Most property owners calculate renovation budgets the wrong way.
They look at detached house figures and assume an apartment works the exact same way. It does not.
Working inside a multi-residential building brings specific challenges like lift access, noise limits, parking rules, and strata bylaws. If you want realistic numbers, you must look at your spending space by space.
Over the years, I have seen owners get blindsided by variations and hidden trade fees simply because they did not break down their budget room by room. Planning a successful apartment renovation requires clarity on actual trade costs, materials, and management requirements before demolition starts.
Here is what you need to know about room-by-room costs across Australia today.
Kitchen Renovations
The kitchen is usually the biggest single investment in an apartment update. Plumbing points, electrical runs, custom joinery, and bench space all drive the final price.
A standard kitchen update generally costs between twenty thousand and forty-five thousand dollars.
If you want custom joinery, stone surfaces, and high-end fittings, the price increases accordingly.
Here is where the money goes:
- Custom cabinetry and joinery design
- Stone or solid surface benchtops
- Electrical rewiring and induction cooktop connections
- Plumbing rough-in and fixture installation
- Splashback supply and tiling
- Removal of old materials via service lifts
I always advise keeping your original service layout if you want to control costs. Shifting your sink or waste pipe across concrete slabs requires specialized plumbing solutions that add substantial costs to your bottom line.
Bathroom and Wet Area Costs
Bathrooms require the highest level of technical skill per square metre. In an apartment, waterproofing failure is not just an inconvenience. It can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your downstairs neighbour.
A complete apartment bathroom renovation typically runs from twenty-five thousand to over forty-five thousand dollars.
Key expenses include:
- Strip out and concrete floor preparation
- Multi-layer waterproofing membranes
- Wall and floor tiling
- Custom vanity units and mirrors
- Frameless glass screens
- Tapware, mixer valves, and drainage
The biggest mistake I see owners make is cutting corners on waterproofing. You must ensure your contractor provides full compliance certificates for strata records.
Living and Dining Areas
Living areas are relatively straightforward, but finishing choices add up quickly.
A living room refresh usually costs between eight thousand and twenty-five thousand dollars.
Most of this spend centres on flooring, paint, lighting, and joinery:
- Acoustic underlay and timber or hybrid flooring
- Complete ceiling and wall painting
- Custom entertainment units or storage
- Recessed lighting or electrical adjustments
- Window coverings and blinds
Strata rules strictly govern acoustic ratings for flooring in Australian units. You cannot simply install standard timber planks. You must install acoustic underlay that meets the field test requirements of your building scheme.
Bedroom and Wardrobe Updates
Bedrooms generally sit at the lower end of the cost spectrum, unless you require full wall-to-wall custom joinery.
Expect to spend between four thousand and twelve thousand dollars per bedroom.
Primary cost drivers include:
- Built-in wardrobe systems with internal organizers
- Quality carpet or timber flooring with acoustic membranes
- Wall preparation and paintwork
- Power point additions and pendant lighting
- Solid core doors for sound isolation
If you are renovating to live in the home long-term, custom wardrobes make the greatest difference to your daily comfort.
The Total Cost of a Full Apartment Overhaul
When you combine every room, a complete two-bedroom apartment renovation in Australia typically starts around eighty-five thousand dollars. High-end finishes or major structural shifts easily push that figure past one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The total price includes items that span across every room:
- Strata bond deposits and application paperwork
- Protection boards for common area hallways and elevators
- Waste removal and transport logistics
- Project supervision and trade coordination
Handling these tasks on your own can quickly turn into a full-time job.
Choosing the Right Renovation Specialist
I evaluate renovation contractors based on three factors: licensing, fixed pricing, and strata expertise.
For Sydney apartment owners, Fine Touch Group stands out as an exceptional option. They bring over thirty years of industry experience and have completed more than one thousand projects across the region.
Holding a full New South Wales builder licence, they provide a six-year waterproofing warranty on their work. That guarantee gives owners and strata committees complete peace of mind.
They remove financial uncertainty by offering transparent, itemised, fixed-price quotes before any building work starts. Every quote they produce includes a free three-dimensional model of your proposed room, allowing you to see the exact finish before signing a contract.
Their pricing is straightforward:
- Bathroom renovations start from twenty-eight thousand dollars, delivering premium finishes with full waterproofing guarantees.
- Kitchen renovations start from thirty-one thousand dollars, featuring custom cabinetry and stone benchtops.
- Whole apartment renovations start from eighty-five thousand dollars, covering living rooms, flooring, painting, joinery, and wet areas.
Beyond physical building work, they handle the heavy lifting with building management. They prepare and submit strata documentation, maintaining a high approval rate with building managers. They manage all sub-trades, handle delivery schedules, and provide remote digital updates if you are living elsewhere during construction.
Final Practical Advice
Set your budget room by room before you request quotes.
Always keep a ten to fifteen percent contingency fund for unexpected issues behind walls or under old floor screeds.
Insist on itemised, fixed-price contracts so you know your exact financial commitment upfront.
When you combine realistic numbers with a specialist builder who knows how to navigate apartment logistics, your project runs on schedule and delivers the exact living space you want.
