and slower if you are moving the shower, combining a toilet with the bathroom or adding a bath. Our guide on how to plan a bathroom renovation covers this stage in detail.

Measures and quotes (2–4 weeks)

Most people get two or three quotes. Each involves a site visit and time for the builder to price the job properly. An itemised quote takes longer than a single figure, and is worth the wait because it lets you compare like with like.

Selections and lead times (2–12 weeks)

This is where timelines stretch. Typical lead times:

• Stock tiles, toilets and standard tapware: often available within a few days to two weeks.
• Imported or special-order tiles: commonly six to twelve weeks, sometimes more.
• Custom or wall-hung vanities made to size: often three to six weeks.
• Freestanding baths and designer tapware: anywhere from in stock to several weeks, depending on the finish.
• Frameless shower glass: measured once the tiling is finished, then usually one to two weeks to make.

Lead times change with the supplier and the time of year. Confirm them when you order, not when you choose.

Approvals

Most internal bathroom renovations that keep the structure as it is do not need a formal approval, but the rules vary by state and council. If you are removing a wall, changing a window, extending or living in a heritage-listed home, check with your council or a private certifier early, because an approval can add weeks or months. In a strata building, the owners corporation may need to approve work affecting waterproofing or plumbing before you start. Lodge that request as soon as the scope is clear.

On site: stage by stage

These ranges assume an average-sized bathroom, one set of trades and no surprises.

Demolition (1–2 days)

Tiles, sheeting, fixtures and the old shower base come out. This is also the point where hidden problems show up: water-damaged floor sheeting, rotten framing or old pipework. If the home was built or renovated before about 1990, have suspect materials tested for asbestos before demolition. If asbestos is present it must be removed safely, by a licensed removalist where the rules require it, which can add several days.

Rough-in (1–3 days)

The plumber and electrician run pipes, wastes and cables to the new positions. Moving a shower or toilet on a concrete slab takes longer than on a timber floor, because the slab may need cutting. Many builders arrange an inspection of the rough-in before the walls are sheeted.

Waterproofing (3–5 days including cure)

Wet-area sheeting goes up, then a membrane is applied to the floor and walls around the shower. Most liquid membranes go on in two or more coats, and each coat must dry before the next. The time between coats, and before tiling, depends on the product, temperature and humidity: follow the manufacturer's instructions rather than a rule of thumb. This is the stage that protects the rest of the house, so it is the last one to rush. A certificate is normally issued when the waterproofing is complete.

Screed and tiling (5–8 days)

The floor is screeded to fall towards the waste, then left to set before tiling. Wall and floor tiling is usually the longest single trade on site. Large-format tiles, herringbone or mosaic patterns and tiling to the ceiling all add time. Adhesive generally needs to set before grouting, and grout needs time before the room is used.

Fit-off and glass (3–6 days, plus a wait)

The vanity, toilet, tapware, mirror, towel rails, lights and exhaust fan are installed and connected. Frameless glass is usually measured only once the tiles are finished, so there is often a gap of one to two weeks before it is fitted. Silicone needs time to cure before the shower is used; your installer will tell you how long.

What stretches a timeline

• Selections not ordered before demolition. The single most common cause of a bathroom sitting half-finished.
• Hidden damage. Rot, water-damaged sheeting or unexpected pipework adds days and a variation.
• Asbestos. Testing, removal and clearance before other work can continue.
• Changes mid-job. Moving a niche or changing a tile after rough-in or waterproofing means redoing work.
• Trade sequencing. Each trade depends on the one before. A one-day delay early can become a week if the next trade is booked elsewhere.
• Weather and access. Mostly relevant to skips, deliveries and anything done outside.

How to keep it on track

1. Finalise every selection, including grout colour and silicone, before a start date is set.
2. Have long-lead items delivered, checked and stored before demolition.
3. Get an asbestos test done early if the home is older.
4. Agree a written program with the builder showing each stage.
5. Make decisions quickly when a question comes up on site.
6. Plan where the household will shower while the room is out of action.

Related services and costs

If you are weighing up a project, see our full bathroom renovations and ensuite renovations pages, and the bathroom renovation cost guide for broad budget bands. For how we sequence our own jobs, read how we renovate. If you are in Castle Hill or the wider Hills District, we can measure the room and give you a written program and price.