Can You Relocate a Bathroom?
Yes, in many Australian homes it is possible to relocate a bathroom — but moving a bathroom is very different from simply renovating one in its existing position.
Relocating a bathroom can involve new plumbing and drainage, electrical work, waterproofing, ventilation, structural considerations and potentially changes to walls, floors and adjoining rooms.
That doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.
Sometimes moving a bathroom can dramatically improve the layout and functionality of a home. But before committing to the idea, it's important to understand what may be involved and why relocating a bathroom can cost considerably more than renovating an existing one.
If you're considering changing your home's layout, here's what you should think about first.
What Does Relocating a Bathroom Actually Mean?
Relocating a bathroom generally means creating the bathroom in a different part of the home rather than renovating the existing bathroom in the same location.
For example, you might want to:
- Turn a bedroom into a new bathroom
- Convert part of a large bedroom into an ensuite
- Move a bathroom to create a better floorplan
- Convert an unused room into a bathroom
- Reconfigure a bathroom and laundry area
- Add a bathroom where one hasn't previously existed
The complexity of the project will depend heavily on the existing construction of the home and where plumbing and drainage services are located.
A bathroom that's moving a short distance may be relatively straightforward compared with relocating one to the opposite side of the house.
Why Do Homeowners Relocate Bathrooms?
There are plenty of situations where the existing bathroom simply isn't in the best location.
Older homes in particular weren't necessarily designed around the way families live today.
Relocating a bathroom may allow you to:
- Create a master ensuite
- Improve privacy
- Create a better family bathroom
- Improve the flow of the floorplan
- Make better use of unused space
- Separate bathroom and living areas
- Create additional bedrooms or living space
- Combine or reorganise bathroom and laundry areas
However, a better floorplan needs to be weighed against the additional construction cost.
Sometimes a clever redesign of the existing bathroom can achieve many of the same benefits without relocating the entire room.
Is It Expensive to Relocate a Bathroom?
It can be.
There isn't one standard cost to relocate a bathroom in Australia because every property is different.
The final cost can be affected by:
- How far the bathroom is moving
- Access to existing plumbing and drainage
- Floor construction
- Whether the home is on a concrete slab or raised floor
- Structural changes
- New walls and doorways
- Electrical work
- Ventilation requirements
- Waterproofing
- Tiling
- Fixtures and fittings
- The level of finishes selected
- Unexpected issues uncovered during construction
This is why quoting a bathroom relocation without inspecting the property and understanding the proposed layout can be difficult.
If you're trying to establish your overall renovation budget, read our guide to How Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in Australia?
Plumbing Is One of the Biggest Considerations
One of the first things to investigate when relocating a bathroom is plumbing.
Your new bathroom may need water and drainage connections for:
- Toilet
- Shower
- Bath
- Vanity
- Floor waste
Water supply can often be extended to a new location, but drainage can be more complicated.
Wastewater needs somewhere to go, and the location, depth and accessibility of existing drains can have a major influence on what's practical.
This is particularly important for toilets because they require larger waste pipes than a vanity or shower.
The further you move fixtures away from existing services, the more work may be required.
For more detail, read Should You Move Plumbing During a Bathroom Renovation?
Your Floor Construction Can Make a Big Difference
What's underneath your floor matters.
Concrete Slab Homes
Relocating drainage in a home built on a concrete slab may require cutting, removing or modifying sections of concrete to install new drainage.
Exactly what's possible will depend on the property and proposed bathroom location.
Raised or Suspended Floors
Homes with accessible space underneath the floor can sometimes provide greater flexibility for new plumbing and drainage.
But that doesn't automatically mean the work will be simple.
Pipe routes, structural members, access and required falls still need to be considered.
This is one reason bathroom relocation should be investigated properly before you fall in love with a new floorplan.
Can You Turn a Bedroom Into a Bathroom?
Potentially, yes.
Converting an existing bedroom or another room into a bathroom can be an excellent way to create an ensuite or additional family bathroom.
However, the room wasn't originally constructed as a wet area.
The renovation may therefore need to address:
- Plumbing
- Drainage
- Waterproofing
- Ventilation
- Electrical requirements
- Floor preparation
- Wall construction
- Door positioning
- Privacy
- Heating
- Tiling and finishes
Simply having enough physical space doesn't necessarily mean it's the ideal location for a bathroom.
The services and construction requirements need to be considered as part of the design.
Don't Design the Layout Before Checking What's Possible
This is a mistake homeowners can easily make.
You create the perfect bathroom layout, choose where the bath will sit, decide on a beautiful walk-in shower and position the toilet exactly where you want it.
Then a plumber or renovator looks at the plan and explains that moving everything to those locations will add significant cost — or may not be practical.
Before finalising the layout, understand the constraints of the property.
Your design should work with the building rather than against it wherever possible.
We've covered more of these expensive planning problems in Bathroom Layout Mistakes That Can Cost Thousands.
