Bathroom renovations · Oakleigh & south-east Melbourne
Plate 04 — Reference plate: marble-look panels, gold tapware
A luxury bathroom rarely looks expensive because of one item. It looks right because the stone benchtop meets the tile at a clean line, the tapware finish matches across every fitting, the lighting has been placed for the mirror and the bath, and the tile edges are mitred rather than capped with trim.
Each of those details has to be fixed before the walls are lined. That is why we set the layout, services, fixture positions and finishes out in a written schedule first, for homes in Oakleigh, Hughesdale, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Chadstone and the surrounding suburbs. For a whole-room rebuild at a more standard specification, see complete bathroom renovations.
Scope summary
Surfaces — natural or engineered stone benchtops, ledges and niches
Bathing — freestanding baths with floor or wall-mounted spouts
Light — layered ceiling, mirror and feature lighting
Fittings — brushed tapware and heated towel rails
Detailing — mitred tile edges, aligned grout, concealed drainage
Plate 04b — freestanding bath under a window · design reference
Natural stone brings veining and depth but needs sealing; engineered stone is more uniform and lower-maintenance. We decide edge profile, thickness and where slabs join before the vanity is made.
A freestanding bath needs clear floor around it, a waste position fixed at rough-in, and a floor that can carry the filled weight. Spout type is chosen early because a floor-mounted mixer changes the plumbing.
General ceiling light, even light at the mirror and a softer feature layer, such as a niche strip or pendant, each on its own switch. Positions are drawn before wiring so fittings land where the layout needs them.
Brushed nickel, brass or gunmetal hides water marks well, but finishes vary between ranges, so mixers, spouts, rails and accessories are selected together. Hard-wired towel rails are planned into the electrical rough-in.
External corners, niches and ledges are cut at 45 degrees so the tile face wraps cleanly without metal trim. It relies on accurate set-out, covered in more depth on our bathroom tiling page.
The stages follow our standard renovation process. The difference is how much is locked in before strip-out: at this level, late changes cost the most.
01Brief and selections. We walk the room, discuss how it will be used and start a shortlist of stone, tile, tapware and bath.
02Drawings and lighting plan. Fixture positions, niche heights, tile set-out and switching are drawn through bathroom design.
03Written quote. Priced against the finished schedule, so every selection is itemised rather than left as an allowance.
04Strip-out, rough-in and waterproofing. Services go in to the drawn positions, then the waterproofing membrane is applied.
05Tiling, stone, fit-off and handover. Mitres and stone joins are finished, fittings installed and checked against the schedule.
When a luxury bathroom project is published, its case study will record the suburb, the brief, before and after photographs, the materials used and the final result. See how case studies are set out on Projects.
Often, if the layout changes. Moving the shower or swapping a vanity for a wall-hung unit can free enough floor. The drawings show whether the bath has space around it before anything is ordered.
Yes, with sealing and gentle cleaners. Some marbles etch with acidic products, so for a busy family bathroom an engineered or porcelain alternative may suit better.
It depends mostly on selections and layout changes. Our guide to bathroom renovation cost explains the main drivers, and a written quote prices your actual schedule.
Talk to us before buying. Some fittings need specific rough-in valves or waste positions, so we confirm compatibility at the selections stage.
Related — Schedule 05
Layout drawings and material selection before construction. Read more →
Related — Schedule 10
Wall-hung or floor-standing, with stone and basin options. Read more →
Ready to set out your schedule? Request a free quote → or contact us.