Why Bathroom Renovations Take Weeks, Not Days (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

Lately we’ve all seen those ads floating around: “Full bathroom renovation in just 5–7 days!”

Amazing. Unbelievable. Incredible, right?!

Well… it is absolutely unbelievable. And I don’t mean “unbelievable” in a wow-that’s-awesome way. I mean unbelievable as in: it’s not actually believable.

So let’s get real about what it actually takes to renovate a bathroom — and why quality takes weeks, not days.

Step One: Demo (No, It’s Not Just Sledgehammers)

Demo looks quick on TV, but in reality it’s careful, messy work. Old tiles, fixtures, and sheeting need to be removed without wrecking the structure underneath.

Sometimes you find water damage, dodgy framing, or plumbing that needs repair before you can move forward. That alone can chew up days.

Step Two: Plumbing & Electrical Rough-Ins

Once the space is stripped, the real professionals step in. Licenced plumbers and sparkies re-run services, install new lines, and prepare everything for your shiny new fixtures. If walls or framing need adjusting, that’s more time. These aren’t 20-minute jobs — they’re precision tasks.

Step Three: Sheeting, Setting & Waterproofing

Now we start rebuilding. Walls get sheeted and set, and then comes waterproofing, the single most important thing standing between you and future leaks.

Here’s the kicker: waterproofing has to cure. You can’t slap it on and start tiling an hour later.

• Painted membrane systems: Need multiple coats and drying time.

• Board systems: Faster to install, but only if detailed correctly, and comes at a higher price point. Trading off time for cost.

  
  

Either way, this step can’t be rushed unless you want problems down the track (and trust me, you don’t).

Step Four: Screeding, Levelling & Creating Falls

Before a single tile is laid, the floor needs to be screeded and levelled with the correct falls so water drains properly to the waste.

This isn’t a “blink and you’ll miss it” job. If the falls are wrong, your bathroom will look fine on day one… until you realise water sits in corners or leaks where it shouldn’t. At that point, you’ll wish your builder hadn’t promised you a 7-day miracle.

Step Five: Tiling (The Art Form)

Tiling is where things start to look beautiful, but it’s slow, steady work. Tiles need to be set out, lined up, cut to fit, and grouted properly.

A rushed tiling job is one you’ll see every single day in crooked grout lines and uneven edges.

Step Six: Cabinetry, Carpentry & Fit-Offs

Cabinetry has to be measured, manufactured, and delivered, something that alone usually takes weeks.

Once it’s in, plumbers and sparkies come back to fit off fixtures, and carpenters finish trims and skirting. Again, multiple visits.

Step Seven: Shower Screens

This one always gets forgotten in the “7-day” fantasy. Custom shower screens can’t even be measured until tiling is done.

From measure to manufacture to install usually takes 2 weeks. No way around it.

So… How Long Does a Bathroom Take?

The honest answer? It's weeks, not days.

If the “scheduling gods” are smiling on you and all the trades are available back-to-back, with no unexpected issues pop up, and materials arrive on time, your bathroom might be completed a few days earlier.

But in the real world, quality trades are booked weeks (sometimes months) in advance, and your builder is juggling multiple moving parts to keep the job moving forward.

That means you might see “quiet” days on site. But don’t be fooled, behind the scenes, your builder and their team are organising, chasing suppliers, scheduling trades, and steering the ship.

Those pauses aren’t delays. They’re part of a realistic, well-run project.

The Problem With Miracle Timelines

When you see a “5–7 day bathroom reno” ad, ask yourself: What corners are being cut to pull that off?

Because something has to give. It might be waterproofing. It might be screeding. It might be compliance. And the result is usually a bathroom that looks great at handover (or it doesn't), but starts failing pretty quickly.

Our Promise

At TBK Constructions, we won’t promise you a bathroom in 7 days, because that’s not realistic, honest, or compliant.

What we will promise is this:

• Every trade will be licensed and experienced.

• Every step will be done properly, not rushed.

• Your bathroom will last the distance.

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Because when it comes to the space you use every single day, fast and cheap is never the answer. Download our Bathroom Renovation Design & Cost Guide to start planning your beautiful bathroom today!