Three ways to renovate a bathroom
A cosmetic refresh keeps the tiles and changes the fittings, at $8,000–15,000 excl. GST. A retile strips the room back, lays a new waterproof membrane and tiles it out, at $15,000–35,000. A reconfiguration moves fixtures or walls, at $35,000–70,000 (CheckMyBuilder, July 2026). Which one you need usually comes down to whether the waterproofing is still doing its job.
Refresh
Keep the tiles, change everything you touch
$8,000–$15,000excl. GST, standard room · small room $4,000–$8,0002–5 days on site for a budget refresh in New Zealand, 3–7 days in Auckland (Superior Renovations)What's in itRetile
Tiles off, membrane new, room back
$15,000–$35,000excl. GST, standard room · small room $15,000–$25,0002–3 weeks on site in New Zealand, 3–4 weeks in Auckland (Superior Renovations)What's in itWaitlistReconfigure
Move the walls, move the plumbing
$35,000–$70,000excl. GST, standard room · small room $25,000–$35,0005–6 weeks on site in New Zealand, 4–8 weeks and up in Auckland for luxury or structural scopes (Superior Renovations), plus consent processingWhat's in itShower replacement
One shower, done properly, without redoing the whole room
$1,550–$8,250tiled, NZ range · acrylic unit $900–$2,000 installed (Superior Renovations, GST status not stated)Tiled or acrylicSide by side
| Refresh | Retile | Reconfigure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiles come off | No | Yes | Yes |
| New waterproof membrane | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fixtures move | No | No | Yes |
| Building consent | Normally exempt (cl 35) | Normally exempt (cl 12 + 35) | Normally needed |
| Market band, standard room | $8,000–$15,000 | $15,000–$35,000 | $35,000–$70,000 |
| Time on site | 2–5 days on site for a budget refresh | 2–3 weeks on site | 5–6 weeks on site |
| Bookable now | Yes | Yes | Waitlist |
Bands: CheckMyBuilder, July 2026, excl. GST. Times: Superior Renovations, New Zealand averages. Consent positions: Building Act Schedule 1 clauses 12 and 35, and MBIE Determination 2024/054. Check your own job with your council before anyone starts.
Questions
Which scope do I need?
It usually comes down to the shower. If the waterproofing is sound and the room is just tired, a Refresh does it. If water has got behind the tiles, or the tiles are past saving, it is a Retile. If you want the shower or the toilet somewhere else, or an extra fixture, it is a Reconfigure and it needs consent.
Are these your prices?
No. Every figure on these pages is a published market band from CheckMyBuilder or Superior Renovations, with the source and its GST status next to it. Our own from-prices go up once we hold at least two crew quotes on a standard scope. Until then we are not going to put a number on a page and call it ours.
Can I mix them?
Most real jobs do. A Retile with one fixture moved is a Retile plus the $2,000–6,000 that CheckMyBuilder puts on moving a toilet or shower. The scopes are a way of talking about the work, not boxes you have to fit inside.
Why is Reconfigure on a waitlist?
Because a layout change involves restricted building work, which needs a Licensed Building Practitioner, and consent drawings, which need a designer. Neither is contracted yet. The measure-and-design visit still covers a Reconfigure scope, so you get the plan, the budget and the consent position either way.