You’re standing in your old bathroom looking around and you’ve finally had enough. Time for a reno. But here’s the thing do you have a go at it yourself or get the pros in?
It’s one of those questions that keeps homeowners awake scrolling through those renovation videos on YouTube at early hours of the morning.
The real deal with DIY costs
Look, the obvious thing about DIY is you can save a heap of cash. When you see those shows where someone does up their bathroom for five grand, it’s pretty tempting to think you can pull it off too. Maybe you can, but there’s more to think about than just what things cost at Bunnings.
Materials alone for a basic bathroom job can set you back anywhere from three to fifteen thousand, depending on what you’re after. That covers everything like tiles, taps, waterproofing stuff, electrical bits, the lot. But the thing that catches most people out is that you need proper tools.
Unless you’ve already got a decent workshop setup, you’ll be buying or hiring gear just for this job. A tile saw hire costs around fifty to eighty bucks a day, which adds up fast. Waterproofing needs special brushes and equipment. Plumbing work need special tools aswell. Before you know it you’re looking at a grand or more just on equipment.
Then there’s time. What looks like a weekend job on those videos can drag on for months when it’s just you doing it after work and on weekends. And time costs money, especially when you’re living with half a bathroom.
When doing it yourself actually makes sense
Don’t get me wrong though – sometimes DIY is definitely the way to go. If you’re genuinely good with your hands, you’ve done similar stuff before and you’re not pulling down walls or moving pipes around, you can save serious money.
Simple stuff like painting or putting in a new vanity top can be quite straightforward while watching a YouTube tutorial, most people can handle that sort of thing. Basic tiling too, if you’re patient and take your time. These jobs usually don’t need permits or any special knowledge about building rules.
The trick is being honest about what you can actually do. Installing a toilet? It can be done. Rewiring electrical stuff or putting in new plumbing? That’s where it gets a bit sketchy and is much safer to get a professional in to help.
Quality – does it matter?
This is where the pros really show their worth. A good bathroom renovation job goes along way. A good tradie can lay tiles with perfect straight lines, do proper waterproofing that’ll last years and finish plumbing work that won’t leak down the track.
You can usually tell the difference straight away. Professional tilers get those seamless finishes with even spacing and perfect corners. Their waterproofing follows all the Australian standards properly. The plumbing’s neat, works well and it’s built to last.
That said, if you’re the type who pays attention to detail and you’re willing to take your time, you can get pretty good results too. It will just be more time consuming for you as you don’t do it everyday.
What could go wrong?
This is where things get a bit serious. Bathrooms have got water, electricity and structural stuff all mixed together which is not a great combination when things go pear-shaped.
Water damage is the big worry. Dodgy waterproofing or plumbing mistakes can cost you thousands fixing damage to your house structure, not to mention mould problems. I’ve heard of DIY jobs where poor waterproofing led to rotted floor beams and damaged ceilings in the rooms underneath.
Electrical work’s another area where mistakes can get expensive or dangerous. Australian electrical rules are pretty strict for good reason, and doing it wrong can create fire risks or worse.
Then there’s the smaller mistakes that add up over time. Toilets that aren’t installed right and rock around causing leaks. Tiles that crack because the base wasn’t prepared properly. Ventilation that doesn’t work, leading to moisture problems later on.
Professional contractors have got insurance for this sort of thing. If you’re doing it yourself, you’re carrying all the risk.
How to decide what’s right for you
So how do you work out which way to go? Start by being honest about three things: how good you are with tools, how much time you’ve got and how much risk you can handle.
If you’re planning big changes like moving pipes around, electrical work or knocking down walls then professional’s probably the way to go. These can be seriously dangerous activities and someone can get seriously injured or you can make some damage that ends up costing you more than if you hired a pro from the start.
For cosmetic updates and simple stuff like changing taps, DIY can work well if you’ve got the time and patience. But be realistic about how long it’ll take. That quick weekend job will probably end up taking a month of weekends to do properly.
You could try a bit of both too. Lots of people do the demolition and prep work themselves, then get tradies in for the technical stuff like plumbing and electrical. Can save you money while keeping the risk down.
The Australian side of things
Building standards here are pretty high and bathroom renovations often need permits and inspections from professionals to make sure everything is safe and follows all regulations. If you’re doing it yourself you’ll need to sort all that out, which can be time-consuming and confusing.
Different states have different rules about what work homeowners can do versus what needs licensed tradies. Some places, electrical and plumbing work has to be done by licensed people no matter how good you think you are.
Our climate’s pretty harsh on bathroom materials too, and proper ventilation’s really important to stop moisture problems. Professional contractors understand these local requirements better than most DIYers.
What it comes down to
The question isn’t really whether DIY or professional bathroom renovation saves more money, it’s which one gives you better value for your particular situation.
If you’re genuinely good with your hands and enjoy taking on household projects such as building things yourself that you are way more equipped and likely to succeed at something like this.
Remember, if you know in your heart of hearts that DIY projects are not your type of thing then maybe sit this one out and call in the professionals, trust me you will save yourself a lot of stress in the long run and will probably be way happier with the result of your bathroom.
Professional jobs cost more upfront but you get peace of mind, warranties and usually better results. Just the time saving alone can be worth the extra cost if you’re busy.
Your best bet? Be realistic about what you can actually do and how much time you’ve got.
Remember, you’ll be living with whatever you end up with for years to come. Whether you go DIY or professional, spend money on decent materials and take the time to do things right. You’ll thank yourself later and you will probably raise the value of your property in doing so.
When it comes to bathroom renovations, we’ve seen it all and we’ve learned from every single project over the past years. If you need help from the professionals call Complete Bathroom Solutions today!
