Bathrooms are small rooms with an unusually high number of trades and the highest risk of long-term defects if the substrate isn't right. Get the waterproofing, falls and layout right at the start — the rest is finish selection.
1. Layout first — plumbing sets the rules
Plumbing wants to run in straight lines and to fall the right way. Rearranging fixtures is possible, but every metre of relocated drainage adds cost. Fix the layout first — vanity, toilet, shower, bath — then design around it.
Placeholder — replace with final copy
Expand with your minimum clearances (WC 900mm width, shower 1000mm minimum, vanity depths) and what makes a small bathroom feel generous.
2. Waterproofing — the part you don't see, but pay for later
AS 3740 is not optional. Waterproofing must be installed by a licensed applicator, cover the correct areas (full shower enclosure to 1800mm, floor-to-hob upstands, penetrations sealed) and be inspected before tiling. Get this wrong and you rip the room out five years later.
Placeholder — replace with final copy
Detail your standard waterproofing spec — membrane brand, priming, two coats, upstands, corners, screed falls. This is where cheap renos fail.
3. Tiling and finishes
Placeholder — replace with final copy
Tile format considerations for small bathrooms, grout choice, natural stone vs porcelain, sealing regimes. Note your typical mocha/cream/ travertine palette.
4. Fixtures and fittings
Placeholder — replace with final copy
Your recommended tapware brands, mixer positioning, shower head types, toilet options (in-wall vs close-coupled), heated towel rails and floor heating.
5. Ventilation and lighting
A bathroom is a wet, warm room. Without ducted extraction (not recirculating), mould is a matter of when, not if. Lighting should be layered: general, task at the vanity, and something warm for evening use.
Placeholder — replace with final copy
Add specifics on extractor sizing, ducting to eaves, and lighting colour temperature recommendations.
6. Budget and timeline
Placeholder — replace with final copy
Current Sydney bathroom cost ranges by scope, and a typical Milani Concepts timeline from strip-out to reinstatement.
Common mistakes
Placeholder — replace with final copy
The bathroom mistakes you see most often — cheap waterproofing, wrong falls to the drain, hobs that don't work with frameless screens, undersized extraction, poor lighting.
