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
East Auckland bathroom services
East Auckland Bathroom Renovations for Large Family Homes and Ensuites
Six bathroom jobs, each tied to the kinds of houses East Auckland was built with.
Full Bathroom Renovations
Our full renovations in East Auckland take the room back to bare framing.
New linings, a waterproofing membrane, a shower falling to its waste, a ducted fan, vanity, toilet and tapware go in.
Moving a fixture changes the drainage, so tell Nick at the site visit if the layout should change.
Ensuites in Four-Bedroom Homes
We plan ensuites for East Auckland's four- and five-bedroom houses, usually off the main bedroom or in a walk-in wardrobe.
A new ensuite needs a drain route, a vent and a waterproofed floor, so Nick checks the floor type first.
Building it alongside the main bathroom shares trades across both rooms.
Pre-2000 Bathroom Strip-Outs
Our strip-outs in Howick, Pakuranga and Bucklands Beach homes start with the linings, because many homes there were built before 2000.
WorkSafe NZ says a building from before 1 January 2000 probably contains some asbestos, and lists bath panels and wet-area lining substrate.
Suspect materials are checked before anything is broken out.
Bath-to-Shower Conversions
We swap baths for tiled walk-in showers in 1960s Pakuranga bathrooms that still have an over-bath shower.
The floor is graded to a linear waste, the step disappears and a frameless screen replaces the curtain.
A tiled wet-area shower needs a building consent in Auckland, lodged by you or your designer.
Bathrooms in 1990s and 2000s Homes
We also renovate bathrooms in Botany Downs homes built from the late 1990s onward.
Homes from the late 1980s to mid-2000s with monolithic cladding carry leaky-building risk, so Nick looks for staining or soft linings near the shower and under windows.
A cladding problem goes to a weathertightness specialist before the bathroom is rebuilt.
Second Bathrooms for Large Households
We build second bathrooms for larger East Auckland households where one shared room no longer copes.
A spare bedroom, a laundry or space under the stairs in a two-storey home can take a shower room.
Nick checks the drain fall to the sewer, because that decides where the second room can go.
What happens when you call
Five Steps, With Testing Before the Strip-Out
Five steps, with any testing done before the old bathroom comes out.
1. Free Visit and Renovation History
Nick measures the room, checks the plumbing he can see and asks when the bathroom was last renovated. No charge.
2. Quote, Plus Lining Tests Where Needed
Each trade and every fixture appears as its own line on the East Auckland quote. If a lining could contain asbestos, testing is arranged before the strip-out.
3. Strip-Out Under WorkSafe Rules
The room comes back to the framing, with any asbestos removed under WorkSafe's rules first.
4. Waterproofing Membrane and New Fixtures
The waterproofing membrane cures, then the tiles, vanity, shower, toilet and extractor go in.
5. Final Walk-Through With Nick
Nick runs every fixture with you. The waterproofing carries a 15-year guarantee from handover.
Free, no-obligation site visit
Book Your East Auckland Quote
One call books the visit. Nick comes to your East Auckland home, measures the bathroom and sends a written quote with every trade and fixture listed.
East Auckland bathroom prices
East Auckland Bathroom Renovation Costs by Room Type
$15,000 to $65,000+
Most East Auckland bathrooms cost $15,000 to $40,000. Master ensuites in larger Botany and Flat Bush homes often sit in the top band.
An ensuite and a main bathroom done together cost less than two separate jobs, because the plumber, electrician and tiler visit once.
The ranges help you budget. Nick's written quote after the site visit is the figure to plan on.
| East Auckland bathroom | Range | What sits in it |
|---|---|---|
| Ensuite or small bathroom, same layout | $15,000 to $28,000 | New linings, waterproofing membrane, tiles, vanity, shower, toilet, tapware and a ducted fan |
| Family bathroom in a Howick or Pakuranga home | $22,000 to $40,000 | Everything above plus a bath swapped for a walk-in shower or a toilet merged into the room |
| Master ensuite or high-spec main bathroom | $40,000 to $65,000+ | Double vanity, large walk-in shower, freestanding bath, underfloor heating or stone, common in larger Botany and Flat Bush homes |
| 1990s or 2000s house with damage near the shower | Quoted after inspection | Priced once the framing behind the linings has been seen |
What moves an East Auckland price
Five Cost Drivers on East Auckland Quotes
Five things move East Auckland bathroom prices most, and the age of the house decides three of them.
Asbestos testing
Pre-2000 homes in Howick, Pakuranga and Bucklands Beach can have asbestos in bath panels and linings. Testing and removal add cost.
New ensuite drainage
A new ensuite needs a drain route to the sewer, which costs more on a concrete slab than over a timber floor.
Framing behind the shower
Damp framing in 1990s and 2000s homes is replaced before the new waterproofing membrane goes on.
Upstairs bathrooms
Bathrooms over timber floors in two-storey homes need extra floor preparation and protection for the rooms below.
Fixtures and finishes
Freestanding baths, stone and large-format porcelain are the biggest single lines on a master ensuite quote.
Why East Auckland homeowners call Alchemy
What East Auckland Families Get From Alchemy
Six things East Auckland clients mention most.
