Bathroom Renovation Ireland 2025: Costs, Timeline & Planning Guide

How to Plan a Bathroom Renovation in Ireland

Even the tiniest Irish bathroom makeover can feel like you're juggling trades, tiles and — let's be honest — the budget. That's why we've pulled everything you need into one friendly guide: real-world costs, a no-stress timeline and the product trends that are turning heads in 2025. We'll walk through each step, share insider tips from the Bathroom Outlet design team and drop handy links so you can browse collections as you read. Ready? Grab the tape measure – and let's turn that Pinterest board into a plan.

Start your project ➜

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1 – Define Your Goals & Budget

• Ask yourself: "Refresh or full rip-out?"
• Average Irish spends fall around €5,000 depending on size and finish.

Step 2 – Measure Up & Map the Layout

1. Sketch your current room on graph paper.
2. Mark soil-pipe and window positions; moving either usually adds €1k+ labour.
3. While you're plotting, browse our slimline hinged shower doors for tight alcoves or our wall-hung basins to free up floor space.

Pro tip: Order shower glass before tiling begins – bespoke sizes can take 3-4 weeks.

Step 3 – Choose Your Style & 2025-Ready Products

2025 is all about texture and soft shapes:

• Material drenching - Wrapping walls, floor and furniture in one hero material for an immersive, spa like look. See our matt-stone large format tiles.
• Curved fittings - Gentle radii on baths, shower screens and mirrors soften lines and maximise flow. Livingetc. Freestanding curved baths & rounded mirrors.
• Colour drenching - Bold, tonal schemes replace clinical white; greens and warm terracotta dominate. Discover 70 + shades in our bathroom tile range.
• Mirrors & lighting - Anti-fog, dimmable LED mirrors with to streamline the morning rush. Try the Crosswater Infinity Illuminated Mirror.
• Eco-fixtures - Dual-flush WCs, air-mix taps and electric towel rails trim bills. Check out Japanese style shower toilets and electric towel radiators.
• Fluted wood furniture - Slatted oak or walnut vanities add warmth and texture to minimalist schemes. See the Crosswater Mada wall-hung vanity unit.

Step 4 – Build a Realistic Timeline

Most Irish renovations slot into 2–4 weeks door-to-door, assuming stock is on site and plumbing stays put. Allow an extra week if:

• Custom glass, stone or cabinetry is on order
• You're moving waste pipes or upgrading electrics (Safe Electric certification required)
• Tilers hit "hidden horrors" like damp or uneven walls

Quick visual:

• Day 1–3: Strip-out & first-fix plumbing/electrics
• Day 4–10: Boarding, tanking, tiling
• Day 11–15: Second-fix fixtures & glass
• Day 16–20: Snagging, silicone, sparkle-clean

Book trades early – good installers often run six weeks ahead.

Step 5 – Assemble the Dream Team

• Qualified plumber & electrician – ask for Safe Electric or RGII registration numbers.
• Tiler – a great tiler is worth their weight in rectified porcelain; check recent projects.
• Product specialists on call – our in‑house advisers will happily run through layouts and product specs over phone, live chat or email—no appointment needed.

Step 6 – Shop Smart: Online vs Showroom

Order core fixtures first (toilet, shower, vanity) so your contractor can rough-in sizes, then add finishing touches like towel rings later.

Step 7 – Installation & Snagging

• Keep a checklist: valve flows, tile grout lines, heated-towel-rail bleed points.
• Register warranties for brassware and electricals on the manufacturer's site within 28 days.
• Photograph every stage – handy for insurance and future tweaks.

With the right plan (and a stash of biscuits for the crew), your bathroom makeover can be smooth sailing. Next up, we'll crunch the numbers in a handy cost sidebar – stay tuned!

Cost Breakdown: What an Irish Bathroom Really Costs in 2025

Before you start tile‑shopping, it pays to park the Pinterest board and crunch some numbers. Across Ireland today the headline figure for a full bathroom refit averaged around €5,000, with basic "rip‑out‑and‑replace" jobs at the lower end and spa‑level spaces (think marble, smart toilets and bespoke glass) pushing well into five figures.

• Small bathroom (<3m²) - cosmetic update, keep plumbing, entry-level suite: €2,000 – €4,000
• Medium bathroom (3-5m²) - full rip-out, new tiling, mid-range fixtures: €4,000 – €7,000
• Large bathroom (>5m²) - layout tweaks, premium finishes, custom glass: €7,000 – €15,000+

*Budgets assume stock items rather than made‑to‑measure pieces.

Where does the money actually go? Labour and "people costs" account for roughly a quarter of every euro spent, tiles and finishes swallow another 30%, while sanitaryware, brassware and glass chew through a further 25%. What's left should live in your contingency pot – 10–15% is the Irish norm.

Hidden nasties can still ambush even the best‑laid plans. The most common budget‑busters we see are damp behind old tiles, dated electrics that need a fuse‑board upgrade and—less sexy but just as pricey—sub‑floor joists that aren't level. Any of these can add €500–€2,000 overnight, so stash that emergency fund before the first tile comes off.

