Three kinds of housing, three kinds of job
North Parramatta has an unusually mixed housing stock. There are older cottages and post-war houses on their own blocks, 1960s and 1970s walk-up units, and newer apartment developments, some very recent.
A bathroom renovation in each is a different project.
Older houses
The houses are where the most design freedom is. No owners corporation, and often a suspended timber floor, which means drainage can run through the subfloor. Moving a shower, relocating the toilet, or combining a bathroom with a separate WC is realistic.
They are also where the most surprises are. Bathrooms in older houses often have:
- Failed or absent waterproofing, with water damage in the wall framing around the shower.
- Damaged floor joists under the shower on a timber floor.
- Old galvanised supply pipes, corroded inside.
- Possible asbestos in linings from before about 1990.
Where there is access, the subfloor is checked at the measure. Where the age suggests it, linings are tested before pricing. Repairs that cannot be assessed until the room is open are shown as a stated allowance.
Houses in a heritage conservation area should also check before changing anything visible from the street, such as a window.
Walk-up units
The older walk-ups share the characteristics described on the Harris Park page: small rooms, masonry walls, slab floors, no lift, and bathrooms that are well overdue. Strata approval is needed, asbestos testing is sensible, and the design works within fixed wastes.
Newer apartments
In buildings from the last decade, bathroom renovation is rarely about style. If something is wrong — a leaking shower, cracked tiles, water through a ceiling — it may be a building defect.
NSW home building law gives statutory warranties on residential building work: six years for major defects and two years for others. If your building is young, report problems to the strata manager in writing before calling a renovator.
What changes the room most
Whatever the building:
- A walk-in shower in place of a bath-over-shower or a tray.
- Full-height tiling in wet zones.
- A wall-hung vanity with drawers and a lit mirror.
- Proper ventilation.
- In houses, combining the bathroom with a separate toilet where the layout suits.
What it costs
House main bathroom: roughly $24,000–$36,000, plus any repair allowance. Unit main bathroom: roughly $18,000–$30,000. See the 2026 cost bands.
Nearby
We also work in Parramatta, Westmead, Harris Park and Granville, plus Northmead, Oatlands and Dundas.
Call 02 4601 3371 or send the room details through.
Other suburbs we cover
Questions people ask before they commit
My North Parramatta house is old. What should I expect behind the tiles?
In older houses, commonly: a membrane that has failed or was never installed, water-damaged framing around the shower, old galvanised pipework and, in bathrooms from before about 1990, possible asbestos in the linings. Houses on suspended timber floors may also have damaged joists under the shower.
Can a house bathroom layout change?
More easily than in an apartment. On a suspended timber floor, drainage can run through the subfloor, so moving the shower or toilet is often achievable. On a slab it is more involved. Either way, there is no owners corporation to approve it.
My apartment is only a couple of years old. Why would I renovate?
Usually you would not. If a new apartment bathroom has a problem such as a leak, it is likely a defect, and the statutory warranty under NSW home building law may apply. Report it to the strata manager rather than renovating.
What does a house bathroom cost compared with a unit?
A house main bathroom typically runs $24,000 to $36,000, and more if framing or subfloor repairs are needed. A unit bathroom runs $18,000 to $30,000 including strata logistics. Houses tend to be larger rooms with more scope to change.