Northcote, VIC 3070 · inner north
Bathroom renovations in Northcote
Complete bathroom renovations from $19,999 — tiles, fixtures, waterproofing, rubbish removal and GST all in. Typically 4 weeks on site. We're a small local team — the people who quote your job are the people who build it, so you're not paying for a showroom or a sales rep.
- Registered building practitioner
- Fixed written price before we start
- Free inspection across Northcote
Local knowledge
What we see in Northcote homes
Northcote is single and double-fronted Victorian and Edwardian cottages, most with bathrooms added into the rear of the house long after it was built.
The thing that catches people out here
Northcote bathrooms are frequently the smallest room in the house, and the ceiling in a rear lean-to is often lower than the rest of the home. Both constrain what's possible — usefully, they also keep costs down.
Street parking restrictions and narrow frontages make skip placement a real consideration here. We handle permits where the council requires them.
Before you get quotes
Three things that decide the price in Northcote
1. What your house is built on
Northcote's older housing is Victorian and Edwardian on stumps, with California bungalows through the flatter streets. Timber subfloor, so relocating a shower or toilet is achievable without concrete work. What we find often in Northcote is that a previous renovation — frequently a 1990s one — was done over the original floor rather than back to the joists. That hides both the old waterproofing failure and a floor build-up that now sits above the door threshold.
2. Permits, overlays and owners corporations
Internal work needs no planning permit, including in the heritage overlays that cover much of Northcote. Overlays are about the streetscape. If your plan involves a new window or an external vent on a visible elevation, that is the one thing worth checking first. A heritage overlay mostly governs what is visible from the street, so internal bathroom work is usually exempt — but not always: some overlay schedules apply internal alteration controls, and a property on the Victorian Heritage Register needs a Heritage Victoria permit that does reach interiors. Your council's planning property report settles it in a minute.
3. What a renovation is worth here
Northcote has had two decades of renovation, which means buyers here compare against renovated stock, not original stock. An untouched 1970s bathroom in an otherwise updated Northcote house is now conspicuous, and it is usually the cheapest thing on the list to fix.
None of the above is guesswork on a quote — we look at the subfloor, the wall behind the tiles and the existing drainage during the free inspection, then put a fixed written price on it.
Pricing
Bathroom renovation cost in Northcote
One number, everything in it. Take it to any other quote you get and compare line for line — that is the comparison worth making.
What's included at $19,999
No separate tile bill, no "supply your own fixtures", no GST added at the end.
- Full strip-out and rubbish removal
- Certified waterproofing to AS 3740
- Floor-to-ceiling wall tiling
- New vanity, toilet and shower screen
- Tapware, shower set and towel rail
- Plumbing and electrical by licensed trades
Moving plumbing to a new wall, upgraded finishes, or hidden damage found during demolition are quoted separately and always in writing before any extra work starts.
Also renovating the kitchen? See kitchen pricing for Northcote →
Questions
Northcote bathroom renovations — common questions
Do you actually work in Northcote?
Yes — Northcote is inside our regular service area, along with Thornbury, Fitzroy North, Preston and the surrounding inner north. Site inspections across Northcote are free and there's no travel charge.
How long will the job take?
Around 4 weeks on site for a standard bathroom of this type. Northcote is mostly Victorian and Edwardian cottages, and that's the kind of place we work on most — so the timeline we give you at quote stage is the one we work to.
What could push the price above $19,999?
Three things, in order of likelihood: moving plumbing or fixtures to new positions, choosing finishes above our standard range, and hidden damage behind the walls. In Northcote, where the stock is Victorian and Edwardian cottages, the third one matters — you get a written price before anyone touches it.
Can I see photos of your work?
Yes — there are real before-and-after photos and video walkthroughs of finished work on the home page. We'll bring more bathroom renovations to the inspection, along with what each job actually cost.
Do you do whole-house renovations in Northcote?
No, and we'd rather say so plainly. We don't do extensions, second storeys, re-roofing or anything that changes the outside of the house — we do bathrooms and kitchens, for a fixed price, and that narrow focus is the reason we can quote the way we do. Taking out an internal wall to open a kitchen to the living area is part of a kitchen and we do that, with an engineer's beam design and a building permit where the wall is load-bearing. If you're planning a full home renovation in Northcote, these are usually the two rooms that blow the budget, so it's worth getting a firm number on them early even if someone else is managing the rest. We're happy to quote just our part and work alongside your builder.
Free, no obligation
Book your free site inspection in Northcote.
Tell us a bit about the room and we'll call you back to arrange a time. You'll get a fixed written price — and an honest answer about what your budget can realistically buy.
Thanks — we've got it.
We'll call you back to arrange a time, usually the same day.