A laundry renovation in Australia typically costs anywhere from around $5,000 for a simple refresh to $25,000+ for a more complete renovation, with the final price depending on cabinetry, benchtops, plumbing, tiling, appliances, storage, and whether the layout changes. How much does a laundry renovation cost Australia is best answered by looking at the scope first, because a cosmetic update and a full laundry rebuild are completely different projects.
Key Takeaways
- Basic laundry refreshes can start from around $5,000 in Australia
- Full laundry renovations often sit closer to $15,000 to $25,000+
- Plumbing relocation, cabinetry, tiling, and appliances drive costs up
- Keeping the existing layout is usually the easiest way to save
- A clear scope helps avoid variations and budget blowouts
How Much Does a Laundry Renovation Cost Australia: Breaking Down the Three Price Tiers
Most Australian laundries cost between $5,000 and $25,000 to renovate professionally, with the final number depending heavily on decisions made around plumbing, joinery, and materials.
The three tiers most Melbourne renovation builders and homeowners work within are:
- Budget renovation ($5,000 to $10,000): Surface updates with the existing layout kept in place. Typical inclusions are fresh paint, flat-pack cabinetry, a new sink and tapware, basic splashback tiling, and a laminate benchtop. No plumbing relocation and no structural changes. Best suited to rental properties, quick refreshes, or homes where the layout already works well.
- Mid-range renovation ($10,000 to $18,000): A more complete overhaul covering semi-custom or custom cabinetry, an engineered stone benchtop, floor tiling, a new sink and mixer tap, and appliance space reconfiguration. May include minor plumbing adjustments but not full relocation. This is the most common tier for Melbourne owner-occupiers seeking a quality result without a premium spend.
- High-end renovation ($18,000 to $30,000+): Full transformation with custom joinery, premium tapware, full-height tiling, structural changes, and in some cases plumbing relocation. Features like pull-out hampers, heated drying racks, and integrated appliance storage sit at this level.
Most professionally completed projects in Melbourne fall between $8,000 and $20,000 for a standard laundry of up to 6 square metres.
European Laundries vs Full Laundry Rooms: How Size Affects the Budget
Room size is one of the most direct cost drivers in a laundry renovation, and the difference between a European laundry and a full utility room has a significant effect on what is achievable at each budget level.
A European laundry is typically a compact cupboard-sized space, often behind bifold doors, measuring around 2 to 4 square metres.
These smaller spaces need less material, less tiling, and less cabinetry, which keeps costs lower even for a quality finish.
A renovation of a well-designed European laundry can achieve a strong result at the budget to low-mid tier, often between $5,000 and $12,000.
A full laundry room of 5 to 8 square metres is a different scope entirely.
More wall and floor area, additional cabinetry runs, and a longer benchtop all push the material cost higher before labour is even considered.
Full laundry room renovations in this size range typically fall in the $12,000 to $22,000 bracket for mid-range finishes in Melbourne.
How Much Does It Cost to Renovate a Laundry When Plumbing Needs to Move?
Moving plumbing during a laundry renovation adds $1,500 to $5,000 or more to the project in Melbourne, making it the single most impactful cost decision available before a scope is finalised.
Keeping all plumbing connections in their current positions is the clearest cost control available, and it is the advice most consistently given by experienced Melbourne renovation builders.
Moving the washing machine connection point, repositioning the tub, or reconfiguring drain points all require a licensed plumber on top of the standard renovation cost.
If the laundry shares a wet wall with the bathroom or kitchen, relocation is relatively manageable because drainage and supply lines are already nearby.
If the laundry is isolated, running new lines to a different position in the room can involve opening floors, routing through wall cavities, and reinstating all affected surfaces, which compounds the trade cost quickly.
The straightforward advice applies at every budget level: keep the plumbing where it is, and spend the money saved on materials and finish instead.
What Drives the Cost of a Laundry Renovation Up or Down?
Plumbing relocation, custom joinery, and the scope of tiling work are the three biggest cost levers in any laundry renovation.
Getting clarity on these three areas before quoting begins is the most reliable way to control the final price.
The main factors that increase the total cost are:
- Plumbing relocation: Moving any water or drainage connection adds licensed plumber cost before a single material is purchased.
- Custom joinery: Fully custom cabinetry costs $3,000 to $6,000 more than semi-custom and considerably more than flat-pack, though the visual difference in a small laundry space is often minor.
