Home / Bathroom Guides / Bathroom Renovation Checklist
12 / PLANNING
Bathroom Renovation Checklist
Everything worth settling before the first tile comes off the wall — layout, selections, lead times, access and site rules — plus a second checklist for the handover walkthrough.
01
WHY A CHECKLIST
Demolition day is the wrong day to still be deciding
Most bathroom renovations that run long do not run long because of the trades. They run long because a decision was left open — the tile was not confirmed, the vanity was on a longer lead time than anyone checked, or nobody asked the body corporate about work hours. Once the room is stripped, every open decision sits on the critical path, and the room stays unusable while it is resolved.
This checklist is written as a planning sequence, not a wish list. Work through the pre-demolition section until every line has an answer, then keep the handover section for the final walkthrough. If you want the build stages that sit behind it, read our twelve-stage renovation process, and for realistic durations see how long a bathroom renovation takes.
This checklist is written as a planning sequence, not a wish list. Work through the pre-demolition section until every line has an answer, then keep the handover section for the final walkthrough. If you want the build stages that sit behind it, read our twelve-stage renovation process, and for realistic durations see how long a bathroom renovation takes.
02 / BEFORE DEMOLITION
The pre-demolition checklist
Layout and services
— Final floor plan agreed, with fixture positions marked on the wall
— Confirmed whether plumbing is staying put or moving, and what that means for the floor
— Waste and drainage falls resolved, especially for a hobless entry
— Power, heat lamp, exhaust and lighting positions set before wall linings close
— Niche size, height and centring agreed against the tile module
Layout questions are easier to settle on paper. Bathroom layout ideas covers fixture spacing and flow, and our design service documents it properly.
— Confirmed whether plumbing is staying put or moving, and what that means for the floor
— Waste and drainage falls resolved, especially for a hobless entry
— Power, heat lamp, exhaust and lighting positions set before wall linings close
— Niche size, height and centring agreed against the tile module
Layout questions are easier to settle on paper. Bathroom layout ideas covers fixture spacing and flow, and our design service documents it properly.
Selections schedule
— Wall tile, floor tile and any feature tile confirmed, including format and finish
— Grout colour chosen against a sample, not a screen
— Stone or engineered top, edge profile and cut-out type nominated
— Tapware finish locked across mixer, shower, bath spout and accessories
— Screen type: framed, semi-frameless or frameless, and which way it opens
— Vanity size, drawer configuration and basin type
— Floor waste, wastes and grate finish
Compare surfaces in the materials guide and sizing in the vanity guide.
— Grout colour chosen against a sample, not a screen
— Stone or engineered top, edge profile and cut-out type nominated
— Tapware finish locked across mixer, shower, bath spout and accessories
— Screen type: framed, semi-frameless or frameless, and which way it opens
— Vanity size, drawer configuration and basin type
— Floor waste, wastes and grate finish
Compare surfaces in the materials guide and sizing in the vanity guide.
Lead times and supply
— Tile quantity ordered with cutting allowance, plus spares kept on site
— Tapware and wastes physically on site before rough-in, not on order
— Vanity and mirror cabinet delivery dates confirmed in writing
— Custom or imported items identified early — these set the whole program
— Screen measured after tiling, with the fabrication window allowed for
— A nominated substitute agreed for anything back-ordered
Tile decisions influence more of the program than most people expect — see tile ideas and our tiling work.
— Tapware and wastes physically on site before rough-in, not on order
— Vanity and mirror cabinet delivery dates confirmed in writing
— Custom or imported items identified early — these set the whole program
— Screen measured after tiling, with the fabrication window allowed for
— A nominated substitute agreed for anything back-ordered
Tile decisions influence more of the program than most people expect — see tile ideas and our tiling work.
03 / SITE AND ACCESS
Household logistics people forget
— Arrange an alternative bathroom for the full duration, including the drying days when nothing looks like it is happening
— Let neighbours know before the noisy stage, particularly in a terrace or a semi
— Sort parking and skip or bin placement, and check permit requirements with the council if it sits on the street
— For apartments, confirm strata or body corporate approval, lift protection, work hours and rubbish routes early — this is often the longest lead item of all
— Agree site hours, floor and stair protection, and where materials will be stacked
— Clear the room completely and remove anything stored in adjoining cupboards
— Confirm how variations are raised, priced and approved, so a mid-build change never becomes a surprise
Apartment and period-home conditions differ street by street — see South Yarra apartment bathrooms, Prahran terrace work or renovations in Malvern.
