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SURFACE TO FRAME AND BACK AGAIN — THE PROCESS
A renovation runs in the opposite direction to how most people picture it. The finish you’ll see at the end is the last thing to go on. Before that, the old surfaces come off, the layers underneath are checked and rebuilt, and only then is the room tiled and finished. Here’s each stage as I work through it, with you dealing directly with me from the first conversation to completion.
Framing, insulation and wiring exposed once interior linings are removed.
BEFORE STAGE 1 — WHAT TO NOTE DOWN
☐ What bothers you most about the bathroom now: cleaning, layout, storage or wear.
☐ Any change to the layout you’re considering, such as moving the shower or vanity.
☐ Fixtures or tiles you’ve already picked or like the look of.
☐ Signs you’ve noticed: loose tiles, cracked grout, stained skirting, a musty smell.
☐ Whether the bathroom is part of a larger renovation in the house.
THE PROCESS — STAGES 1 TO 8
1
STAGE 1 — ENQUIRY
Call me on 0413 142 055 or send an enquiry through the Request a Quote page. A brief description of the bathroom and your suburb is enough to start the conversation.
2
STAGE 2 — ON-SITE ASSESSMENT
I check the walls, floor, existing finishes and the signs that point to what’s underneath, and we talk through what you want to change. More on this in On-site Assessment and Quotation.
3
STAGE 3 — WRITTEN QUOTE
The quote reflects your bathroom’s existing conditions, the materials and the preparation involved. Where something can’t be known until the tiles are off, I say so plainly. See What Affects Bathroom Renovation Costs.
4
STAGE 4 — STRIP BACK
Old tiles, adhesive and linings come off so the sheeting, framing and floor can be seen directly. This is where the real condition of the room shows, as I explain in What the Visible Finish Doesn’t Tell You.
5
STAGE 5 — PREPARE AND REBUILD
Damaged sections are repaired, new sheeting is fixed and surfaces are levelled and made ready. I handle plasterboard and plastering myself, covered in Plasterboard, Plastering and Interior Finishing.
6
STAGE 6 — TILE AND FINISH
Wall and floor tiles go onto a properly prepared bed, then grout, trims and interior finishing work. Details on materials and set-out are in Wall and Floor Tiling.
7
STAGE 7 — LICENSED TRADES
Plumbing, electrical, waterproofing where required and any other regulated work in your bathroom is completed by appropriately licensed specialists, not by me. I can coordinate their involvement so it fits around the preparation and tiling, and you still have one person to talk to about the renovation as a whole.
I don’t offer a 24-hour emergency plumbing or electrical service. If water is actively leaking, contact a licensed plumber first. Read more in Plumbing, Electrical and Regulated Work.
8
STAGE 8 — COMPLETION
When the work is finished, we go through the bathroom together and I explain what was found along the way, what was done about it and how to look after the new surfaces. The same person who assessed the room is the one handing it back.
That direct line is the point of working with an independent specialist. Over about 15 years of residential renovation work, which I began alongside my father, I’ve found it’s what homeowners value most. More in About Ivan Bodnar.
A finished bathroom with tiled walls and floor and a glass shower screen. The photo shows finishes, not a specific project.
If you’re in Malvern or a surrounding Melbourne suburb and thinking about a renovation, I’m happy to arrange an on-site assessment, subject to availability. Request a Quote →
Related: Bathroom Renovations in Malvern · Signs Your Bathroom Is Ready for a Renovation · Bathroom Renovation Questions
