Written by Chris Roulstone, Director, Roulstone Renovations (QBCC Licence No. 1314759)
Renovating a mid-range kitchen and a standard bathroom in the Redlands gives an indicative combined budget of $57,500 to $85,000 before contingency, based on their individual room ranges. Your final quote will depend on the layout, selections, existing conditions, and scope of work.
Renovating both rooms under one project can make planning and trade coordination more efficient. It also means working through the cost and disruption of two essential rooms at once.
Before committing, you need to know what the budget covers, what could sit outside it, and how your household will manage during construction.
For 2026, plan on the following amounts for one mid-range kitchen and one standard complete bathroom renovation.
These figures apply to one kitchen and one bathroom. An additional ensuite, laundry, extension or substantial change to adjoining rooms needs its own allowance. Confirm GST and all inclusions in your written quote.
A smaller, straightforward project may sit below this guide. Custom joinery, premium appliances, larger rooms or structural alterations can push the total higher.
If your plans extend beyond these rooms, our home renovation cost guide for the Redlands covers budgeting for a broader scope.
Renovating your kitchen and bathroom together can cost less than completing them as separate projects, but the savings depend on the scope and construction sequence.
One builder can coordinate site protection, waste removal, deliveries and trade visits across both rooms, potentially reducing duplicated setup costs.
Each room still needs its own materials, fixtures and installation work. Trades also return at different stages, so combining the renovations does not eliminate separate visits.
Ask your builder to identify any efficiencies in the combined quote before assuming a discount. Planning both rooms upfront also helps coordinate services, finishes and access throughout the work.
A full kitchen renovation and full bathroom renovation involve more than replacing visible finishes. Your budget also needs to account for demolition, preparation, services, and installation.
Replacing a kitchen within its existing footprint is a different project from removing a wall and opening it into the living area. Moving the sink, adding services to an island or changing appliance positions can introduce extra work.
In the bathroom, relocating the shower or toilet can affect drainage, floor preparation and access beneath the room. Existing service positions are worth assessing before settling on a new layout.
Keep the parts of the layout that function well, and spend on changes that solve a clear problem.
Kitchen cabinetry and appliances can take the budget in very different directions. Detailed joinery, internal storage systems, integrated appliances and larger benchtops all need to be specified before you can compare prices properly.
Bathroom selections matter too. A custom vanity, freestanding bath, frameless shower screen and extensive tiling create a different scope from a compact room with simpler fittings.
Choose the features you will use every day first. Then work through finishes within the remaining budget. Our kitchen renovations page explains the layout and fit-out options we can work through with you.
An older Capalaba or Cleveland home may need more work than its current finishes suggest. Water damage, deteriorated framing and ageing services can become clearer once the rooms are opened up.
For homes built before 1990, asbestos also needs consideration before demolition. Queensland Government guidance identifies kitchen and bathroom wall sheeting among the places it may be found. Arrange assessment of suspect materials before they are disturbed.
A new kitchen can affect adjoining flooring, walls, ceilings and paintwork. Those connections need to be included in the scope, particularly when the layout changes.
Ask where the renovation finishes. Replacing flooring through the dining room or repainting an open-plan living area can materially change a two-room budget.
Allow a 10–15 per cent contingency alongside the renovation budget for unforeseen work. The appropriate amount depends on the home's condition and what can be established before construction.
For illustration, a hypothetical $70,000 renovation quote plus a 10–15 per cent contingency gives a working budget of $77,000 - 80,500. This assumes the quote covers the intended renovation scope. Budget separately for excluded items, such as temporary accommodation or owner-supplied appliances.
Keep this reserve available for genuine unknowns. If you already know you want a more expensive oven or vanity, include it in the selections rather than relying on contingency to cover it.
Read the scope alongside the total. Check that it clearly addresses:
Our bathroom renovations page explains the work involved in a complete bathroom renovation, from design through to handover.
A fixed-price contract gives you a price for the agreed scope. Read how allowances and changes are handled as well. The QBCC's guidance on contract variations explains the written process for documenting changes and their effect on price and timing.
Discuss this before the construction sequence is agreed. Losing access to your kitchen and only bathroom at the same time can make staying home impractical.
A second usable bathroom and a suitable temporary food preparation area may give you more flexibility. Access, dust control and interruptions to water or power also need consideration.
Ask your builder to explain the trade-offs between overlapping and staged work. Include temporary accommodation, storage or additional meal costs in your household budget where needed.
That is below the combined mid-range guide above. It may require a smaller scope, simpler selections, or completing one room first. A site assessment can establish what is achievable without leaving essential work unfunded.
Prioritise the room with the most pressing condition or functional problems. A leaking bathroom may need attention before a dated but still-usable kitchen. If you stage the work, plan both rooms early so the first renovation supports the second.
Updating both rooms can improve a home's presentation and usefulness, but you shouldn't assume a specific financial return. If selling is your priority, weigh the proposed spend against the property's condition, likely buyers, and local sales advice.
A useful budget starts with your home and the changes you need. We assess the existing rooms, discuss your priorities and work through the scope before preparing a fixed-price quote.
Roulstone Renovations is based in Capalaba and manages renovation projects across the Redlands, with one point of contact throughout the work.
Thinking about what your home could be? Contact Roulstone Renovations to talk through your kitchen, bathroom, or the budget you have in mind.
