A fresh vanity and/or tapware are among simple changes that give a bathroom a high-impact lift, without the renovation price tag. Photo: sviatlankayanka.
Kitchens and bathrooms are value heavyweights, but not every homeowner has the budget — or appetite — for a full-scale renovation.
The good news? According to one local tradie, you don’t need to gut your bathroom to give it a glow-up. Smart, targeted upgrades can deliver serious visual and practical wins without the renovation-sized bill.
“You might be surprised by some of the simple updates that can pack a punch,” says Contemporary Plumbing service manager Dom Thornton.
At the top of his list: tapware.
Dom is regularly called into Canberra homes to swap ageing taps for more contemporary options — and some bathrooms, he says, are still hanging on to plastic-handled taps common in builds from the late 1960s through to the 80s.
“We can upgrade to a more modern finish like chrome or something else and, depending on your existing set-up, can look to putting in a mixer tap,” he says. “They don’t just look better, they’re easier from an operational perspective, because you don’t have washers for people to overtighten and break, and are easier to use if you have kids or people with arthritis.”
Costs can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on how many taps you’re replacing and what you choose.
“Some people like all the tapware in their home to match, and that definitely looks more cohesive,” Dom says. “Others might want to focus on the bathroom, or cherry-pick certain taps. We give them the options and price points.”
Contemporary Plumbing service manager Dom Thornton says there are many relatively low-cost changes people can make to refresh their homes. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Beyond taps, there’s more low-hanging fruit — namely the vanity and the toilet.
“Replacing these can make a huge difference to a bathroom, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot,” Dom says.
Vanity upgrades usually don’t require re-tiling, he explains, and costs depend on whether you opt for an off-the-shelf model or a custom build.
And while toilets don’t always top renovation wish lists, upgrading to a modern design can lift both looks and hygiene.
“Many modern styles incorporate a ‘back to wall’ design, so they don’t have that dust-catcher behind them, and are easier to clean and maintain,” he says.
“In fact, often when we go to fix an old leaky toilet, if we see this older style we will ask if you’ve thought about replacing it. Sometimes it’s a matter of a few hundred dollars, and for supply and install of a good brand of toilet that we’d be happy to stand behind, it’ll cost anywhere from $1000 to $2000-plus, depending on the model.”
For homeowners chasing a refresh without the full renovation price tag, Dom recommends talking to a trusted local plumber early, not only about what delivers the most bang for buck, but what works with your existing plumbing to keep costs under control.
“We’ll come to your home for a consultation, talk through what you’re hoping to achieve, take measurements and provide a free proposal based on that,” Dom says.
One final tip: look closely at the brands and warranties listed in any quote. Just as important as cost is confidence in what you’re buying, and who’s standing behind it long after installation.
“With online sellers, it can be hard to get any recourse — or sometimes even a response — when things go wrong,” Dom says.
“We have good relationships with our suppliers, which are mainly Reece and Tradelink, and can deal with them directly if issues arise.
“We offer an extended warranty with many of the items we supply, because we know if we have good quality parts from reputable suppliers, we can afford to back them ourselves. And if something we supply and install doesn’t work or fit, that falls to us.”
For more information, visit Contemporary Plumbing.
