Plan and compare your renovation in five steps
In short
Find a Perth bathroom renovator by sending the same room photos, layout and suburb to a shortlist, then arranging site visits. Check the business and relevant trades through WA Building and Energy, confirm permit and strata requirements, and compare written quotes that name the waterproofing system and trade responsibilities. Agree on the contract, payment stages and handover records before demolition starts.
Step 1
Show what stays, what moves and how the room is used
Photograph the bathroom, measure the room and mark the existing shower, toilet, vanity and door. Separate replacing finishes from moving plumbing or removing walls. Mention leaks, soft flooring or damaged adjoining surfaces so the site visit can address the cause as well as the appearance.
Give your Perth suburb and access details. A ground-floor house and an upper-floor apartment need different delivery and waste-removal plans. If this is your only bathroom, ask how long the shower and toilet will be unavailable before choosing dates.
Details to include in your enquiry
| Send this | What it helps the renovator work out |
|---|---|
| Photos, dimensions and proposed layout | Whether the work is a replacement in place or needs changes to services and walls. |
| Suburb, floor level and access | Whether the business services your address and how trades, deliveries and waste will reach the room. |
| Fixture choices and who supplies them | What can be priced now and which selections still need an allowance. |
| Known leaks and bathroom availability | What needs investigation and whether you need temporary washing or toilet arrangements. |
Step 2
Check the contracting business and its trade team
Ask for recent bathroom examples and customer referees, then check who will arrange the plumber, electrician, tiler and waterproofing installer. Get the name of the person supervising the job and ask who resolves a problem involving more than one trade.
Use WA Building and Energy’s licence search to check the relevant registrations and licences. Match the contracting business to the quote. Plumbing and electrical work need the appropriate licensed trades; a bathroom renovation company’s name alone does not establish those credentials.
For a home bathroom, building work valued at $20,000 or more that requires a building permit generally needs a registered building contractor. Ask your local government whether your scope needs a permit. The July 2026 increase to $50,000 concerns Class 10a buildings such as sheds and garages, rather than this type of home renovation.
Step 3
Settle property approvals before booking strip-out
Ask who obtains any required building permit, pays the fees and supplies the approval documents. Resolve this before authorising demolition or ordering a layout that depends on removing a wall.
For a strata property, give the strata manager or council of owners the proposed scope and check the scheme plan and by-laws. Ask whether floors, waterproofing or shared pipes are common property, and what permission the work needs. Landgate says structural alterations to a lot in a strata scheme need prior approval; the correct process depends on the proposal and scheme.
For example, in a Perth apartment, moving the toilet can raise questions about shared drainage as well as access for trades. Obtain advice on those changes before assuming a quote covers an approved layout. This is a planning example, not a claim about a particular building.
Step 4
Compare complete quotes, including waterproofing
Request written quotes after site visits using the same brief. A low total can leave you buying fixtures, organising trades or paying for repairs separately. Ask what each allowance buys and how concealed damage discovered during demolition will be priced and approved.
Waterproofing is the system that prevents water reaching vulnerable building materials. Ask the renovator to specify the system, installer and preparation work. WA’s August 2026 waterproofing bulletin highlights poor waterstop installation and application practices. A waterstop is a barrier that helps contain water at openings and shower boundaries. Ask how these details, drainage slopes and the manufacturer’s instructions will be addressed, particularly if you want an open shower.
Step 5
Agree on payments and completion records
WA’s Home Building Contracts Act covers fixed-cost home building contracts between $7,500 and $500,000. For covered work, obtain the Notice for the homeowner before signing and a written, signed contract. The usual maximum deposit is 6.5%, with a limited exception for qualifying off-site cabinetry work. Progress payments should cover completed work or supplied materials.
Confirm whether home indemnity insurance is required. WA guidance generally requires it for building work needing a permit and valued above $20,000. Where required, obtain the certificate before paying.
Put the start expectations, payment stages and approval process for changes in the agreement. At handover, inspect drainage and finishes with the renovator, record outstanding items, and collect waterproofing records, product instructions and applicable trade and approval documents. Keep them with the contract and invoices.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- WA: building or renovating your home
Current registration thresholds, July 2026 Class 10a change, home building contracts, deposits, progress payments and insurance guidance.
- WA: licence and registration search
Official searches for building registrations and plumbing and electrical licences.
- WA: waterproofing industry bulletin 177
August 2026 guidance on specified systems, preparation, waterstops, drainage and manufacturer instructions.
- Landgate: getting things done in strata
Approval requirements for structural alterations to a lot in a strata scheme.
