BATHROOM PLANNING CHECKLIST

A checklist will not design your bathroom. What it does is force the three or four decisions that usually get made late — the ones that are expensive to reverse once the demolition bin is on the nature strip.

SEQUENCE MATTERS MORE THAN STYLE — SELECTIONS, SERVICES, WATERPROOFING, THEN FINISHES

01 — THE ROOM YOU ACTUALLY HAVE

Measure the constraints before the mood board

Most Brighton bathrooms are working inside fixed limits: an existing waste position, a floor build-up that cannot rise much without hitting a door threshold, a window that has to keep opening, and a wall that may or may not be load bearing. Write those down first. Every later decision is measured against them.

Note the ceiling height, the direction the door swings, where the natural light lands at different times of day, and whether the room sits above a timber floor or on slab. If the room is tight, read small bathroom ideas before you commit to a layout change — a lot of space is won back with joinery rather than walls.

REV A — SEQUENCE

Work top to bottom. Skipping a step usually shows up two trades later.

THE ORDER TO DECIDE IN

1. Scope. Is this a refresh in the same footprint, a full strip-out, or a reconfiguration? Full bathroom renovations and a like-for-like replacement follow very different programmes.

2. Layout. Fix the positions of shower, basin, pan and bath. Moving a waste is possible; moving it late is disruptive.

3. Surfaces. Tile format drives the floor falls, the grout joint and the setout. Choose it before anything is set out — see bathroom tiling.

4. Waterproofing and services. Membrane, screed, niches, mixer bodies, exhaust and lighting all sit behind the finishes. Details here are covered under bathroom waterproofing.

5. Joinery. Vanity width, basin type and mirror cabinetry get confirmed against the setout, not after it. See vanities and cabinetry.

6. Fixtures and glass. Tapware finish, shower screen configuration and door hardware close out the schedule. Screen options are outlined under shower renovations.

FLOOR FALLS

CONFIRM BEFORE SETOUT · SINGLE OR MULTI-FALL · LINEAR OR SQUARE WASTE

Large-format tile needs a simpler fall pattern; mosaic tolerates a tighter one. Decide the waste type first and the tile choice narrows itself.

GROUT JOINT

WIDTH · COLOUR · CLEANING LOAD

A pale grout on a shower floor asks more of you every week. Match the grout to the traffic, not only to the tile.

VENTILATION

DUCTED TO OUTSIDE · SWITCHING · MAKE-UP AIR

Bayside bathrooms carry moisture longer through winter. An exhaust that discharges outside, and a door undercut that lets air in, does more for a finish than any product claim.

02 — SELECTIONS

Lock the schedule, then order

Build one document listing every item: tile (with format and finish), grout, tapware, basin, pan, screen glass, joinery material, handles, lighting and exhaust. Note lead times against each line — a single back-ordered mixer can hold a wall closed for weeks.

Bring samples together in the actual room, in daylight. Finishes read differently against your existing floors and window light. If you are matching a period interior, an ensuite renovation or a modern bathroom renovation will pull the schedule in different directions.

BEFORE YOU SIGN OFF

FOUR QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING

Where does the water actually go?

Ask for the fall direction, waste position and membrane extent to be shown on the plan, not described verbally.

What is the setout point?

Every tiled wall starts somewhere. Knowing where the full tile lands tells you where the cuts will be — usually behind the door or under the vanity if it is planned well.

What is not included?

Painting, cornice, door replacement, robe hooks and heated towel circuits are common exclusions. Read the scope, not the summary. Our approach is set out under our process.

How long is the room out of use?

If it is your only bathroom, plan around the stages. See bathroom renovation timelines and the factors behind bathroom renovation costs.

BRING YOUR LIST

Tell us the room, the constraints and how far through the checklist you are. The enquiry form asks for your name, email, phone, suburb, renovation type, budget range, timeframe and project details — enough to have a useful first conversation about scope and sequence.