STRIP BACK — REBUILD — TILE
01
LAYER 1 — FINISH
A bathroom can look tired but sound, or look fine and be failing behind the surface. Tiles and grout are only the last few millimetres of a wall built in layers.
When I assess a bathroom in Malvern or nearby, I look past the finish to what it’s sitting on, because that’s what decides how long a new bathroom will last.
Read: What the Visible Finish Doesn’t Tell You →
Bathroom Renovations in Malvern →
Glazed ceramic tiles and grout: the layer everyone sees.
02
LAYER 2 — ADHESIVE AND TILING
Wall and floor tiling is a big part of my everyday work. Even coverage of adhesive, a flat substrate and sensible setting-out are what keep tiles from drumming, cracking or lifting later.
I’d rather spend the time getting the surface right than rush to the visible part of the job.
A tile ready to be placed: setting-out decides where every cut lands.
03
LAYER 3 — WATERPROOFING AND SERVICES
Waterproofing, plumbing and electrical work are completed by appropriately licensed specialists where required. I’m not a licensed plumber or electrician, and I don’t present myself as one.
What I can do is prepare the surfaces around that work and, where it suits the project, coordinate the specialists’ involvement so the stages fit together.
A waterproof membrane over framing: work completed by appropriately licensed specialists where required.
04
LAYER 4 — SHEET, PLASTER AND FRAME
Behind the tiles sit the wall sheets, plaster and frame. If they’re damp, uneven or damaged, new finishes won’t hide it for long. Plasterboard installation and plastering are areas I work in daily.
Some of this only shows once the old surfaces come off, so I’ll be straight with you about what’s known, what isn’t, and how either could change the work.
Metal framing, insulation, timber and wiring in a stripped interior: the structure every finish depends on.
I don’t give instant fixed prices without seeing the bathroom. A written quote follows an on-site assessment of the existing conditions and the scope you have in mind.
ON-SITE ASSESSMENT AND QUOTATION
Straight answers about how an assessment works and what a written quote is based on. On-site Assessment and Quotation →
It depends on your bathroom. Prices vary with the existing conditions, the materials you choose, the preparation needed and the work involved. That’s why I don’t quote a number before I’ve seen the room.
Yes. A detailed quotation generally requires an on-site assessment. I look at the room, talk through what you’d like to change, and then put the proposed work in writing.
The condition of the existing surfaces, signs of deterioration, the layout and how you use the room, plus anything that may need a licensed specialist. I’ll also flag what can’t be confirmed until the old finishes are removed.
Me. I’m an independent sole trader, so you deal directly with the person responsible for your renovation, from the first assessment through to completion.
You’ll see a message confirming your enquiry has been received. Nothing is sold or booked on this website. It’s simply a way to start the conversation.
COSTS
Existing conditions. What’s behind the tiles can add preparation or simplify it.
Materials. Tile size, type and the products chosen change both cost and labour.
Preparation. Levelling, sheeting and plastering are where durability is decided.
Scope. A refresh of finishes and a layout change are very different jobs, especially once licensed trades are involved.
Cracked cement surface: the kind of condition that changes the preparation needed.
I don’t publish starting prices or fixed packages. Prices vary according to the existing conditions, materials, preparation and work involved, and a detailed quotation generally requires an on-site assessment.
Marble-look hexagonal tiles with dark grout lines.
TILING
Wall and floor tiling is a large part of my everyday work, usually as one layer of a complete bathroom renovation. I take care over flat substrates, setting-out and clean cuts around fixtures.
Plaster being applied with a wide finishing trowel.
LININGS AND FINISHING
Plasterboard installation, plastering and interior finishing, so the walls and ceilings in your bathroom are sound and ready for the final surfaces.
Bathrooms are my focus here. For related work, see Other Home Improvements →
PLEASE NOTE
Appropriately licensed specialists complete plumbing, electrical and other regulated work where required, and I may coordinate their involvement. I don’t provide a 24-hour emergency plumbing or electrical service. How regulated work fits in →
ABOUT IVAN BODNAR
I’m Ivan Bodnar, an Independent Home Renovation Specialist and sole trader. I started learning renovation work alongside my father and have about 15 years of residential renovation experience. I’ve worked in Australia since 2016 and in Melbourne since 2019, and have worked with more than 1000 customers.
My aim is simple: practical, carefully considered work, with clear information about the proposed work, its limitations and any uncertainties.
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, I work in Malvern and surrounding suburbs. Specific project locations are subject to availability and assessment.
Tell me a little about your bathroom and where you’re located. If it sounds like a good fit, I’ll arrange a time to see the bathroom for an on-site assessment. Prefer to talk? Call 0413 142 055.
