Bathroom Renovations in Palm Beach, QLD
From Your Neighbour Who Knows Every Challenge
The Palm Beach Bathroom Truth
After 15 years of renovating bathrooms in Palm Beach, we’ve seen every challenge this coastal suburb can throw at a renovation. From the beachfront units on Jefferson Lane to the older homes tucked behind the Pines Shopping Centre, each project teaches us something new. And here’s what nobody tells you: Palm Beach bathrooms come with their own unique set of challenges that contractors unfamiliar with the area simply don’t understand.
Let me share three recent projects – all within a few streets of each other – that perfectly illustrate what we deal with here.
The Luxury Ensuite Challenge: Laguna Avenue
When Space Isn't the Problem, But Layout Is
This project on Laguna Avenue had everything going for it – generous space, solid bones, decent budget ($39,759 total). But like many Palm Beach homes built in the 80s, the layout was trapped in time. Separate toilet cubicle eating up space. Corner bath nobody used. The classic “why is it designed like this?” layout.
We discovered what I find in about half of Palm Beach’s older homes: creative DIY plumbing that worked… until you touched it. The previous renovator had run pipes at angles that defied physics and building codes. Fixing it properly added time but prevented future disasters.
The Frameless Shower Screen Decision
Here’s something specific to Palm Beach: that frameless shower screen with the 200mm radius corner? Not just about looks. Walk down to the beach on any weekend and count the garage sales. See all those failed shower screens? Salt air corrodes standard corners where water pools. That radius detail adds $99 but saves you replacing the whole screen in five years.
The Reality Check: Bali Avenue
The Main Bathroom Strategy:
- 🚿 Converted the unused bath to a shower (saving on an expensive bath and creating better space)
- 📚 Built a clever shelving frame along one wall (maximising storage without expensive cabinetry)
- 🔧 Used standard fixtures but quality installation
The Trade-offs:
- 🎨 No painting included (they handled it themselves)
- 💡 Simple fixtures instead of designer brands
- 🛡️ But NO compromise on waterproofing or proper installation
The Barn Door Solution
That barn door in the ensuite? Pure Palm Beach problem-solving. These older units have awkward layouts where a standard door swing eats up half the room. Barn doors aren’t just trendy – they’re practical for our typical 1980s unit configurations.
The Compact Miracle: Rolan Court
The Palm Beach Challenges Nobody Mentions
The Chipboard Floor Reality
All three projects had the same hidden issue: chipboard flooring. Welcome to 1980s Palm Beach construction. That stuff is like a sponge – one small leak and it swells like a balloon. Every one of these renovations included stripping back to the chipboard and properly waterproofing before anything else.
If your Palm Beach bathroom has original flooring, budget for this. It’s not optional.
The Access Problem
Here’s something unique to Palm Beach: getting materials to your bathroom. Laguna Avenue? Easy street access. But try getting tiles to a third-floor unit on Rolan Court. Or navigating the narrow driveways off Fifth Avenue.
After years of working in the area, we know which properties need smaller delivery trucks. We know which buildings require everything carried up stairs. This local knowledge affects both timeline and cost.
The Asbestos Factor
Every quote includes asbestos testing because Palm Beach homes built before 1991 are almost guaranteed to have it somewhere. The Pines Shopping Centre was built in 1982 – most homes around it are from the same era. That means asbestos in wall sheeting, under tiles, sometimes in the adhesive.
$55 for testing beats a $5,000 emergency removal any day.
What These Projects Really Cost (And Why)
Let’s be completely transparent:
Luxury Ensuite
-
👷 Labour and materials: $31,939
- 🔩 Fixtures and fittings: $7,820
- 💰 Total: $39,759
Dual Space Renovation
- 👷 Labour and materials: $23,023 (main) + $22,004 (ensuite)
- 🔩 Fixtures and fittings: $6,384
- 💰 Total: $51,411 (but split across two bathrooms)
Compact Bathroom/Laundry
- 👷 Labour and materials: $20,746
- 🔩 Fixtures and fittings: $5,779
- 💰 Total: $26,525
The Palm Beach Renovation Timeline Truth
The Palm Beach Renovation Timeline Truth
These renovations took between 2-3 weeks each. But here’s what affects timeline in Palm Beach:
Beach Weather Delays:
The sea breeze brings moisture, increasing drying times. Waterproofing that takes 24 hours in Nerang might need 48 hours here.Access Issues:
Narrow streets, limited parking, and multi-story walk-ups add extra time.Discovery Issues:
Older homes can have surprises — always budget time for the unexpected.
Lessons from 15 Years of Palm Beach Bathrooms
Invest in Moisture Management
Every successful Palm Beach bathroom has three things:
- Premium waterproofing (not just the minimum)
- Proper ventilation (rated for coastal conditions)
- Fixtures that handle humidity (matte finishes over chrome)
Work With Your Space, Not Against It
Those quirky layouts in older Palm Beach homes? Sometimes they’re actually clever responses to our climate. That weird window placement might be perfect for cross-ventilation. That odd corner might be ideal for a custom storage solution.
Choose Local Experience
Our years of experience in Palm Beach mean we understand the suburb inside out. We’ve worked on properties from the beachfront to behind the Pines Shopping Centre. When we quote your bathroom, we’re thinking about how it’ll perform in Palm Beach’s unique coastal environment for years to come, not just on completion day.
Is Your Palm Beach Bathroom Ready?
Whether you’re in a beachfront unit, a family home near Nineteenth Avenue, or one of those hidden gems behind the surf club, your bathroom should work for your lifestyle. Not fighting against moisture, not apologising for dated layouts, but actually working properly.
The signs it’s time:
- That musty smell that returns no matter how much you clean
- Tiles that have been regrouted more times than you can count
- The "Palm Beach lean" (when nothing is quite level anymore)
- Shower screens that never look clean
- Storage solutions that don't solve anything
Living in Palm Beach is a lifestyle choice. Your bathroom should support that lifestyle, not fight against it.
If you’re ready to work with bathroom renovation specialists who truly understand Palm Beach’s unique challenges, call Rheyen Moore from Only Bathrooms. With 15 years of experience across the Gold Coast and countless successful Palm Beach transformations. Based in Mudgeeraba, servicing all Gold Coast suburbs. 0412 720 336.