FAWKNER BATHROOM RENOVATION CASE STUDY
One Bathroom. One New Toilet. A Much Better Use of the Same Space.
Project Snapshot: This 1960s to 1970s-era bathroom in Fawkner, Melbourne VIC had no toilet and was not making good use of the space beside the shower. Level A reworked the existing cavity to add a recessed toilet, retain an approximately 1100 × 900 mm shower and create hallway linen storage within the existing footprint. The completed project was approximately $35,000 including tiles and bathroom fittings, with construction taking approximately four weeks. These figures relate to this project only and are not standard pricing or a guaranteed timeframe.
WATCH THE COMPLETED WALKTHROUGH
Take a quick look through the finished Fawkner bathroom.
What Was Wrong With the Original Fawkner Bathroom?
The original bathroom was outdated and did not contain a toilet.
It included an older blue bathtub, an enclosed gold-framed shower and a small cupboard positioned beside the shower.
The homeowners wanted to modernise the room, but this was not simply a finishes upgrade.
They wanted a toilet inside the bathroom.
They wanted a larger shower.
And they wanted the available space to remain practical.
Jake met with the homeowners, discussed what they wanted to achieve and worked through the feasibility of the existing layout. Rough floor plans were used to agree on the direction before construction began.
The first question was not which tiles to choose.
It was whether the existing space could work better.
How Did Level A Create Space for the New Toilet?
The small cupboard beside the original shower became the key to the new layout.
Rather than viewing the cupboard and bathroom as two separate spaces, Jake looked at what could be achieved by changing the way the cavity worked from both sides of the wall.
The cavity was extended further towards the former shower area.
That created enough room inside the bathroom for a toilet to sit within its own recessed area, keeping it away from the main shower zone.
But the alteration did not simply remove storage to gain a toilet.
The hallway-facing side of the reworked cavity still had enough usable space to become linen storage.
One change therefore improved both sides of the wall.
Inside the bathroom, the homeowners gained the toilet they wanted.
Outside the bathroom, they gained more useful storage.
And the bathroom still had enough room for the approximately 1100 × 900 mm shower.
From this point on, the larger shower could remain a genuine part of the design rather than being sacrificed simply to fit more into the room.
The result is exactly what a layout change should achieve.
More function from the space already available.
Jake was pleased with the bathroom as a whole and with how much more they were able to get from the existing footprint. Once the room was finished, he felt there was nothing significant he would have arranged differently.
Before
Framing
New cavity
Toilet space
What Happened When the Bathroom Was Opened Up?
Demolition revealed something Jake had not expected.
Much of the surrounding house used a subfloor arrangement, but once this bathroom was stripped back it became clear that the bathroom itself was constructed over a concrete slab.
That changed the work required before the new plumbing arrangement could proceed.
Concrete had to be worked through to accommodate the revised bathroom services and layout.
The existing walls also needed attention.
They were out of level, so timber battens were used as part of correcting and preparing the surfaces before the new tiled finishes went on.
Neither issue is obvious when you look at the completed bathroom.
Both affected the work required to build it.
This is one reason an older bathroom renovation cannot be understood purely from the price of the vanity, tiles and tapware.
There is already a building underneath the finishes.
And sometimes the full condition of that building only becomes clear once the old bathroom is opened.
How Was the New Bathroom Built?
This was a complete bathroom renovation, not a cosmetic refresh.
Level A was involved from the early layout discussion through demolition, carpentry, trade coordination, bathroom waterproofing, tiling and final fit-off.
The homeowner sourced many of the bathroom fixtures and fittings themselves and completed the painting separately.
That distinction matters.
Two finished bathrooms may look similar while involving very different amounts of demolition, plumbing, carpentry, preparation and remedial work.
Framing and Layout
Once the old bathroom had been stripped out, the new layout could be formed.
The altered cavity had to work from both sides.
Inside the bathroom, it needed to create enough room for the recessed toilet.
On the hallway side, it needed to preserve useful space for linen storage.
At the same time, the existing walls needed preparation before the new tiled surfaces could be installed.
Plumbing and Electrical Coordination
The new toilet position and revised bathroom layout meant the services had to suit the new arrangement rather than simply returning every fixture to its original position.
Plumbing rough-in was coordinated around the changed layout, while electrical work and ventilation formed part of the renovation sequence.
The bathroom exhaust fan was ducted to the exterior rather than simply terminating into the roof cavity.
Waterproofing and Wet-Area Preparation
Bathroom waterproofing formed part of the construction before the final tiling and fit-off.
Jake is a qualified carpenter and qualified waterproofer, which is particularly relevant on a bathroom renovation where framing, preparation and wet-area detailing all need to work together.
For this project, Jake identified waterproofing, falls and drainage, shower detailing, tile set-out, niche positioning and ventilation as important parts of getting the bathroom right.
These details are not what most homeowners notice first in a finished bathroom.
That does not make them less important.
The visible finishes depend on the work underneath them.
