Renovation costs, Australia

How much does a laundry renovation cost in Australia?

Laundries are the cheapest wet area in the house to renovate well. The numbers below price a typical 5 m² laundry floor and 6 m² of wall tiling in eight interior styles, using real products at current supplier pricing: tiles by the box with wastage, matched grout, adhesive, a sink mixer, a 900 mm wall cabinet and tiling labour at wet-area rates. Because the areas are small, upgrading to a beautiful tile costs far less here than anywhere else.

Laundry renovation cost by style

Based on a 5 m² floor and 6 m² of wall tiling, priced live from current supplier data. AUD, ex-GST.

Style	The look	Estimated total
Industrial	Exposed concrete, raw steel, black pipe — warehouse meets home	$2,963
Biophilic	Raw stone, living green, timber grain — nature brought inside	$2,988
Japandi	Warm greige, matte stone, charcoal — zero gloss	$2,988
Mid-Century Modern	Terrazzo, bold colour, tapered legs, retro confidence	$3,243
Earthy Australiana	Sage, terracotta, brushed brass, raw clay	$3,281
Contemporary	Clean lines, neutral palette — the reno everyone wants right now	$3,436
Heritage Modern	Period bones, marble, coloured joinery, brass	$3,463
Modern Coastal	Sandy neutrals, pale oak, honed stone calm	$3,484
Modern Hamptons	White shaker, honey oak, marble bench, matte black tapware	$3,544
Hotel Luxe	Book-matched marble, brushed gold, freestanding bath	$3,544
Modern Mediterranean	Sun-baked terracotta, limewash, soft arches	$3,724
Warm Minimalist	Vein-cut travertine, warm greige, honed everything	$3,919
Modern Farmhouse	White subway, shaker doors, black iron handles	$3,943
Earthy Boho	Terracotta, zellige, rattan, layered earthy warmth	$4,231
Neo-Deco	Curves, fluted panels, zellige, jewel tones	$4,265
Dark & Moody	Charcoal tiles, matte black tapware, cave-like drama	$4,585
Modern Classic	Half traditional, half modern — warm, timeless, never trendy	$4,684
French Provincial	Cream cabinetry, carved timber, aged brass — effortlessly romantic	$5,086

Cheapest

Industrial at $2,963. Exposed concrete, raw steel, black pipe — warehouse meets home.

Dearest

French Provincial at $5,086, a spread of $2,123 across the eight styles for the same room.

What is included: an example schedule

Here is the full line-item schedule behind the Hotel Luxe figure above. Covers floor and wall tiling, grout, adhesive, laundry sink mixer, a 900 mm wall cabinet and tiling labour. Demolition, waterproofing, the trough and cabinet plumbing, and appliances are excluded.

Material schedulelaundry · Hotel Luxe

MATFloor: Grand Marble Porcelain Tile Calacatta Extra (1200x600mm, polished)4 box @ $124$494

MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 02 — Natural White for floor1 bag @ $38$38

MATWall: Marble Mosaic Calacatta Brick 32×15 (306x306mm, honed, tiled to 1200mm half-height)7 box @ $121$847

MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 02 — Natural White for wall1 bag @ $38$38

MATAdhesive: Kerakoll Biogel No Limits (gel-technology, 20kg)3 bag @ $32$96

MATWaterproofing: Kerakoll Aquastop Nanoflex (wet area membrane)1 kit @ $32$32

LABTiling labour (laundry, supply-fix band)11 m² @ $85$935

LABWaterproofing labour (AS 3740 wet-area membrane, 2 coats)6.6 m² @ $60$500

FIXLaundry sink mixer, chrome1 item @ $189$189

FIXLaundry wall cabinet 900, white1 item @ $349$349

FIXWall paint, low-sheen interior acrylic (4 m² non-tiled walls, 2 coats)1 L @ $26$26

Estimated total, ex-GST$3,544

On a tighter budget?

The same engine can work to a number. Give it a budget and it swaps the dearest tile lines for honest cheaper alternates, smaller formats or ceramic instead of porcelain, then steps the labour band down a tier if it still needs to. Asked to bring the Hotel Luxe laundry in at $3,013, it lands at $3,012, saving $532 against the standard schedule. The swapped lines are flagged as budget picks so nothing is hidden.

The costs that catch people out

Demolition and skip bins

Strip-out labour plus bin hire. Allow $800 to $1,500 for a wet area, less for a dry room.

Waterproofing

Mandatory in wet areas under the NCC. Allow $500 to $900 for a bathroom, $300 to $500 for a laundry.

Contingency, 15 to 20%

Walls and floors hide things: out-of-level slabs, old leaks, surprise plumbing. Price it in up front, not after.

Lead times

Imported stone and feature tiles run 3 to 6 weeks. Order when the schedule is locked, not when demolition starts.

Frequently asked questions

Why renovate the laundry at all?

It is the highest-impact, lowest-cost wet area in the house. The tiled areas are a quarter of a bathroom's, so a feature tile that would stretch the budget in a bathroom is affordable here, and buyers notice a finished laundry.

Does a laundry need waterproofing?

Yes. Australian standards require waterproofing where fixtures can leak; allow $300 to $500 for a standard laundry. It is not in the figures above because it is quoted with the wet-trades work, not the finishes.

Can I use the same tiles as my bathroom?

Often a smart move. Running one floor tile through bathroom and laundry lets you share wastage between rooms, sometimes saving a whole box, and the house reads as one considered scheme.

Are these prices GST inclusive?

No, every figure is AUD ex-GST. Add 10 per cent for the GST-inclusive total, and a 15 to 20 per cent contingency on top for surprises behind the old tiles.

Price your own room

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