Bathline 01 7 min read Guide
How to choose a bathroom renovator in Sydney
How to check a licence, why Home Building Compensation cover matters, and the questions to ask before you let anyone quote. Hire on proof, not on the lowest number.
Short answer: Choose on proof, not on the lowest number. A real Sydney renovator hands you a licence number you can verify, names the waterproofer, prices the job as a fixed sum, and puts it all in a written contract before you pay anything.
Start with the licence, not the showroom
A beautiful showroom proves nothing about who builds your bathroom. The licence does. In NSW, residential building work over $5,000 must be done by a licensed builder under a written contract. The licence number belongs on the contract, and it takes two minutes to check on the NSW Fair Trading public register.
Verify before you pay a deposit
- Get the NSW licence number and the exact business name in writing.
- Check both on the NSW Fair Trading public register. Confirm the licence is current and the right class for building work.
- Ask for the Home Building Compensation certificate if the price is over $20,000.
- Ask who applies the waterproofing and whether you get a signed certificate of compliance.
- Ask for one recent bathroom finished near you, and call that owner.
The red flags, in the order you will meet them
Most bathroom horror stories start the same way. A low number with no breakdown, a cash deposit, and a builder who is vague about the paperwork. The pattern is consistent, so it is easy to spot once you know it.
Walk away
No licence number on the contract, a cash-only deposit, PC sums instead of named brands, no waterproofer named, and no written start and handover dates. Any two of these together is a job that will cost more and finish late.
Good signs
A current NSW licence you verified yourself, a fixed-price contract with named selections, a licensed waterproofer on the contract, the certificate of compliance priced in, and a deposit paid to a business account. This is what a real Sydney operator looks like on paper.
Why references still beat reviews
Online reviews are useful, but a recent local reference is better. Ask to speak to an owner whose bathroom was finished in the last year. Ask whether the final price matched the quote, whether the dates held, and whether the builder came back to fix the small things. A builder with nothing to hide will give you a name happily.
$5,000
NSW threshold above which building work needs a licensed builder and a written contract
NSW Fair Trading
$20,000
contract price above which Home Building Compensation cover must be in place before work starts
NSW Fair Trading
10 min
to verify a licence and ask the five questions that sort real operators from the rest
Bathline
Two checks and five questions remove most of the risk before any money changes hands.
Common questions
How do I check a Sydney bathroom renovator is actually licensed?
Every licensed NSW builder has a licence number, and it should sit on page one of the contract. Type that number into the NSW Fair Trading public register before you pay a deposit. The register shows the licence class, whether it is current, and any conditions. If the number is missing, expired, or in a different name to the business, treat the quote as unverified.
Do I need Home Building Compensation cover on a bathroom renovation?
In NSW you do once the contract price is over $20,000. The builder takes out Home Building Compensation cover before work starts, and you should see the certificate. It protects you if the builder dies, disappears, or becomes insolvent before the job is finished or a defect shows up. No certificate means no safety net.
What should I ask before I let anyone quote my bathroom?
Ask five things. What is your NSW licence number. Who applies and certifies the waterproofing. Is this a fixed price or are there PC sums and allowances. Will I get a written contract with start and handover dates. Can I see a recent bathroom you finished near me. The answers sort the real operators from the rest in about ten minutes.