Find and compare a renovator in five steps
In short
To find a bathroom renovator in Sydney, share your suburb, bathroom photos and planned changes, then shortlist companies with comparable completed work. Check the contracting business and relevant trades through the NSW licence register. Resolve strata and property approval questions before booking demolition, and compare written quotes that include waterproofing, fixtures, trade coordination and access. Agree on the contract, payment stages and handover records before work starts.
Step 1
Describe the bathroom and access to your property
Say whether you want to replace fittings, rebuild the bathroom in its existing layout or move walls and plumbing. Add dimensions, photos, known leaks and the fixtures you have already selected. A renovator needs to inspect the room before confirming concealed repairs or what can stay.
Include your Sydney suburb and ask whether the company services your address. For an Inner West terrace, describe side access, stairs and where materials could be unloaded. For an apartment in Parramatta or the CBD, include your floor, lift bookings and building access rules. These are details to check at your property, rather than assumptions about every home in those areas.
Details for your first enquiry
| Include | What it helps the renovator plan |
|---|---|
| Room photos, dimensions and proposed layout | The extent of demolition and changes to walls, drainage or fittings. |
| Suburb, property type and access | Service area, deliveries, parking, lift access and waste removal. |
| Fixture selections and budget | Which products can be priced and which still need an allowance. |
| Known leaks and bathroom availability | Inspection priorities and arrangements while the toilet or shower is out of use. |
Step 2
Check the business you will hire and its trade team
Ask for recent bathroom examples and referees whose projects involved a similar layout or property type. Ask how the company handled unexpected damage, scheduling and defects. Confirm who will be your contact and whether the renovator coordinates all the trades or expects you to arrange some separately.
NSW requires a licence for residential building work worth more than $5,000 in labour and materials, including GST. Electrical wiring, plumbing and drainage are specialist work and require licensing regardless of cost. Check the licence holder’s name, status, categories, expiry and conditions using the register linked from NSW Government guidance. Match the contracting business to the quote; a director’s individual licence does not license their company to contract.
Identify who will do the waterproofing, the protective treatment that keeps water from escaping wet areas into the building. Check that the relevant licence or certificate covers their role. NSW’s waterproofing guidance explains the contractor licence threshold and the difference between contracting, supervising and carrying out work. Ask Building Commission NSW if the authorisation is unclear.
Step 3
Resolve approvals before booking demolition
For a Sydney strata property, contact the strata manager or owners corporation early and read the scheme’s by-laws. Work requiring waterproofing is a major renovation under NSW strata guidance. It needs owners corporation approval through a special resolution at a general meeting. A contractor’s willingness to start does not establish that permission has been granted.
Ask what plans, trade details and maintenance arrangements your application needs. Common property changes may require a by-law change. For strata building work over $5,000, also resolve registered practitioner and regulated design requirements with the contractor and Building Commission NSW before setting a start date. Agree on lift protection, working hours, water shutdown notices and where demolition waste can go with building management.
For a house, or work changing walls or services, ask your local council or an appropriate building professional which approvals apply to the address and scope. Sydney spans multiple council areas, so identify the council for your property. Put responsibility for applications and fees in the quote. Plan temporary washing and toilet arrangements if this is your only bathroom.
Step 4
Compare written quotes after site visits
Give each renovator the same scope and selections, arrange site visits and request more than one written quote. Ask who supplies each item and which work sits outside the price. A quote with a lower total may leave you buying fixtures, booking another trade or paying disposal costs separately.
Separate confirmed prices from allowances for products or work still to be determined. Ask how the final amount will be calculated and whether an extra margin applies. For example, if damaged flooring appears during strip-out, agree how the contractor will document the repair, price and effect on completion before you authorise it.
Step 5
Sign a clear contract and agree on handover records
NSW requires a written contract for residential building work over $5,000 including GST, with a more extensive contract for work over $20,000. Check the scope, plans, payment stages, completion expectations and process for delays. The maximum deposit under NSW home building law is 10%. If Home Building Compensation cover is required, obtain and verify the certificate before paying any money.
Keep variations, meaning changes to the agreed work, in writing and signed by both parties. Agree in advance which waterproofing records, product instructions and trade compliance documents you will receive. Ask for progress photos before surfaces are covered so you have a record of concealed work.
At handover, walk through the room with the contractor and record unfinished or defective items and the plan to resolve them. Keep the contract, approved changes, invoices and completion documents together. Read the current NSW contract guidance before signing if any payment or insurance requirement is unclear.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- NSW Government: checking your contractor or tradesperson is qualified
Licence thresholds, specialist trades, register details and checking previous work.
- NSW Government: waterproofing work
Wet-area waterproofing definition and licence or certificate roles.
- NSW Government: strata renovation rules
Major renovation approval, common property by-laws and registered practitioner guidance.
- NSW Government: contracts for residential building work
Written contract thresholds, contracting entities, deposit limit, variations and required insurance evidence.
