Bathroom Renovation Plumbing Wollongong

What does the plumber do at each stage?

Strip-out

Before demolition starts, we isolate the water to the bathroom, disconnect the toilet, vanity, bath and shower, and cap the pipes so the room can be stripped without water going anywhere it shouldn't. With the walls and floor open, we check the old pipework and tell you if any of it is worth replacing while it's exposed.

Rough-in

In the bare room, we run new hot and cold supply and waste pipes to suit the new layout, set the floor waste and shower outlet positions, and fix mixer bodies and any in-wall cistern at the right heights. Everything is checked for leaks before the walls are sheeted.

Waterproofing coordination

Waterproofing is a separate trade, but the plumbing has to be ready for it. We set the floor waste and pipe penetrations so the waterproofer can seal around them, and agree the order of work with your builder or waterproofer so nothing needs moving once the membrane is down.

Fit-off

After the tiling, we install the toilet, basin and vanity, tapware, shower rose and bath, connect the wastes, then test every outlet for leaks, flow and temperature.

Decisions to make before the bathroom is stripped

Moving the toilet or shower

A new toilet position is often the biggest plumbing change in a bathroom, because the toilet's waste pipe is large and needs a continuous fall to the drain. On a concrete slab that can mean cutting the floor; over a timber floor, the pipes may run underneath.

It changes the paperwork as well. NSW doesn't require a Notice of Work for a bathroom renovation where the fixtures stay in the same place; when fixtures move, the plumber lodges one before starting.

Waste falls and shower floors

Every waste pipe needs enough fall to carry water away, and the shower floor has to slope to its waste. A walk-in or step-free shower needs extra planning, because the floor must fall to the drain without water spreading across the rest of the room.

Hot water at the outlet

Building Commission NSW guidance says that when all the fixtures in an existing bathroom are replaced and the supply has no temperature control device, the replaced fixtures must be tempered so they deliver hot water at no more than 50°C. A tempering valve or a thermostatic mixing valve is one way to do it. Swapping a single tap doesn't trigger the requirement.

Choosing fixtures early

Wall-hung toilets, in-wall cisterns and concealed mixers all have parts that go in at rough-in, so choose them before we start. If your water pressure is on the weak side, our guide to shower heads for low pressure is worth a read first.

Accessible bathroom plumbing

If the renovation is for someone with limited mobility, or you want to stay in the home as you get older, the plumbing layout matters even more. A step-free shower that drains properly, lever tapware, a hand-held shower on a rail, a comfortable toilet height and controlled hot water all depend on decisions made at rough-in.

Our accessible bathrooms page and the accessible bathroom plumbing guide go into more detail.

Bathroom renovation plumbing for homeowners and builders

Plumbing in NSW has to be done by a licensed plumber whatever the size of the job, so your renovation needs one even if you're managing the rest yourself. The few small jobs NSW does let a homeowner do are set out in our guide to what plumbing you can legally do yourself in NSW. You can check any tradesperson's licence, including its categories and expiry date, with the NSW Government's online licence check.

Homeowners can book us directly, and we'll work around your tiler, waterproofer and other trades. Builders can book us for strip-out and rough-in, fit-off, or the whole bathroom. Either way, the plumbing is covered by our 12+ month warranty and you get a free plumbing safety report.

Only need a smaller fix? See our shower repairs service or the guide to a leaking shower mixer.