Plain answers before you renovate your bathroom.

I’m Ivan Bodnar, an independent home renovation specialist in Melbourne with about 15 years of hands-on residential experience. These guides cover what’s worth thinking through before an on-site assessment: what a renovation really involves, whether you need one at all, and what shapes the cost and timeframe.

GUIDES IN THIS SET

01 A Bathroom Renovation Is More Than Tiles and Colours

02 Do You Need a Full Renovation?

03 What Affects Renovation Cost and Timeframe

REFERENCE

Tools, tiles and a level, laid out before the work starts. How well the room is prepared decides how long the finish lasts.

01 · MORE THAN TILES

The finish is the last layer, not the whole job.

Tiles, fittings and colours are the part of a bathroom you see every day, so it makes sense that most planning starts there. But they sit on top of everything else: the condition of the walls and floor, how water is managed, how well the layout suits your household, and how carefully each surface is prepared.

This guide explains why I look past the surface during an assessment, and why getting the preparation and the scope right matters more to the result than the tile you pick.

COVERS Preparation · Layout · Signs of moisture · Choosing finishes

02 · RENOVATE OR REPAIR

Do you need a full renovation?

Not always. If the bathroom is sound and you only need a minor repair or a cosmetic update, a complete renovation may not be necessary. Worn materials, signs of moisture or a layout that no longer works point the other way. This guide sets out how to tell the difference, and why I’ll say so honestly when a smaller job will do.

QUESTIONS IT ANSWERS

Is the problem isolated, or a sign of something wider?

Will new finishes hold up on the existing surfaces?

Does the layout still suit the way you use the room?

What can only be confirmed once the room is opened up?

03 · COST & TIMEFRAME

What shapes the price and the schedule.

There’s no honest one-size figure for a bathroom renovation. Cost and timeframe depend on the existing property, the materials you choose and the scope we agree. This guide walks through the factors I look at on site:

Size and condition of the bathroom

Extent of demolition and preparation

Selected materials and finishes

Coordinating licensed plumbing and electrical specialists

Issues found once work begins

Any pricing discussed is general guidance only until it’s set out in a written quotation for your agreed scope.

BEFORE YOU TEXT

A short checklist for your first message.

☐ Your suburb, so I know where the property is

☐ What bothers you about the bathroom now

☐ What you’d like to change

☐ A few photos, which are always helpful

The on-site assessment and quotation are free. I’m available 9am–6pm, seven days. Weekend or urgent work may be possible by arrangement, but it isn’t guaranteed, and I don’t offer a 24/7 call-out service.

Prefer to write it out? Use the enquiry form.