Bathroom vanity installation and replacement

• Is the new vanity the exact same size as the old one?

• Are the tap and waste pipes going to be in the same location or do they need to be moved?

• Does the wall or floor tiling need to be adjusted, repaired or replaced?

• Does the sink have to be removed separately to the vanity or is it a single unit.

• Will it be a wall hung unit that requires re-enforcement in the wall or is it freestanding.

• Is it a kit that needs to be constructed or a pre-built vanity.

• Does a separate wall cabinet or mirror need to be installed on the wall on top of the vanity?

• Do the taps need to be replaced or converted from two tap to a single mixer set up?

• Does any of the plumbing need to be moved or adjusted. 

Why costs can be variable
Whether you are living in your own home or have a rental property in Sydney, there could be a time when you start thinking about replacing your bathroom vanity and sink. As we mentioned Nu-Trend provides a bathroom vanity replacement service in Sydney and can help you determine the cost of bathroom vanity installation.

The average labour cost to have a vanity replaced in Sydney is between $400 and $600 depending on the extent of the work required, especially if the whole thing is being completely removed. 

There could be other work that needs to be done depending on your specific situation and that might need more labour time. You then have to add the cost of the vanity unit itself and the costs to install a bathroom vanity will vary with basic ones for around $200 to high end custom vanity designs that sell for many thousands of dollars. Most new vanity units do not include taps or a mixer so you have to budget for that separately as well.

When you combine these three factors;

• A variable scope of work that could have different levels of complexity
• A wide range of vanity products that cost from $200 to over $2,000
• Taps and mixer sets that cost from $50 to over $500
• Does any repair or remedial work have to be done to the wall, floor or plumbing.

You can better understand why it is literally impossible to give a single fixed cost estimate for a bathroom vanity installation in Sydney but we have given you a price guide on the labour at least. It is easy for you to decide what vanity and tap hardware you would like. From there you can estimate your total costs pretty easily.

Consider remedial repair costs
The single biggest cost could be the remedial work that is needed to repair or adjust the floor or wall tiling if the new vanity is a different shape to the old one. You might be getting a bigger one that covers things up but then a wall hung unit will expose the wall. So therefore the overall costs and time needed to complete the install will vary

If you just want the bathroom sink changed and not the whole vanity then this will cost slightly less, but a lot will depend if it fits onto the vanity or if any other adjustments have to be made to the countertop or pipes underneath. 

Use a bathroom renovator in Sydney not just a plumber
Nu-Trend has a team of licensed vanity installers who are bathroom renovations contractors that can provide a bathroom vanity installation service in Sydney. We can even provide an obligation free quotation over the phone so you can work out the potential costs to install a vanity and sink in your home.

The number one reason that people replace their bathroom vanity is to get a new one that looks more modern and contemporary. Although there are quite a few other reasons that you’d need to replace the vanity and these include;

1. The old vanity gets water damaged and begins to fall apart as the wood rots or the laminate peels.
2. The doors or drawers stop opening properly or get stuck due to lots of use and age, the runners or rails get worn or go out of alignment.
3. The top of the vanity might have become worn or damaged and needs to be replaced.
4. You are changing the style of the bathroom so a new vanity, basin and top might enhance the look or style of your bathroom.
5. You want to change the shape or size of the vanity to improve the usability of your bathroom e.g a single vanity to a double unit.
6. You want more storage in your bathroom and need a vanity with cupboard space or an extra cabinet.
7. You want to switch from a vanity with a single sink to a double.
8. Your vanity has two taps but you want to convert to a single mixer instead.

Who can install a vanity unit is a tricky question.

The simple answer is anyone can install a vanity in a bathroom – the more relevant question though is which type of person is best suited to installing a vanity unit? 

It might be simple for anyone to literally place a vanity unit on the floor, but not everyone will be trained to connect the plumbing correctly. Placing a cabinet onto a floor is similar to putting one in a living room, but the difference is you then have to connect water pipes, taps and the waste pipe which requires a plumber if you want it done properly.

A DIY’er or a handyman may feel comfortable doing basic plumbing jobs but it they don’t have lots of experience working with plumbing then it becomes a risk, especially if pipes need to be moved or you are changing from double to single mixers etc.

The other consideration is whether any other repair work is needed to the floor or wall. You might have to make adjustments to waterproofing, tiling or painting to complete the installation correctly. Not everyone will be comfortable doing this, so it makes more sense to use a bathroom renovations company in Sydney rather than a handyman, plumber or your mate.

Bathroom vanities are expensive because you might be looking at one that is hand made from a designer instead of a basic flat pack product from a hardware store that is mass produced. Take the vanities that are available to buy from Reece for example, they range from $400 for their simple entry level vanity product, then $700 for a wall hung timber unit with ceramic top and around $8,000 for a unit designed by ISSY that is a real statement piece.

Are vanities really expensive or is it a case of people not shopping around to understand the options available? 

There are thousands of different vanities available to buy in Sydney even Bunnings sells their Estillo single tap / sink unit for just $193 so most likely there is a product that will suit each person’s budget. You could even buy a second hand vanity to save money instead of an expensive one.

Here is a basic vanity from Reece which is the Base two door that is $470 inc gst

or the Posh Domain 600mm wall hung vanity for $776 with a ceramic top and MDF MR E0 body

or finally there is the ISSY Cloud II 900mm made to order vanity for $6527 inc gst

As you can see just in the examples above, vanities are not expensive, there are a wide variety of products to choose from that will suit different budgets and needs. Very similar to clothing or other types of furniture for your home.

Once you have selected your vanity furniture, depending on the model you have chosen, you might then have to choose a sink and of course your tap mixer hardware. You can create a simple package so that the colour, texture and design of the vanity, sink and taps all matches perfectly with your floor or wall tiles.