— Let neighbours know before the noisy stage, particularly in a terrace or a semi
— Sort parking and skip or bin placement, and check permit requirements with the council if it sits on the street
— For apartments, confirm strata or body corporate approval, lift protection, work hours and rubbish routes early — this is often the longest lead item of all
— Agree site hours, floor and stair protection, and where materials will be stacked
— Clear the room completely and remove anything stored in adjoining cupboards
— Confirm how variations are raised, priced and approved, so a mid-build change never becomes a surprise
Apartment and period-home conditions differ street by street — see South Yarra apartment bathrooms, Prahran terrace work or renovations in Malvern.
Confirm in writing before strip-out
— Scope of works, stage by stage
— Who supplies what, and who receives deliveries
— The waterproofing scope and where the membrane turns up and out
— Whether damaged framing or old services found behind the wall are covered
— Expected sequence and the days the room is unusable
— The variation process and how it is documented
Wet-area detail is the part you cannot inspect later. Read the waterproofing guide before signing off scope, and see membrane work and full renovations.
— Who supplies what, and who receives deliveries
— The waterproofing scope and where the membrane turns up and out
— Whether damaged framing or old services found behind the wall are covered
— Expected sequence and the days the room is unusable
— The variation process and how it is documented
Wet-area detail is the part you cannot inspect later. Read the waterproofing guide before signing off scope, and see membrane work and full renovations.
04 / HANDOVER
The walkthrough checklist
Walk the room slowly, in daylight, with the light on and the water running.
— Silicone lines: even width, clean edges, all internal corners done in silicone rather than grout
— Tile lippage: run a hand across joints, check the grout lines are consistent and cuts land sensibly at corners
— Drainage: pour water across the floor and watch it reach the waste with no ponding, including inside the shower
— Screen operation: door swings and closes cleanly, seals sit flat, no rubbing on the tile
— Doors and drawers: aligned, evenly gapped, soft-close working, handles secure
— Tapware: mixers turn the correct way, hot on the correct side, no drips at the wall plate
— Heating and exhaust: heat lamp, fan and any underfloor heating controls tested and explained
— Paint, cornice and door reveals made good, and the room cleaned
Note anything outstanding on the day rather than by memory a week later. Shower issues are the most common — shower renovations and walk-in showers explain what good detailing looks like.
— Silicone lines: even width, clean edges, all internal corners done in silicone rather than grout
— Tile lippage: run a hand across joints, check the grout lines are consistent and cuts land sensibly at corners
— Drainage: pour water across the floor and watch it reach the waste with no ponding, including inside the shower
— Screen operation: door swings and closes cleanly, seals sit flat, no rubbing on the tile
— Doors and drawers: aligned, evenly gapped, soft-close working, handles secure
— Tapware: mixers turn the correct way, hot on the correct side, no drips at the wall plate
— Heating and exhaust: heat lamp, fan and any underfloor heating controls tested and explained
— Paint, cornice and door reveals made good, and the room cleaned
Note anything outstanding on the day rather than by memory a week later. Shower issues are the most common — shower renovations and walk-in showers explain what good detailing looks like.
05 / QUESTIONS
Checklist questions we are asked
How far ahead should selections be finalised?
Ideally everything is confirmed before demolition begins, with the tile, tapware and wastes physically on site. Items that are fabricated or imported need to be identified earliest, because they set the program rather than follow it.
Can I still change my mind after the strip-out?
Some changes are simple; others are not. Swapping a tile colour in the same format is minor. Moving a waste, a wall or a fixture after rough-in affects plumbing, waterproofing and tiling in sequence. Anything structural or below the membrane should be settled before demolition.
Do I need body corporate approval for an apartment bathroom?
Most apartment buildings require approval before work starts, and many set conditions on work hours, lift use, floor protection and rubbish removal. Start that conversation as early as possible — approval timing is outside anyone’s control on site.
What should I keep after handover?
Keep spare tiles from the same batch, product details for tapware and fixtures, care instructions for stone or timber, and documentation relating to the wet-area work. Spare tiles in particular are difficult to match later.
NEXT ACTION
Bring your checklist to the quote
Send through your suburb, bathroom type, budget range, timeframe and a short description of the room, and we can work through the open items with you. The enquiry form asks for name, email, phone, suburb, renovation type, budget, timeframe and project details — nothing else.