A bathroom renovation is one of the top home improvement projects in Malaysia, and is a great way to give your house a New Year’s makeover.

The process generally involves the following:

With the average Malaysian home being around 110 sq m, bathrooms are usually in the region of up to 7 sq m. At this size, you can expect a general breakdown of costs as follows, bearing in mind these are just estimates and will vary according to bathroom size, materials and other factors.

Consider removing cracked, dull and outdated tiles. Depending on your request, the contractor will hack the wall and/or floor tiles, which would include dismantling existing fixtures such as the sink and toilet tank.

After the old tiles are hacked, the contractor will level and waterproof the whole floor with material that prevents water from penetrating or permeating through. It might take some time to be fully cured before moving on to the next step.

This is an optional step if you intend to change the layout, such as moving the sink to a different location in the bathroom. It might also be needed if you want to relocate water outlets, such as switching from a bathtub to a standing shower.

This is a term for building something using cement, laying bricks, plastering and skim coating. It also refers to the process of building a recessed shelf in the shower area, a new concrete top for the sink, a wall or floor divider to separate wet and dry areas, as well as installing tiles on the floor and wall.

Go with the porcelain tiles that are anti-slip and slightly textured for the floor. They are more durable and easy to clean. For the walls, opt for ceramic tiles all the way up to the ceiling or just 2m high to reduce costs. The rest of the wall can be painted.

The price for bathroom fittings such as the sink, toilet tank and bathtub varies depending on the size, type and brand. The same applies to accessories such as your faucets, showerhead and bidet.

If you are currently using a shower curtain, consider an upgrade by installing a glass shower screen or door. The tempered glass will be a bit costly as it requires proper mounting and sealing, but it is durable, easy to clean, and will make your bathroom more luxurious.

Additional storage cabinets can be installed over and under the sink, or above the toilet tank. Some homeowners opt for full-height, narrow cabinets and floating shelves at dry sections of the bathroom to store towels and toilet rolls.

Some bathrooms in old landed houses have very high ceilings with exposed piping or water heaters near the top. Freshen up the look by covering them up with a plaster ceiling.

Install an LED light in a cool daylight tone as the main ambient lighting. You can also add a fancier task light above the sink and mirror, and a hidden LED strip light under cabinets to create a hotel-like mood.

Keeping it affordable

Here are some handy tips to keep costs lower:

Moving the toilet from one corner of the bathroom to another may look good, but it will add significant costs as the piping will need to be moved beforehand, requiring hacking and new waterproofing.

Similarly, making major changes to your floor plan will significantly increase your costs.

Consider repairing damaged tiles if your contractor can find a matching replacement. Alternatively, you may choose to retile just the wall or floor.

As with any major construction project, it’s best to plan well beforehand and stick with it, rather than make changes midway.