Waterproofing a Relocated Bathroom
A relocated bathroom needs to be treated as a wet area and waterproofed appropriately for the design and construction.
Waterproofing is not simply something painted onto the floor at the end of the job.
The entire wet-area build-up needs to work together, including substrates, junctions, penetrations, shower areas and other required waterproofed or water-resistant areas.
This is one of the stages homeowners often don't see once the renovation is complete, but it's incredibly important.
Read Bathroom Waterproofing in Australia: What Homeowners Need to Know before planning your project.
Will You Need New Walls?
Depending on where the bathroom is being relocated, new walls may need to be constructed.
You may also need to remove or alter existing walls.
This can affect:
- Room dimensions
- Door positions
- Electrical services
- Plumbing
- Insulation
- Storage
- Natural light
- Adjoining rooms
And if structural walls are involved, the project can become significantly more complex.
This is another reason it's worth looking at the entire floorplan rather than designing the bathroom in isolation.
Ventilation Needs to Be Considered
Bathrooms generate significant moisture, so ventilation needs to form part of the plan.
If you're converting a bedroom, storeroom or other area into a bathroom, don't assume its existing ventilation arrangement will automatically be suitable.
The position of windows, exhaust ventilation and where moist air can be discharged may all need consideration.
This is particularly important for bathrooms located internally within the home.
What About Electrical Work?
A relocated bathroom will usually require electrical work as well.
Depending on the design, this may include:
- Lighting
- Exhaust fan
- Power points
- Heated towel rails
- Underfloor heating
- Mirror lighting
- Electric shaving cabinets
- Other bathroom electrical fixtures
Bathrooms also have specific electrical safety requirements because electricity and water are present in the same space.
Electrical work should therefore be factored into the project from the beginning rather than treated as an afterthought.
Don't Forget the Old Bathroom
There's another cost homeowners sometimes overlook.
What happens to the old bathroom?
If you're moving the bathroom elsewhere, the existing bathroom doesn't simply disappear.
Depending on your plans, the old space may need:
- Fixtures removed
- Plumbing capped or altered
- Tiles removed
- Walls repaired
- Flooring replaced
- Electrical work altered
- Doorways changed
- Painting
- New cabinetry or joinery
You may be converting the old bathroom into a bedroom, hallway, wardrobe, laundry or another usable area.
Those works need to be included in your overall renovation budget too.
Is Relocating a Bathroom Worth It?
Sometimes absolutely.
A bathroom relocation can make sense when it creates a substantially better home.
For example, it might allow you to create an ensuite where there wasn't one before, improve the family bathroom or completely transform an awkward floorplan.
But moving a bathroom purely because you'd prefer it two metres further along the hallway may not provide enough benefit to justify the additional cost.
Ask yourself:
- What problem does relocating the bathroom solve?
- Could the existing bathroom be redesigned instead?
- How much additional usable space will it create?
- Will it improve the overall floorplan?
- Is the additional cost worthwhile?
- Are there less expensive ways to achieve the same result?
The goal isn't simply to create a beautiful bathroom.
It's to create a bathroom that works properly within the home.
Renovating the Existing Bathroom vs Relocating It
Before deciding to relocate, compare both options.
Renovating in the Existing Location
May allow you to retain more existing services and avoid some of the additional work associated with creating a completely new wet area.
Relocating the Bathroom
May give you much greater freedom to improve the overall floorplan, but can introduce additional plumbing, drainage, building, electrical and finishing work.
Neither option is automatically better.
The right decision depends on the house, your budget and what you're trying to achieve.
Get the Practical Questions Answered First
Before committing to a bathroom relocation, speak with the appropriate professionals and investigate the practical side of the project.
Useful questions include:
- Where are the existing drains?
- How will the new toilet connect to drainage?
- What is underneath the floor?
- Will concrete need to be cut?
- Are structural changes required?
- What ventilation will be needed?
- What electrical work is required?
- What happens to the old bathroom?
- Are approvals required for the proposed work?
- How will the relocation affect the overall renovation budget?
Getting these answers early can save you from designing a bathroom that later becomes too expensive or impractical to build.
If you're still working through your overall plan, our How to Plan a Bathroom Renovation in Australia: Step-by-Step Guide will help you work through the major decisions in the right order.
Final Thoughts
So, can you relocate a bathroom?
In many cases, yes.
But the real question isn't simply whether it can be done. It's whether relocating the bathroom makes sense for your particular home, budget and renovation goals.
Plumbing, drainage, floor construction, waterproofing, ventilation, electrical work and the future use of the existing bathroom all need to be considered before the layout is finalised.
A well-planned bathroom relocation can completely transform a home.
A poorly planned one can introduce significant additional costs.
Do the practical investigation first, then design around what you discover.
About the Author
Laura Faulkner is the founder of Own Your Reno and AJM Bathroom Renovations. Drawing on experience from more than 500 completed renovations, Laura created the Own Your Reno series to help Australian homeowners plan smarter, avoid costly mistakes and renovate with confidence.