Money‑smart moves:

• Keep the WC and shower drains where they are (moving a soil stack can burn €1,000+).
• Order core fixtures early; trades can rough‑in exact pipe centres and avoid costly repeat visits.
• If you’re on a strict cap, choose mid‑range brassware but invest in a quality waterproofing system—repairing leaks costs more than a posh tap ever will.

Common Mistakes & Pro‑Level Fixes

Even seasoned DIYers stumble over the same pain points. Recognise these early and you’ll save cash, stress and grey hairs later.

1. Diving in without a plan
A mood‑board is not a build schedule. Lack of a detailed spec leads to last‑minute tile swaps, out‑of‑stock taps and trades twiddling thumbs. Fix: Draft a full scope (fixtures, finishes, electrics, ventilation) and lock it before demo day. Learn more: Avoca Bathrooms Dublin.

2. Ignoring ventilation
Ireland's moist climate + steamy showers = mould city when extraction is an after‑thought. A decent fan costs under €150; black grout lines cost your sanity. Fix: Size the fan for room volume and run‑on timer ten minutes after the lights go off. Learn more: The Spruce.

3. Moving plumbing just for fun
Shifting a toilet or shower tray can add €500–€1,500 in copper, cores and labour—often for zero functional gain. Fix: If the layout works, spend the money on nicer brassware instead.

4. Choosing the wrong materials
Porous stone, MDF carcasses and low‑spec waterproofing membranes hate Irish bathrooms. Fix: Stick to porcelain tiles, marine‑grade ply and reputable tanking systems; longevity beats trend‑chasing every time.

"The biggest regret we hear? Ordering tiles last‑minute. Lead times stall the whole project and installers leave site." — Avoca Bathrooms, Dublin

5. Skimping on storage
That chic wall‑hung vanity loses its shine when toothbrushes live on the cistern lid. Fix: Build recessed niches, tallboys or mirrored cabinets into the design from day one -retro‑fitting is messy and expensive.

You May Also Need... (The Forgotten Shopping List)

You've chosen the bath, basin and tiles—great. But installers still down tools daily because someone forgot the humble waste trap or a roll of underfloor heating tape. Here's the kit that too often slips through the net:

• Chrome or matt‑black waste traps - Visible beneath wall‑hung basins and crucial for a watertight seal. A mismatched finish jars more than you think.
• Quiet extraction fan with humidity sensor - Kicks in automatically after those power‑showers and helps drywall last a decade longer.
• Premium sealant & grout kits - Cheap silicone yellows fast; quality polymers stay crystal clear and resist mould.
• Water‑softener tablets - Ireland's hard water wreaks havoc on cartridges; a €20 pack doubles tap life.

Why bother? Because a €20 basin waste is impossible to find at 9pm when the plumber wants to flood‑test. Basin wastes, in particular, top the "forgotten list" according to Irish merchants, yet the wrong type can cause slow drainage or even leaks.

Pro ordering tip: Bag these small but vital components at the same time as your big‑ticket fixtures; they ship together and disappear into the site storage crate ready for second‑fix day. Your fitter (and your timeline) will thank you.

Online vs Showroom: The Deep Dive

1. PRODUCT RANGE

• Buying online @ Bathroom Outlet - 30,000+ products, multiple finishes & sizes
• Typical physical showroom - Limited floor-space display

2. INSTANT AVAILABILITY CHECK

• Buying online @ Bathroom Outlet - Live "In Stock" & delivery ETA
• Typical physical showroom - Need to phone or visit

3. CUSTOMER REVIEWS

• Buying online @ Bathroom Outlet - Verified Irish buyer feedback on each product page
• Typical physical showroom - Rarely visible

4. PRICE & PROMOTIONS

• Buying online @ Bathroom Outlet - Online‑only deals and discounts, seasonal flash sales, 0% finance
• Typical physical showroom - Higher overheads = higher prices

5. CONVENIENCE

• Buying online @ Bathroom Outlet - Shop 24/7 from any device; fast site search & filters
• Typical physical showroom - Weekend trips & queuing

Real‑world win: A recent customer saved three days of install time by ordering their hinged shower door online while finalising tile choices - stock was delivered before first‑fix plumbing finished.

Whenever possible, lock in core fixtures first online, then order tile samples for colour matching.

Conclusion

Armed with a true‑to‑Ireland cost guide, a timeline that won't trip you up, and a checklist of pro‑approved tips, you're set to turn "Someday I'll redo the loo" into a concrete plan. Keep those internal links handy for one‑click shopping, and remember: the secret to a stress‑free bathroom makeover is ordering early, budgeting honestly and making friends with a decent extractor fan. Happy renovating.

Why Choose Bathroom Outlet

Whether you're reworking a tired ensuite or creating your dream main bathroom, Bathroom Outlet is here to help you every step of the way — from layout ideas and product selection to delivery and aftercare.

Need products fast? Thousands of items in stock, with nationwide delivery across Ireland.
Need peace of mind? We offer 0% finance, 14-day returns, and verified reviews from happy renovators.

Don't forget to explore our collections to discover a huge range of bathroom products, heating, tiles and all the finishing touches - handpicked for Irish homes.