Bathroom Renovation in Paarl

If the renovation strips the shower area back to the substrate, waterproofing must be redone — a failed membrane is the most expensive bathroom defect there is, because the fix means demolishing finished tiling. Several countries regulate wet-area waterproofing explicitly. Never let a contractor tile directly over an old or damaged membrane.

Around 10-20% is normal, sometimes more where custom vanities or imported fittings must be ordered up front — in that case pay the supplier invoice share, not a round 50%. Hold 5-10% back until the room has been used for a week or two and the snag list (grout gaps, silicone, door alignment) is closed.

Only in limited ways. Swapping a vanity, toilet, or taps in place works as standalone jobs, but anything touching the shower area, waterproofing, or tiling should be done in one hit — redoing tiles twice or breaking a waterproof membrane to add something later costs more than doing it together.

Not the one being renovated — water is disconnected and the floor is out of service for most of the project. If it is your only bathroom, ask the contractor to sequence works so the toilet is usable overnight where possible, and plan for gym showers or neighbours for the tiling and waterproofing week.

Local cost guides put the range at roughly R19,000-R69,000 with an average around R44,000 for a standard renovation; luxury projects in Johannesburg and Cape Town run R90,000-R250,000. Imported sanitaryware moves with the rand, so local-brand fittings are the main budget lever.

In drought-prone metros, low-flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets, and greywater-ready plumbing are worth specifying during a renovation — some municipalities incentivize them and they cut utility bills permanently. It costs little to include while walls are open and much more to retrofit.