An LBP running the job
Restricted building work on East Auckland jobs is done or supervised by Nick McKelvie, LBP BP1021390.
Linings tested before cutting
Suspect linings in pre-2000 bathrooms are tested before anything is cut.
15-year waterproofing membrane guarantee
From handover, the waterproofing membrane on an East Auckland job is guaranteed for 15 years.
PS3 for the shower waterproofing
As registered producer statement author PSA127420, Nick issues the PS3 for each East Auckland waterproofing membrane.
Timeframe in writing
Glen's review says the job was on time and as quoted. The timeframe for your room is in the written quote.
A Howick bathroom reviewed on Google
Huyen reviewed the Howick bathroom Alchemy finished in twelve business days.
East Auckland housing
Bathrooms in East Auckland Homes, Howick to Flat Bush
East Auckland was built in stages, from Howick's 1847 Fencible village to Flat Bush, which is still going up. Each stage left a different kind of bathroom.
Howick and Bucklands Beach After 1952
In a Howick or Bucklands Beach house from the 1950s or 1960s, a bathroom that has only been re-tiled over the years can hide original framing and linings under the newer surface. We strip to the studs and check suspect linings for asbestos before demolition.
Howick became a borough in 1952, and Te Ara records rapid growth in Howick and Bucklands Beach after that. Prices and housing data for bathroom renovations in Howick sit on their own page.
Pakuranga, a Planned 1960s Suburb
Pakuranga bathrooms in group-built houses repeat the same layouts. Where the room is small, with a bath and over-bath shower and a separate toilet, merging the toilet in or replacing the bath with a walk-in shower gives space without moving outside walls.
Pakuranga was farmland until the 1960s. Auckland Council's history of the city's urban form records 1,000 residential sections developed there in 1964, and Te Ara says housing companies then built thousands of middle-income homes.
Botany Downs, Late 1990s Onward
In a Botany Downs bathroom, staining, swelling or a soft spot near the shower or under a window needs looking at before any quote. Nick opens the wall and checks the framing before the rebuild is priced.
Botany Downs was developed from the late 1990s. The Real Estate Authority's settled.govt.nz says homes built between the late 1980s and mid-2000s carry a leaky-building risk, mostly where they have monolithic cladding.
Flat Bush, a Planned New Town
Flat Bush bathrooms are young, so the work is mostly upgrades such as a second ensuite, a larger walk-in shower or new finishes. Terraces and townhouses put bathrooms upstairs over timber floors, where the waterproofing membrane detail matters most.
Te Ara describes Flat Bush as a planned new town for around 40,000 residents.
Era dates come from Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, and Auckland Council's A brief history of Auckland's urban form (2019).
50%
Homes with 4+ bedrooms
20%
Homes with 5+ bedrooms
What the census says about East Auckland
Big Houses, Damp and Asbestos Checks in East Auckland
East Auckland homes are larger than the Auckland average. At the 2023 Census, about 50% of homes in the Howick local board had four or more bedrooms and about 20% had five or more. Families that size often outgrow a single bathroom, so an ensuite or second bathroom is worth pricing alongside the main one.
Damp is lower here than in the west or south. The Howick board recorded 15.3% of homes as damp always or sometimes, and 13.9% with mould larger than an A4 sheet. A bathroom without a ducted fan still collects that moisture, so every quote includes an extractor vented outside.
WorkSafe NZ says a building built before 1 January 2000 probably contains some asbestos, and its list includes bath panels, wet-area lining substrate and toilet cisterns. Many Howick, Pakuranga and Bucklands Beach homes fall into that group, so suspect linings are checked before the strip-out starts.
East Auckland jobs
Finished Bathrooms in East Auckland
Two finished East Auckland jobs. Each one has a project page with more photos and the work done.
Family Bathroom, Botany
A wide drawer vanity with a mirrored cabinet, and a bath under the window with a stone-look tiled splashback. View the Botany bathroom renovation.
Pebble Walk-In Shower, Cockle Bay
River-pebble niches set into white subway tiles, a pebble shower floor and a linear strip drain. See the Cockle Bay walk-in shower with pebble niches.
From the Google Business Profile
Google Reviews From East Auckland Clients
Huyen Thu
2024
Nick and his group performed an excellent job renovating our bathroom in Howick. Complete demolition to be finished in twelve business days, outstanding communication along the process, and superior craftsmanship
Glen Sandbrook
Edited 2024
Fantastic communication. On time and as quoted
Camila Glaser
2024
I couldn’t be happier with Alchemy Bathrooms team. They took my simple idea and it turned into a sleek modern bathroom. My husband and I are absolutely delighted with the results. They are highly professional, quick and listened to all our requirements.
Before you book the site visit
Questions About Bathrooms in Older East Auckland Homes
Most East Auckland bathrooms cost $15,000 to $40,000, and master ensuites or high-spec bathrooms run to $65,000 and above. Nick quotes yours in writing after a free site visit.
Call Nick About an East Auckland Bathroom
Send the form below or call to book a free site visit anywhere in East Auckland. Tell Nick when the bathroom was last renovated, and the quote covers any testing needed.
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.
All of Auckland
North Shore, West, East, South and Central Auckland.
Mon to Fri, 8am to 5pm
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. Free site visits across Auckland.