- Benchtop material: Stone and engineered stone are the premium choice. Modern laminate in a stone or timber print is a strong mid-range alternative that reduces this line item significantly.
- Tiling scope: Full-height tiling costs more in both materials and labour than splashback-only tiling. Limiting tiles to the wet zone is one of the more effective budget strategies available.
- Electrical upgrades: Additional power points, upgraded lighting, and new exhaust fan installation all add to the licensed electrician component of the job.
The same discipline that applies to keeping a kitchen renovation on budget applies directly here, and the practical strategies covered in the guide on how to renovate a kitchen on a budget translate well to laundry scope management.
Cabinetry, Benchtops, and Tiling: Where the Budget Goes
These three categories account for the largest share of most laundry renovation budgets, and knowing the cost range for each helps with realistic planning before quoting begins.
Flat-pack laundry cabinetry starts at around $500 to $1,500 for a basic configuration and is the most budget-friendly starting point.
Semi-custom joinery with a wider selection of finishes runs from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the size of the space and the number of cabinet runs involved.
Fully custom-built joinery starts at around $5,000 and increases with the complexity and size of the configuration.
For benchtops, laminate sits between $150 and $400 per linear metre installed, while engineered stone runs $500 to $900 per linear metre depending on thickness, edge profile, and the product selected.
Splashback tiling for a laundry typically costs $600 to $1,500 for materials and installation depending on tile format and surface area involved.
Floor tiling adds $800 to $2,500 to the project depending on the tile choice and whether existing flooring needs to be removed first.
How Much Is a Laundry Renovation Worth? The Return on Investment
Yes, a laundry renovation is worth it for most Melbourne homeowners.
A well-executed laundry adds to the overall home presentation, supports a stronger result at resale, and delivers daily lifestyle improvement that compounds across every week of use.
Buyers at inspections increasingly notice the laundry, particularly in the Melbourne $700,000 to $1.2 million market where a finished standard is expected across all rooms.
For rental properties, a budget to mid-range laundry renovation supports higher weekly rent and improves tenant retention, producing a return across the life of the tenancy rather than just at the point of sale.
Homeowners planning a bathroom renovation in Melbourne often include the laundry in the same project, since both are wet areas sharing similar trade requirements, and combining them under one builder typically reduces the total cost compared to running two separate projects.
When the laundry is part of a wider home update, multi-room renovations in Melbourne allow trades to be coordinated once and materials to be priced across a larger scope, which commonly delivers a lower overall cost than staging each room separately.
Getting the Most From Your Laundry Renovation Budget
The clearest path to a strong laundry renovation result is making a small number of high-impact decisions before the quoting process begins.
A few early choices have an outsized effect on the final cost and the quality of the outcome:
- Keep plumbing in place: This is the single highest-return decision available and immediately puts the project into a predictable cost range.
- Choose joinery wisely: Flat-pack or semi-custom cabinetry with quality handles and a good benchtop reads very close to full custom in a small space at a fraction of the cost.
- Tile where it counts: Splashback tiling with sealed or painted walls elsewhere is a budget-smart approach that still presents well.
- Include a 10 to 20 percent contingency: Hidden issues like waterproofing failures, old wiring, or subfloor damage are common in laundry spaces and should be planned for rather than treated as surprises.
- Get at least three quotes: Pricing for the same scope can vary by 20 to 30 percent between Melbourne builders, which makes comparative quoting essential.
Need Help Planning Your Laundry Renovation in Melbourne?
YoungConstruct designs and builds laundry renovations in Melbourne from layout and materials right through to the finished space.
We offer a free onsite measure and quote with clear cost direction on what the job involves, what tier of finish suits your goals, and what the project will realistically cost before any commitment is made.
Call 0451 177 006 or get in touch through the website to book your free consultation.
Final Thoughts on How Much Does a Laundry Renovation Cost Australia
How much does a laundry renovation cost Australia-wide sits between $5,000 for a budget surface refresh and $30,000 or more for a premium full transformation.
Most Melbourne homeowners working with a licensed builder on a mid-range laundry renovation should budget between $10,000 and $18,000 for a professionally finished result.
Keeping plumbing in place, making smart joinery and benchtop choices, and getting at least three detailed comparative quotes are the three decisions that most reliably keep the final cost within the expected range.
