15 Years
Waterproofing guarantee
BP1021390
Licensed Building Practitioner
PSA127420
Producer statement author
30 Years
Renovating Auckland bathrooms
1,200+
Bathrooms completed in Auckland
4.7 ★
From 70+ Google reviews
Small bathroom services
Small Bathroom Renovation Work We Do in Auckland
Six ways a small Auckland bathroom gets rebuilt, each one priced on the same written quote.
Small Bathroom Renovation, Same Layout
We rebuild small bathrooms in the same layout when the shower, toilet and basin already sit in sensible places, and that keeps the drainage where it is.
The room still goes back to the framing. New linings, a waterproofing membrane, tiles, vanity, shower, toilet and a ducted extractor all go in.
This is the lowest-cost way to get a new small bathroom, and the shortest time without one.
Bath Out, Walk-In Shower In
We swap a shower-over-bath for a walk-in shower when the bath takes up space nobody uses.
The bath takes about 1.5 metres of wall. A shower in the same spot frees floor space and removes the step over the bath edge.
A proprietary shower enclosure in place of the bath typically needs no building consent in Auckland. A tiled shower floor does, so decide which you want before the quote.
Small Wet Rooms
In a room too narrow for a shower screen, our answer is a wet room, where the whole floor is tiled over a waterproofing membrane and falls to one waste.
There is no tray and no glass to clean, and the full floor area stays usable.
A tiled wet-area shower needs a building consent in Auckland. Nick issues the PS3 for the waterproofing that the consent asks for.
Wall-Hung Vanities and Toilets
Wall-hung vanities and in-wall cisterns are how our small bathrooms get floor back.
A 450 mm deep vanity gives back 150 mm across the room compared with a standard 600 mm unit. With the floor visible under it, a tight room reads as larger.
An in-wall cistern needs a framed wall with room behind it, so Nick checks the wall at the site visit.
Small Bathrooms in Villas and Bungalows
Villas and bungalows around Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Mt Eden often have a small bathroom added on the back of the house, and we renovate those rooms from the floor up.
The floor is often out of level and the room has never had a proper extractor. The floor is levelled and re-sheeted before the waterproofing membrane goes down.
Tell us if the house is in a special character area.
Apartment and Townhouse Bathrooms
Apartment bathrooms come to Alchemy with body corporate rules, lift bookings and set working hours, and the quote is built around all three.
Moving a vanity, bath or shower in an apartment in a multi-level building needs a building consent in Auckland, because new pipes can pass through a fire separation.
Keeping the fixtures in place avoids that, so bring the body corporate rules to the site visit.
What happens when you call
How a Small Bathroom Renovation Runs
Five steps from the first call to a finished small bathroom, with nothing removed until you accept the quote.
Free Site Visit and Measure
Nick measures the room, the door swing and the ceiling height, checks the extractor and the floor, and notes which fixtures can move. No charge and no obligation.
Layout Plan and Written Quote
The quote names every trade and every fixture. If the bath is coming out or the toilet is moving, the new layout is settled here, before anything is ordered.
Strip-Out to the Framing
Once the quote is accepted, the old room comes out to the framing. Rotten timber and old pipe are replaced before the new room goes in.
Waterproofing Membrane and Fit-Out
The waterproofing membrane goes on and cures. Then the plumbing, wiring, linings, tiles, vanity, shower and toilet go in.
Handover
Nick runs every tap and the extractor with you. The 15-year waterproofing guarantee starts from this day.
Free, no-obligation site visit
Book a Free Bathroom Site Visit in Auckland
Nick comes to the bathroom, talks through the layout with you, and sends a written quote that lists every trade and every fixture. No obligation. Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
Small bathroom pricing
Small Bathroom Renovation Cost in Auckland
$15,000 to $28,000
A small bathroom in its existing layout costs $15,000 to $28,000 with Alchemy.
Half the floor area does not mean half the price. The plumber, electrician, tiler and waterproofing membrane applicator each still need their days, so small rooms cost more per square metre.
The figures are a guide and not a quote. Nick confirms your price in writing after the site visit.
| Small bathroom job | Range | What sits in it |
|---|---|---|
| Small bathroom, same layout | $15,000 to $28,000 | Strip-out to the framing, new linings, waterproofing membrane, tiles, vanity, shower, toilet, tapware, ducted extractor and paint |
| Bath out, walk-in shower or wet room in | $24,000 to $40,000 | Everything above plus the bath removed, new drainage for the shower, and a tiled floor with a fall to the waste where you choose one |
| Apartment small bathroom | Quoted per job | Priced on access, lift and parking, body corporate working hours, and whether any fixture moves |
Before you ask for a quote
What Moves the Price of a Small Bathroom
Five things decide where a small bathroom lands in those ranges.
