Compare your quotes in five steps
In short
Compare bathroom renovation quotes against one agreed scope: layout, demolition, plumbing and electrical work, waterproofing, tiles, fixtures and finishing. Record fixed inclusions, allowances, exclusions and unresolved items separately. Ask contractors to price the differences, then compare payment stages, completion arrangements and how changes will be approved. A lower total is useful only when you understand what you will receive and what you may still have to pay.
Step 1
Put the bathroom scope side by side
Send the same room measurements, photos, layout and fixture selections to each contractor. Arrange a site visit so they can check conditions. If the brief changes, send the revised version to everyone quoting.
The example below is invented to show gaps worth resolving, not real customer quotes or a specification for your bathroom. Copy the headings into your own comparison and replace the entries with each contractor’s written answers. Mark missing details as “not confirmed”, rather than assuming they are included.
Example bathroom quote comparison
| Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|
| Layout: existing toilet, shower and vanity positions retained. | Layout: shower moved; pipe alterations not confirmed. |
| Demolition: existing tiles and fixtures removed; disposal included. | Demolition: removal included; skip and disposal excluded. |
| Plumbing and electrical: reconnection and named new fittings listed. | Plumbing and electrical: “trade work included”; fittings unspecified. |
| Waterproofing: areas, system and installer identified. | Waterproofing: included; extent and installer not confirmed. |
| Tiles: named tile and measured area; supply and laying included. | Tiles: supply allowance; laying included; area not stated. |
| Fixtures: specified vanity, toilet and tapware supplied and installed. | Fixtures: customer supplies vanity and tapware; installation included. |
| Finishing: shower screen, painting and final clean listed. | Finishing: shower screen excluded; painting and clean not confirmed. |
| Price: GST stated; approval fees listed separately. | Price: GST status and approval fees not confirmed. |
Step 2
Replace allowances with selections where possible
A prime cost item is an allowance for a fixture or fitting whose exact selection or price is not settled. A provisional sum is an estimate for work that cannot yet be priced precisely. Both can change the final amount you pay. Ask what each allowance covers and how it will be adjusted, including any contractor’s margin.
Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends choosing fixtures and fittings before signing where possible, and recording their make, model and supply responsibility. For your comparison, get the same vanity, toilet, tapware and tiles priced in each quote, or record the remaining differences explicitly.
Keep a separate list of your own purchases and excluded work. Ask for a revised quote that includes agreed additions. A quote total plus separately payable items gives you a clearer budget; unresolved repair work still needs a reserve.
Step 3
Confirm waterproofing responsibilities and approvals
Ask each contractor to identify who will do the waterproofing, which areas and products are included, and who coordinates the work before tiling. The QBCC advises allowing proper preparation and curing time; a faster programme should explain how these requirements will be met.
In Queensland, the QBCC says waterproofing is regulated work requiring appropriately licensed professionals. Check the requirements for your own state or territory and confirm that the proposed contractor is authorised for the work. Ask which inspections and completion documents apply to your project, who arranges them and whether their cost is included.
Check council or certifier requirements and, for a strata property, the approval process before committing to a start date. In NSW, changes requiring waterproofing are major strata renovations. Other jurisdictions have their own rules. The Australian Business Licence and Information Service can help locate relevant licensing and council requirements by activity and location; it is not a register verifying an individual contractor.
Step 4
Compare payments and time without a working bathroom
Ask for the proposed deposit, payment amounts and the work completed at each payment stage. Check deposit limits, contract requirements and any applicable home building insurance with your jurisdiction’s authority before paying. NSW guidance says progress payments must match work carried out; its contract and insurance rules apply to NSW.
Get a proposed start date, completion period and explanation of what could delay the job. Confirm whether these depend on approvals or delivery of selected products. If this is your only bathroom, ask when the toilet and shower become unavailable and when they can be used again, so you can plan temporary arrangements.
Step 5
Agree how changes will be priced before choosing
A variation is a change to the agreed work. Ask how the contractor will document its reason, price calculation and effect on completion, and obtain your agreement. NSW guidance says variations should be described and agreed in writing before that work starts, with an exception where immediate action is needed to prevent danger or property damage. Check your own jurisdiction’s process.
Use a practical test: “If demolition exposes damaged flooring below the shower, who assesses it, how will you price the repair, and what happens to the completion date?” An answer that explains the decision and approval process is more useful than an assurance that extras are unlikely.
Choose once the material differences are resolved and the written agreement reflects your selections. Use the broader hiring guide for licence, insurance and past-work checks.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 6 October 2026
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission: seeking and comparing quotes
Supports comparing consistent scope, materials, costs and timing. Queensland legal requirements on this page are not national rules. The comparison table is an original illustrative worksheet.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: building contracts checklist
Explains fixture selections, prime cost items and provisional sums. Contract thresholds and other legal requirements are Victorian.
- QBCC: waterproofing guidance for homeowners
Queensland guidance on licensing, documented waterproofing scope, curing and coordination. This guide does not prescribe a waterproofing system or technical specification.
- NSW Government: strata renovation rules
NSW approval categories, including work requiring waterproofing. Check the applicable strata or body corporate process elsewhere.
- Australian Business Licence and Information Service
Government search for licensing and approval requirements by activity and location. Does not verify a contractor’s individual credentials.
- NSW Government: contracts for residential building work
NSW-specific guidance on payment schedules, variations and the exception for urgent protective work. Deposit, insurance and contract requirements differ across jurisdictions.
