Before the start date
Two things decide whether a Highlands renovation runs to program.
Selections locked and materials on site. Tiles, vanity, tapware, toilet, shower screen, heating mat, exhaust fan — decided and delivered before demolition. Deliveries to the Highlands take a little longer than to Sydney, and a trade driving up from the coast cannot fill a lost day with another job around the corner.
Unknowns reduced. Where the house is old enough, a sheeting sample is tested for asbestos before the price is final. Where there is subfloor access, the timber under the bathroom is inspected at the measure. Both reduce the chance of the program stopping in week one.
Week one — strip-out and inspection
Days one and two: strip-out. Protection through the house, then tiles, linings, fixtures and the old membrane come out. A skip goes on the driveway.
If asbestos was confirmed, a licensed removalist does that part first, with air monitoring and a clearance certificate before the renovation crew continues.
Day three: inspection. With the room open, the frame and floor are checked. In older houses this is where damaged studs around the shower, soft joists or old galvanised pipework become visible. You receive photographs, and any repairs within the stated allowance proceed.
Days three to five: repairs and rough-in. Framing and subfloor repairs, then new plumbing and electrical. This includes the heating mat circuit and thermostat, the exhaust duct to outside, noggings for a wall-hung vanity and any grab rails, and pipe lagging where needed.
Week two — sheeting and waterproofing
Sheeting. Wet-area sheet goes onto the walls, and on a timber floor, a compressed fibre cement substrate goes onto the joists.
Screeding. The shower floor is formed to fall to the waste.
Membrane. Applied in coats, turned up the walls, dressed into the waste and every penetration.
Cure. This is where the Highlands differs. Liquid membranes cure more slowly in low temperatures and damp air. In a Bowral winter that can add a day or two. It is not rushed — a membrane tiled over too soon fails inside the wall.
A compliance certificate follows from the licensed applicator.
Weeks three and four — tiling
Underfloor heating first. The heating mat is laid over the waterproofed floor and tested before tile goes over it.
Floor, then walls. Full height in the wet zones. Mosaics and traditional bonds, common in character homes, take longer than large-format tiles.
Grout and sealant. Grout in the flat surfaces; flexible sealant in internal corners and at the floor junction, because those joints move.
Weeks four and five — fit-off
The plumber returns for the vanity, basin, toilet, tapware and shower. The electrician fits lights, exhaust fan, heated towel rail and the heating thermostat. Then the shower screen — measured after tiling — and the mirror, accessories and hardware.
Final clean and handover. A walk-through of the room, a list of anything needing attention, and the documentation: waterproofing certificate, product warranties and heating instructions.
Only one bathroom?
Plan to be without it for the whole program. Common approaches are staying elsewhere, a short-term rental, or a hired portable bathroom unit. If there is a separate toilet, it is kept working as long as possible.
Running it remotely
Many Highlands owners live in Sydney. Measure and handover on a weekend, key access in between, and photographs at strip-out, inspection, rough-in, waterproofing, tiling and fit-off. The waterproofing photographs are worth keeping with the house records.
Costs and where we work
The cost page has the 2026 bands. We work across Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Burradoo and Bundanoon.
Call 02 4210 5289 or send the room details through.
Questions people ask before they commit
How long does it take?
Four to five weeks on site for a main bathroom, three to four for an ensuite, around two for a powder room. Older houses with subfloor repairs and winter jobs with longer membrane cure times sit at the upper end.
Why is it longer than in Sydney?
Trade travel means trades cannot drop in for a two-hour task between other jobs, so stages are grouped. Older houses more often need repairs once opened. And in winter, waterproofing membranes cure more slowly in the cold.
Do I need to be there?
No. For the measure and handover, ideally yes. In between, key access and photographs at each stage work well, and a lot of Highlands owners manage the job from Sydney.
What causes delays?
Selections not finalised before the start, materials not on site, and unexpected findings when the room is opened. The first two are avoidable. The third is reduced by inspecting the subfloor and testing for asbestos before the job is priced.