Keeping or losing the bath
A bath swapped for a shower enclosure is simpler than a tiled walk-in shower, which needs a shaped floor, more waterproofing membrane and a consent.
Fixtures that move
Moving the toilet or the shower waste means new drainage. Under a timber floor the plumber works from below. On a concrete slab the floor is cut.
Wall-hung fixtures
An in-wall cistern and a wall-hung vanity need framing and blocking behind the lining, which adds carpentry time.
Tiles and tapware
Large-format porcelain and designer tapware push the price up. Standard ceramic tile and a floor-standing vanity keep it down.
What the strip-out finds
Rot around an old shower tray or a floor that has dropped adds framing work. Nick prices it and you approve it before it goes ahead.
Why Aucklanders call Alchemy for a small bathroom
Why Homeowners Choose Alchemy for a Small Bathroom
A small bathroom has less room for error at the floor, the walls and the extractor. These six things cover all three.
An LBP runs the job
Nick McKelvie holds LBP number BP1021390 and does or supervises any restricted building work on your bathroom.
PS3 for the waterproofing
Nick is a registered producer statement author, PSA127420, so a consented wet room or tiled shower gets its PS3 from him.
15-year waterproofing guarantee
The guarantee runs from handover and covers the waterproofing membrane under the tiles.
Layout planned before products
Door swing, vanity depth and shower position are drawn to the millimetre before the tile order goes in.
Extractor ducted outside
Every small bathroom quote includes an extractor ducted to open air, which matters in a room with a small window or none.
4.7 stars from 70+ Google reviews
The reviews are public and carry names. Jenny wrote that the tricky building work in her bathroom was handled by experienced tradespeople.
87.0%
Newmarket, up from 49.9% in 2018
67.1%
Mount Eden North, up from 46.9%
Small bathrooms and Auckland housing
Auckland Homes, Consent and Ventilation in a Small Bathroom
Auckland housing is moving to apartments, townhouses and units. At the 2023 Census, 87.0% of occupied dwellings in Newmarket were joined dwellings, up from 49.9% in 2018. In Mount Eden North the share rose from 46.9% to 67.1%, and at Wynyard-Viaduct it was 94.3%. Alchemy renovates bathrooms in all three, and in a bathroom with no opening window the extractor carries all of the ventilation.
Consent in a small bathroom depends on the shower you choose. Auckland Council's renovation guidance says replacing a bath with a shower over it by a proprietary shower enclosure typically needs no building consent, and that installing a tiled wet-area shower does. Alchemy does not lodge consents. You or your designer lodge the application, Alchemy builds to the approved plans, and Nick supplies the PS3.
A small room fills with steam in minutes. MBIE's Smarter Homes guidance sets 25 litres per second for a typical bathroom extractor, and the fan must vent outside. Alchemy ducts every extractor to open air and fits it where it clears the shower.
From the Google Business Profile
Small Bathroom Reviews From Auckland Clients
Jenny Forsyth
2023
Our main bathroom renovation has been an absolute success, thanks to the incredible team from Alchemy! From start to finish the first consultation, design input and tricky building work handled expertly by experienced tradespeople. Everything flowed so smoothly. We couldn't be happier with our new bathroom
Aruwaji Olaoluwa
2023
When we asked Nick for a quote, he came across as incredibly professional and had some amazing ideas. He delivered on time, just as he promised. … Nick's communication was outstanding, from start to finish. He made the whole process feel effortless, and we felt confident in trusting him and his team.
Bella Pettered
Edited 2024
Nick and his team have provided us with an amazing new bathroom. The crew is amiable, competent, trustworthy, and they met the deadline. Highly recommended.
Before you book the site visit
Small Bathroom Renovation FAQs
$15,000 to $28,000 with Alchemy for a small bathroom in its existing layout. Taking the bath out for a walk-in shower or a wet room moves the job to $24,000 to $40,000. Apartment bathrooms are quoted per job. Your figure comes in writing after the free site visit.
Talk to Nick About Your Small Bathroom
One phone call books the free site visit. Measure the room and the door if you can, and Nick comes back with a layout plan and a written quote.
Phone
Hours
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm
Address
Suite 7646, 17B Farnham Street, Parnell, Auckland 1052
Service area
All of Auckland: North Shore, West, East, South and Central
Contact Alchemy
Alchemy Bathroom Renovations Auckland
Led by Nick McKelvie, Licensed Building Practitioner BP1021390 and producer statement author PSA127420. Complete bathroom, ensuite, small bathroom, villa, laundry and commercial renovations across Auckland, with a 15-year guarantee on the waterproofing.
Mon to Fri, 8am to 5pm
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. Free site visits across Auckland.
