Compare bathroom quotes Geelong

Quote basics

The quote names the exact room, suburb and scope, such as full bathroom, ensuite, laundry or walk-in shower conversion.
Demolition, rubbish removal, floor protection and site clean-up are either included or priced separately.
The quote lists GST and does not rely on a cash discount to make the number work.
The quote says whether the price is fixed, provisional, cost-plus or subject to measured site quantities.
The start window and expected site duration are written down, usually 3 to 4 weeks for a full bathroom.

Waterproofing, plumbing & electrical

Waterproofing is specified to AS 3740, with membrane, extent and certificate included.
Plumbing moves are shown clearly, especially toilet relocation, shower waste relocation and mixer positions.
Electrical work lists fan, light, power point, heated towel rail or in-slab heating circuits separately.
Compliance certificates for plumbing, electrical and waterproofing are included before final payment.
Floor falls, shower set-down and drain type are described, not left as a site assumption.

Allowances & exclusions

Tiles have a dollar allowance per square metre and a measured area, for example 28 m² at $55 per m² supply allowance.
Fixtures have allowances by item, including vanity, toilet, tapware, screen, mirror, bath and accessories.
Asbestos, wet rot, termite damage, structural repair and slab chasing are listed as exclusions or provisional sums.
Variation hourly rates are shown for builder, plumber, electrician and tiler before work starts.
Client-supplied fittings are allowed for with a clear note on warranty and delay responsibility.

Registration, insurance & contract

The builder or renovator gives a registration number you can check with the Building and Plumbing Commission.
The plumber and electrician are separately registered or licensed for their work.
Work over $10,000 is handled with the proper major domestic building contract requirements.
The deposit is no more than 10 percent under $20,000 or 5 percent at $20,000 and above.
Insurance requirements are dealt with before money is taken, especially for contracts affected by the Home Warranty rules from 1 July 2026.

Red flags - walk away if you see these

A one-line quote for a wet area with no waterproofing, tile area or fixture allowances.
A request for a 30 percent or 50 percent deposit on a normal bathroom renovation.
No registration number, or a number that belongs to a different person or business.
The quote says waterproofing is by the tiler but gives no AS 3740 certificate process.
The renovator says permits, certificates or inspections are never needed for bathrooms.
The price is only valid today or depends on paying mostly in cash.

How to read three bathroom quotes side by side

Do not start with the final number. Start by lining up the inclusions. A $31,000 quote that includes demolition, AS 3740 waterproofing, a $4,500 fixture allowance, 30 m² of tiling, licensed trades and rubbish removal may be better value than a $25,000 quote that leaves those items vague.

In Geelong, Newtown, Belmont and Highton, many bathrooms are in older timber-framed or brick veneer homes. Once the old shower is stripped, the common surprises are rotten particleboard flooring, bottom plate decay, out-of-square walls and old plumbing that should not be buried behind new tiles. In Armstrong Creek and newer Grovedale homes, the risk is less about age and more about slab waste locations, tile set-downs and whether the original waterproofing was done neatly.

A compliant written quote should state the work, materials, allowances, GST, exclusions, start timing, payment stages and certificate handover. It should make clear whether the toilet stays in place, whether the shower drain moves, whether electrical circuits are new or reused, and whether the builder is pricing floor-to-ceiling tiling or wet-area-only tiling. For more context on full scope, see our full bathroom renovation, ensuite renovation, laundry renovation and pricing pages.

What is usually excluded and later charged as a variation

The fairest quote in the world cannot see through tiles. What matters is whether the unknowns are named upfront. Common bathroom variations include asbestos testing and removal, replacing rotten flooring, repairing studs, levelling old floors, changing a toilet waste through concrete, upsizing a fan duct, adding switchboard capacity for underfloor heating, or replacing plumbing that fails once disturbed.

A realistic quote should give either a provisional sum or a clear hourly rate. For example, builder variation labour might be $85 to $125 per hour, plumbing $110 to $170 per hour, electrical $100 to $160 per hour, and tiling $90 to $140 per hour plus materials. If a quote says "variations as required" but gives no rates, you cannot compare it properly.

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Deposit limits and registration checks in Victoria

For Victorian domestic building work, deposits are capped. The practical rule for homeowners is simple: 10 percent maximum if the total contract is under $20,000, and 5 percent maximum if the total contract is $20,000 or more. A $42,000 bathroom should not require $15,000 upfront. Staged payments should match real milestones such as contract signing, rough-in, waterproofing, tiling and completion.

Use the Building and Plumbing Commission's practitioner search before signing. Bathroom, kitchen and laundry renovation work sits within domestic building registration classes, and plumbing work needs a registered or licensed plumber. Ask for the registration number, check that it is current, and check that the person or company on the quote is the same as the person or company on the register.

An honest constraint: the cheapest quote can be the right quote when the job is genuinely small. If you only need a vanity swap, new mirror and fan replacement, you may not need a full renovator managing a major project. If you have leaking tiles, drainage changes or a second-storey ensuite, paying for proper coordination is usually cheaper than paying twice.

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Quote comparison questions

How many bathroom renovation quotes should I compare in Geelong?

Compare 2 or 3 itemised quotes, not 5 vague ones. For a $25,000 to $45,000 bathroom, the useful comparison is waterproofing, plumbing, tile allowance, fixture allowance, demolition and exclusions. If one quote is $8,000 below the others, look for missing scope before assuming it is better value.

What deposit can a Victorian bathroom renovator ask for?

For domestic building work in Victoria, Consumer Affairs Victoria says the deposit cap is 10 percent if the contract is less than $20,000 and 5 percent if it is $20,000 or more. A $32,000 bathroom contract should not need a $10,000 deposit. Progress payments should match completed stages, not the builder's cash flow.

What should a compliant written bathroom quote include?

A useful quote should state the exact room, demolition scope, plumbing moves, electrical points, waterproofing system, tile area in square metres, fixture allowances, rubbish removal, certificates and GST. It should also say what is excluded, because asbestos, rotten framing, engineering and client-supplied fittings can add $600 to $6,000 or more. If the quote is one page and mostly adjectives, it is not enough for a wet-area job.

How do I check a bathroom renovator registration in Victoria?

Use the Building and Plumbing Commission Find and check a practitioner search for the builder, plumber or building practitioner. Work worth more than $10,000 generally needs the right registered practitioner, and plumbing work needs a registered or licensed plumber. Ask for the registration number in writing and make sure the name on the quote matches the register.

What exclusions cause the most bathroom quote variations?

The common variation items are asbestos removal, wet rot, termite-damaged bottom plates, slab chasing, extra tile area, out-of-level floors and client fixture changes. A fair quote will list these as possible extras with hourly rates or provisional sums. In Geelong homes from the 1950s to 1980s, hidden water damage around showers is one of the most common $1,500 to $7,000 surprises.

Is the cheapest bathroom quote ever the right choice?

Sometimes, but only when the inclusions are genuinely the same and the builder has explained how they keep cost down. A cheaper quote can be right for a cosmetic refresh that keeps plumbing in place and uses standard fixtures. It is risky for a leaking bathroom, a second-storey ensuite or any job where waterproofing, falls and certificates are unclear.

A safe Geelong bathroom quote states scope, allowances, certificates and deposits