Tiling, Fixtures and Fit-Off
Once the room was prepared, the project moved into the finishes the homeowners would eventually see.
The completed bathroom uses terrazzo-look flooring, contemporary wall finishes and a timber-look vanity.
The new toilet sits inside the recessed area created through the earlier wall alteration.
The larger shower was completed with frameless glass supplied by Frameless Direct.
Carpentry materials used through the project were sourced through Bowens.
Because the homeowners sourced many of the bathroom fixtures themselves, no unverified product brands or model names need to be attached to those items.
What Did the Finished Bathroom Actually Improve?
The finished room does considerably more than the original bathroom.
There is now a toilet inside the bathroom.
The toilet sits discreetly within the new recessed area rather than dominating the room.
The homeowners retained the larger shower they wanted.
The hallway side of the altered cavity now provides linen storage.
And the entire bathroom makes better use of the available space without requiring the house itself to become larger.
That is the part of the project Jake is proud of.
Not one particular fitting.
Not one tile.
The bathroom as a whole.
The layout, shower, toilet, storage and finished room all work together.
The result is not simply newer.
It is more useful.
The Finished Fawkner Bathroom
The finished bathroom is a significant change from where the project began.
The old blue bathtub and enclosed gold-framed shower are gone.
The room now has contemporary wall finishes, terrazzo-look flooring, a timber-look vanity and frameless shower glass.
The new recessed toilet sits away from the main shower zone.
The larger shower gives the homeowners the additional shower space they wanted.
And on the hallway side, the altered cavity now provides useful linen storage.
The strongest part of the finished result is that none of these improvements exists in isolation.
The wall change made the toilet possible.
The revised layout retained the larger shower.
The opposite side of the same cavity became storage.
The bathroom now works as one complete room.
How Much Did This Fawkner Bathroom Renovation Cost?
The complete project came to approximately $35,000 including tiles and bathroom fittings.
That is the real all-in figure for this particular completed Fawkner renovation.
It should not be treated as a standard bathroom price.
This project involved a changed layout, a new toilet position, concrete work after the slab was uncovered, plumbing and electrical coordination, carpentry, waterproofing, tiling, cabinetry, shower glass and bathroom fit-off.
The homeowners also supplied a number of the bathroom products themselves and completed the painting separately.
Another bathroom may require substantially different work.
How Long Did This Bathroom Renovation Take?
Construction took approximately four weeks for this particular project.
That is the construction period for this completed Fawkner bathroom renovation.
It is not a guaranteed timeframe for another bathroom.
Another project's duration can change depending on demolition findings, layout alterations, plumbing and electrical work, waterproofing, tiling requirements, trade sequencing, product availability, selections and the final scope.
The approximately four-week figure should therefore be understood as a real example from this project rather than a universal bathroom renovation timeline.
What Should You Know Before Renovating an Older Bathroom?
Start with how the room needs to work.
The finishes come later.
On this project, the important question was not which tile the homeowners preferred.
It was how to add a toilet, keep a larger shower and make better use of the adjoining storage area.
Then look at the bathroom you already have.
Where are the services?
Does the current layout work?
How is the floor constructed?
What condition are the walls in?
What will the new layout require from the plumbing and drainage?
What may still be concealed until demolition starts?
A site visit can help establish the starting point, but no responsible renovation process should pretend every hidden condition can always be identified before an older room is opened.
That does not mean every older bathroom is hiding a major problem.
It means the existing property forms part of the renovation.
The important thing is to begin with a clear scope and have a clear process if the work genuinely needs to change.
With Level A, anything outside the agreed scope requires written approval before additional work proceeds.
If something is uncovered, the homeowner can understand what has changed and why before that extra work goes ahead.
What Can This Project Teach Someone Planning Their Own Bathroom?
This Fawkner renovation demonstrates three useful principles.
Start with function before finishes.
The cavity alteration had a bigger impact on how the bathroom works than simply replacing the old fixtures in their existing positions.
Understand that the existing house matters.
The unexpected slab and out-of-level walls changed what had to happen during construction. The finished bathroom does not show that work, but the project depended on it.
Judge the renovation by what the room lets you do.
This bathroom gained a toilet, retained a larger shower and created better storage without needing additional floor area.
That is a stronger outcome than simply making the old room look newer.
Planning a Bathroom Renovation in Fawkner?
You do not need a finished plan before you contact Jake.
You do not need every fitting selected.
And you do not need to know whether the existing layout should stay or change.
Start with what is not working.
Maybe the bathroom is outdated.
Maybe there is no toilet where you need one.
Maybe the shower is too small.
Maybe the storage does not work.
Maybe you are concerned about what could be found once an older bathroom is opened.
Jake can walk through the property with you, look at the existing room and talk through what can reasonably be understood before you commit to the renovation.
From there, the scope can be built around the bathroom you actually have and what you genuinely want to improve.
*Residential projects only. Excludes delays caused by the client or circumstances outside Level A Builders' control. Full terms are set out in your signed contract.