Two very different jobs
In most Sydney suburbs, an ensuite renovation means updating a room that is already there. In the Highlands it frequently means something else: creating an ensuite in a house that never had one.
A Bowral cottage from 1915 or a Burradoo house from the 1930s was built with one bathroom, often at the back of the house, and an outdoor toilet. Later owners added a second toilet. Very few added an ensuite properly. So the brief we get is often "we'd like one" rather than "ours is dated".
Both are worth doing. They are priced very differently.
Renovating an existing ensuite
Where an ensuite already exists — typical in 1970s–2000s houses in Mittagong, Moss Vale and the newer parts of Bowral — the job is a compact version of a full bathroom renovation.
The constraints are space and set-out. An ensuite of 3 to 5 square metres has to fit a shower, toilet and vanity with clearances that actually work, and the door swing often fights with at least one of them. The changes that help most:
- Remove the shower tray and framed screen and build a tiled, level-entry shower with a single fixed glass panel. The room reads as larger immediately.
- Wall-hung vanity with drawers, so the floor runs under it.
- In-wall cistern where the wall construction allows, which gains depth.
- Sliding or cavity door if the swing is the problem — though that depends on what is inside the wall.
Creating a new ensuite
Where there is no ensuite, the questions start earlier.
Where does the waste go? On a suspended timber floor the drainage can usually run through the subfloor to the existing sewer line, provided there is enough fall. On a slab it is harder and more expensive. The position of the existing sewer, or the septic tank, is the first thing we look at.
What does it take from the bedroom? A workable ensuite needs roughly 2.4 by 1.8 metres at minimum. In a large Federation bedroom that is a reasonable trade. In a smaller one it can leave the bedroom awkward, and it is better to say so before anyone commits.
Which walls move? New stud walls are straightforward. Removing or altering an original wall — particularly a double-brick or lath-and-plaster one in an older house — is not, and may be structural.
What about approvals? Creating a new wet area, altering structure, or adding fixtures to an on-site sewage system can each need council involvement. If the house is a listed heritage item in the Wingecarribee LEP, internal changes can too. We raise it at the measure, not after the contract is signed.
Powder rooms
A powder room — toilet and basin, no shower — is the least expensive wet area to renovate. Waterproofing requirements are minimal, the program is short, and the finish can be more decorative than a bathroom because it does not have to cope with steam.
In a Highlands house used for entertaining, this is often the room visitors see. It suits a stronger tile or wallpaper, a feature basin and good lighting, and it is a sensible place to spend a little more per square metre.
Keeping a small room warm
A small room with a cold tiled floor, on a timber subfloor, in a Bowral July is uncomfortable. The two upgrades we recommend on almost every Highlands ensuite:
- An underfloor heating mat under the tile, on a thermostat and timer. In a small room it is a modest cost.
- A ducted exhaust fan vented outside, not into the roof. Small rooms fog quickly and cold ceilings grow mould.
Costs
Renovating an existing ensuite: roughly $18,000–$30,000. Creating a new ensuite: typically from $30,000. Powder room: $9,000–$16,000. See the full 2026 cost bands.
Call 02 4210 5289 or send the room details through.