You’re standing in your kitchen, mentally knocking down that awkward wall between the living room. The bathroom’s avocado tiles are screaming for an update, and don’t even get started on the bedrooms. Sound familiar? But here’s the real question keeping you up at night: what’s this actually going to cost?
If you’re planning a full house renovation in Australia, expect to budget between $80,000 and $300,000 for most projects. But that’s a pretty wide range, and your actual costs will depend on your home’s size, the scope of work, and where you’re building. In Tasmania, renovation costs typically sit at $2,500–$6,000 per square metre.
Let’s break down what you’ll actually pay and where your money goes.
Average Renovation Costs
- Budget refresh (cosmetic only): $40,000–$80,000: New paint, flooring, fixtures, and light fittings throughout
- Mid-range renovation: $100,000–$200,000: Kitchen and bathroom upgrades, new flooring, some layout changes
- Comprehensive transformation: $200,000–$300,000+: Structural changes, premium finishes, multiple wet areas, extensions
For Launceston families specifically, Go Build Co reports that most complete home renovations range from $30,000 for basic updates to well over $150,000 for full-scale transformations.
What Drives Your Renovation Cost?
Not all renovations cost the same, and understanding what pushes prices up or down helps you budget smarter.
The Rooms You’re Renovating
The rooms you’re renovating matter most. Kitchens and bathrooms are always the most expensive spaces to update because they pack multiple trades into a small area. You’ll need plumbers, electricians, tilers, waterproofers, and cabinet makers all working in the same room.
For context, here’s what individual rooms cost to renovate:
Kitchen
$15,000–$50,000 for mid-range work, rising to $75,000–$120,000 for moving walls or installing premium appliances and custom cabinetry. Kitchens consistently eat the largest chunk of renovation budgets because everything’s visible and functional – cheap shortcuts show immediately.
Bathrooms
The Housing Industry Association estimates the average bathroom renovation costs around $26,000, though budget updates start at $8,000 and luxury builds can exceed $35,000. Moving plumbing or changing the layout adds another $3,000–$8,000 to the cost.
Bedrooms
These are your budget-friendly spaces. A fresh coat of paint, new flooring, and updated lighting might only cost $2,000–$5,000. Add an ensuite or walk-in wardrobe, and you’re looking at $15,000–$30,000.
Living Areas
$10,000–$20,000+, depending on whether you’re just refreshing surfaces or knocking down walls to create an open-plan living space.
Your location changes everything. Labour costs vary significantly between states. According to Suncorp Bank data, Victoria averages $71,067 per renovation, while Western Australia sits around $54,377. In Launceston and northern Tasmania, you’ll generally find more competitive pricing than in Sydney or Melbourne, though skilled trades are in high demand here too.
Structural Work vs Cosmetic Updates
Painting walls and replacing fixtures is straightforward. Moving load-bearing walls, reconfiguring floor plans, or adding extensions requires engineers, council approvals, and significantly more labour. As experiencedr enovation builders in Launceston, we see plenty of heritage homes and older weatherboard cottages that need careful structural assessment before walls can be removed.
Age and Condition of Your Home
Older homes often hide surprises. Asbestos, outdated wiring that doesn’t meet current Australian Standards, dodgy plumbing, or structural timber that needs replacing – these aren’t line items in your initial quote, but they’ll show up once demolition starts. Budget an extra 10–20% as a contingency for unexpected issues.
How to Calculate Your Budget
Don’t just pick a number and hope for the best. Here’s how to build a realistic budget:
- Start with your must-haves. List every room you want to renovate and what specifically needs doing.
- Get detailed quotes from at least three builders. One quote tells you nothing. Three quotes show you the market rate and highlight who’s underpricing (red flag) or overpricing.
- Factor in the hidden costs. Permits, council fees, skip bins, temporary accommodation if you can’t live on-site, storage for furniture – these add up. In Tasmania, building permits for home renovation services vary by council but typically range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the scope.
- Plan for blowouts. Changing your mind mid-build is a major budget killer. Lock in your decisions early, then stick to them.
Where to Spend Your Money (and Where to Save)
Not every dollar delivers the same value. Here’s where experienced builders suggest investing versus cutting back.
Spend on Structure and Systems
Plumbing, electrical work, waterproofing, and structural elements aren’t where you cut corners. Dodgy waterproofing in a bathroom will cost you $15,000+ to fix when it fails in three years. Licensed electricians and plumbers might charge more upfront, but they’re legally required for a reason – and their work comes with warranties.
Spend on Kitchens and Bathrooms
These spaces can deliver returns of 60–80%. A well-designed kitchen adds genuine value to your home and makes daily life significantly better.
Save on Finishes
You don’t need imported Italian tiles when locally made porcelain delivers the same look. Choose off-the-shelf cabinetry rather than fully custom. Look for Australian-made products – they’re cheaper, arrive faster, and you’ll avoid potential tariff issues on imports.
Save on Paint and Flooring
Mid-range paint performs just as well as premium brands once it’s on the wall. Laminate flooring has come a long way – quality laminate looks nearly identical to timber, costs a fraction of the price, and handles Tasmanian moisture better.
Consider What You Can DIY
Demolition, painting, and basic landscaping are all jobs you can tackle yourself if you’re handy. But leave electrical, plumbing, tiling, and structural work to licenced professionals. The money you “save” doing plumbing yourself evaporates the first time a pipe leaks inside your wall.
Getting the Most Value from Your Renovation
The smartest renovations aren’t necessarily the most expensive – they’re the ones that solve real problems in your home.
- Focus on layout over luxury. Opening up a closed-off kitchen to create better flow costs money, but it transforms how your family actually lives in the space. That’s worth more than gold-plated tapware.
- Think long-term. Energy-efficient windows, proper insulation, and quality heating systems cost more upfront but pay back through lower power bills.
- Don’t over-capitalise. Spending $200,000 renovating a home worth $400,000 might not be smart if similar homes in your street sell for $450,000.
The Launceston Perspective
Many homes around Launceston and northern Tasmania were built in eras when layout and energy efficiency weren’t priorities. We regularly work with weatherboard cottages, post-war brick homes, and 1970s builds that need thoughtful updates to suit modern living.
Common projects include removing walls to create open-plan living, upgrading outdated kitchens and bathrooms, improving insulation and heating, and dealing with structural issues in older timber homes. Most complete home renovations take 8–16 weeks, depending on scope, though complex projects involving council approvals or heritage considerations can take longer.
The local council requirements, steep blocks, and sometimes tricky access all factor into pricing. Working with experienced renovation builders in Launceston who understand these challenges means fewer surprises and more realistic timelines.
What Comes Next?
Renovating your home is one of the biggest financial commitments you’ll make, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. The key is understanding what drives costs, building a realistic budget with proper contingency, and knowing where to invest for genuine value.
If you’re planning a renovation in Launceston or northern Tasmania and want to discuss what your project might cost, we’ll give you a detailed, transparent quote based on your specific goals and budget.
