If you’re planning to refurbish your main bathroom, one of your most important questions is going to be – “how long does it take to do a bathroom renovation?” Normal life goes on, especially if you’ve got a busy family. So, ask a few firms of builders for a timeframe. Prepare for a sharp intake of breath! You could be without a working bathroom for anything up to two months. At Houseace, our experienced crews usually takes 3 – 4 weeks, but of course, it depends on the scope and size of the project. Here’s a more detailed bathroom renovation timeline.

It all adds up

Your next question is bound to be why — it’s not like that on the TV makeover shows. You may have seen the neat project charts that show all the stages in a refurbishment following smoothly on from each other day-after-day. That’s a sensible starting point and it will help you understand the big picture. But the reality may not be the same.

For a start, there tend to be unexpected problems to deal with, deliveries that don’t come on time, fittings that don’t fit and specialists who aren’t available on the days they are scheduled to be on site. And, there’s also a lot of work to get through, with preparation time, drying time and finishing time to add on for good measure.

How many people

Another big variable is the size of the site team. Are you hiring one person who will do all the work, or a team of plumbers, electricians, plasterers, tilers, flooring fitters and painters? One person could handle a simple project on their own. They might concentrate on your bathroom throughout the project. But, they may have other jobs on at the same time and that’s when lead times start to slip.

If you’ve got a bigger team of specialist contractors, like we employ at Housesace, they could complete the refurbishment in a shorter time.

Be realistic

Whatever approach you take, it’s best to be realistic and expect longer. Then you could be in for a surprise. To help you understand what’s going to be happening over those weeks, here’s how a typical small bathroom refurbishment should go.

Bathroom renovation timeline

Out with the old (2 days)

It all starts with a very messy, dusty demolition of your current bathroom – fittings removed and into a skip, tiles off the wall, flooring lifted and an initial clean-up. Hopefully, the demolition won’t reveal any hidden structural damage caused by leaks or nasty surprises like asbestos.

Making good (2 days)

Before the new work starts, there may be a few repairs. This stage might include filling holes in the wall, repairing any loose or damaged floorboards or removing any wiring or piping that’s now in the wrong place.

Plumbing (2 days)

The plumber lays water supplies and waste runs to the correct positions. This could take longer if baths, showers, basins and toilets are relocated to make better use of the space.

Electrical fittings (2 days)

The electrician runs cables to the correct positions for lights, shaving points and power for showers. That may require cutting and making good new channels in the walls, connecting and testing new cabling to existing circuits and updating the safety switch. Any switches or other fittings are connected later. Inspection of the electrical work should be completed before any plastering starts. This could add a delay if an inspector is not available for a few days.

Plastering (2-4 days plus drying time before painting)

Plasterers have to make good any damaged surfaces before they start work. In some cases, they may install a ‘dry wall’ to conceal any pipe work or other surface fittings. The first coat of plaster requires a day to dry before a final skim coat.

Painting (2 -3 days)

A painter can’t begin until the plaster has dried out completely. This may add several days to the schedule. The first coat of paint on new plaster is a special watery mix, followed by one or two coats of the final colour.

Tiling (2-3 days)

Tiling time depends on the quantity of tiles to be fitted. If you are only having a splashback around the wash basin and tiling or a wall panel in the shower, tiling might only take a day. But larger areas with difficult joints or complex patterns could take two to three days.

Fitting and flooring (2-3 days)

The best part of the job for everyone involved. The plumber and electrician can now install, connect and test all the fittings – bath, shower, toilet, lights, blinds, cabinets and accessories. When everything is in place, flooring can go in. Laying vinyl flooring takes a matter of hours, but wooden flooring with some difficult trimming around fittings could take a day.

As you can see, that schedule takes up to 21 working days allowing for each stage to follow on immediately. But, it’s clear to see how small problems or delays in starting the next stage can easily stretch the finishing time to 6 weeks or more. However, a new bathroom is a great investment for your home, so you’ll probably find the wait is worthwhile.

Get a quote for your bathroom renovation today!

From wow-factor bathroom renovations to small bathroom renovations and bathroom renovations on a budget, we conduct a huge array of bathroom renovations in Sydney and Melbourne and each is completely tailored to the individual’s wants and needs. All the Houseace team are fully qualified and vetted experts in their trade. They will transform your bathroom with utmost care, as though it were their own.

Why not read our customer testimonials and find out why Houseace is trusted by thousands of Australians for bathroom renovations, or give us a call today on 1300 304 367? Get a free online bathroom renovation quote in just two minutes!

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How Long Does It Take To Do a Bathroom Renovation? – [2023]