Reservoir, VIC 3073 · northern suburbs
Bathroom renovations in Reservoir
Complete bathroom renovations from $19,999 — tiles, fixtures, waterproofing, rubbish removal and GST all in. Typically 4 weeks on site. We're a small local team — the people who quote your job are the people who build it, so you're not paying for a showroom or a sales rep.
- Registered building practitioner
- Fixed written price before we start
- Free inspection across Reservoir
Local knowledge
What we see in Reservoir homes
Reservoir is the most populous suburb in Melbourne and almost entirely post-war. Bathrooms are small, laundries are usually separate, and many homes still run the original galvanised or early copper plumbing.
The thing that catches people out here
Aging pipework is the most common surprise here. If the water pressure is already poor, budget for replacing the runs while the walls are open — doing it later means retiling.
Reservoir blocks are often deep, and many homes have a separate laundry adjoining the bathroom. Combining the two into one space is frequently better value than renovating them separately.
Before you get quotes
Three things that decide the price in Reservoir
1. What your house is built on
Reservoir is one of Melbourne's largest stocks of post-war brick veneer, most of it 1950s and 60s on generous blocks, with timber subfloors. The bathrooms are small, and very often the toilet is in a separate adjoining room. Combining them is the change that transforms these bathrooms, and in most of these houses that wall is not load-bearing — but it needs verifying, not assuming, and we do that at the inspection.
2. Permits, overlays and owners corporations
Internal work does not require a planning permit. As with the rest of the northern post-war stock, asbestos sheeting behind tiles is common in pre-1990 Reservoir homes and usually needs a licensed asbestos removalist — above 10 square metres of non-friable sheet it always does, and friable material always does. Removing a wall between the bathroom and a separate toilet is usually straightforward, but if that wall turns out to be load-bearing it needs a building permit and an engineer's computation for the beam — we establish which it is at the inspection, before it is in a price.
3. What a renovation is worth here
Reservoir has a lot of houses where everything except the bathroom has been updated. That makes the bathroom the deciding room at inspection. A correctly done, current, all-inclusive bathroom is one of the two changes that most alter how these houses live.
None of the above is guesswork on a quote — we look at the subfloor, the wall behind the tiles and the existing drainage during the free inspection, then put a fixed written price on it.
Pricing
Bathroom renovation cost in Reservoir
One number, everything in it. Take it to any other quote you get and compare line for line — that is the comparison worth making.
What's included at $19,999
No separate tile bill, no "supply your own fixtures", no GST added at the end.
- Full strip-out and rubbish removal
- Certified waterproofing to AS 3740
- Floor-to-ceiling wall tiling
- New vanity, toilet and shower screen
- Tapware, shower set and towel rail
- Plumbing and electrical by licensed trades
Moving plumbing to a new wall, upgraded finishes, or hidden damage found during demolition are quoted separately and always in writing before any extra work starts.
Also renovating the kitchen? See kitchen pricing for Reservoir →
Questions
Reservoir bathroom renovations — common questions
Do you actually work in Reservoir?
Yes — Reservoir is inside our regular service area, along with Preston, Thornbury, Coburg and the surrounding northern suburbs. Site inspections across Reservoir are free and there's no travel charge.
How long will the job take?
Around 4 weeks on site for a standard bathroom of this type. Reservoir is mostly 1950s–1960s brick veneer and weatherboard, and that's the kind of place we work on most — so the timeline we give you at quote stage is the one we work to.
What could push the price above $19,999?
Three things, in order of likelihood: moving plumbing or fixtures to new positions, choosing finishes above our standard range, and hidden damage behind the walls. In Reservoir, where the stock is 1950s–1960s brick veneer and weatherboard, the third one matters — you get a written price before anyone touches it.
Can I see photos of your work?
Yes — there are real before-and-after photos and video walkthroughs of finished work on the home page. We'll bring more bathroom renovations to the inspection, along with what each job actually cost.
Do you do whole-house renovations in Reservoir?
No, and we'd rather say so plainly. We don't do extensions, second storeys, re-roofing or anything that changes the outside of the house — we do bathrooms and kitchens, for a fixed price, and that narrow focus is the reason we can quote the way we do. Taking out an internal wall to open a kitchen to the living area is part of a kitchen and we do that, with an engineer's beam design and a building permit where the wall is load-bearing. If you're planning a full home renovation in Reservoir, these are usually the two rooms that blow the budget, so it's worth getting a firm number on them early even if someone else is managing the rest. We're happy to quote just our part and work alongside your builder.
Free, no obligation
Book your free site inspection in Reservoir.
Tell us a bit about the room and we'll call you back to arrange a time. You'll get a fixed written price — and an honest answer about what your budget can realistically buy.
Thanks — we've got it.
We'll call you back to arrange a time, usually the same day.