An investor suburb
Westmead is dominated by the health and research precinct — the hospitals, medical research institutes and university campus. Around it are apartment buildings of every age, and a large share of them are rented, many to people who work in the precinct.
That makes the typical Westmead bathroom brief quite specific. It is usually a landlord, not an occupier, asking.
What landlords actually want
Speed. Every week of vacancy costs rent. The renovation needs to start when the tenancy ends and finish quickly.
Durability. Tenants and cleaners are hard on bathrooms. Finishes need to survive years of use without looking tired.
Low maintenance. Fittings that are easy to service, with parts that can be sourced. No exotic tapware that needs a specialist.
Good photographs. A bathroom that looks current in a rental listing helps the unit lease faster and at a better rent.
A rental bathroom specification
- Walk-in shower with a tiled floor and a single fixed glass panel — no tray, no framed door, fewer places for grime.
- Mid-tone porcelain on the floor with a darker grout that does not show wear.
- Wall-hung vanity with an integrated basin — no join to collect dirt, and the floor underneath is easy to mop.
- Robust mid-range tapware from a brand with readily available cartridges.
- Exhaust fan on a run-on timer, so tenants do not have to remember to leave it on.
- Tile to the ceiling in the shower, so there is no painted surface to peel.
Timing around a tenancy
The most common mistake is leaving strata approval until the tenant has moved out.
Bathroom renovation involving waterproofing is generally a major renovation needing a special resolution at a general meeting of the owners corporation. Depending on when the next meeting is, that can take longer than the renovation itself.
The better sequence:
- Measure and quote while the unit is still tenanted, with appropriate notice to the tenant.
- Apply for strata approval well before the lease ends.
- Confirm selections and order materials.
- Start demolition as soon as the tenant leaves.
- Three to four weeks on site.
- Re-list with new photographs.
Tenants in place
Renovating with tenants in residence is difficult. The apartment has no working bathroom for most of the program, and under NSW tenancy law landlords must give proper notice for access and cannot leave tenants without essential facilities. In practice, a vacancy is much simpler.
Older buildings
Westmead has plenty of older walk-ups too. Those bring the usual considerations: asbestos testing where the building or bathroom predates about 1990, masonry walls, no lift and stair-carried materials. See Harris Park for more on walk-ups.
What it costs
Rental apartment bathroom: roughly $17,000–$27,000. See the 2026 cost bands.
Nearby
We also work in Parramatta, North Parramatta, Harris Park and Granville, plus Wentworthville and Northmead.
Call 02 4601 3371 or send the room details through.
Other suburbs we cover
Questions people ask before they commit
Can a rental bathroom be renovated between tenancies?
Yes, if the strata approval is in place before the tenancy ends. The site program for an apartment bathroom is three to four weeks. Approval can take longer than that, so apply well before the lease ends. We can hold a start date once approval is confirmed.
What finishes suit a rental bathroom?
Mid-range porcelain in a mid-tone with darker floor grout, a wall-hung vanity with an integrated basin, robust tapware from a brand with readily available parts, a frameless fixed glass panel, and a good exhaust fan. The aim is a room that looks good in listing photos and survives years of tenants and cleaners.
Can I renovate while tenants are living there?
It is difficult, because the apartment will have no working bathroom for most of the program. Under NSW tenancy law, a landlord generally needs to give proper notice and cannot leave tenants without essential facilities. In practice, renovating in a vacancy is far simpler.
What does a rental bathroom renovation cost?
Roughly $17,000 to $27,000 for an apartment bathroom in 2026, depending on size and building type. Choosing durable mid-range finishes keeps it toward the lower end without shortening the room's life.