Bathroom renovation plumbing in Thornton, Maitland and Newcastle
The pipes go in before the walls close. The fixtures go on once the tiles are down.
We do the plumbing for bathroom renovations: new water and waste lines where your layout needs them, then the toilet, vanity, shower and bath connected once the room is finished. Domestic and commercial, from our base in Thornton.
Call 0474 659 574 Book the plumbing
- Company plumbing licence 488039C
- 5.0 on Google from 37 reviews (September 2026)
- Family owned
Two visits: rough-in and fit-off
The plumbing in a renovation happens in two parts, with the room lined, waterproofed and tiled in between. Most of what decides how the finished bathroom works is set at the first visit, behind the wall.
Rough-in, before the walls are lined
- Water off, old fixtures disconnected and their points capped
- Hot and cold lines run to where each fixture will sit
- Wastes set for the shower, basin, bath and toilet
- Mixer bodies fixed in the wall at a depth that suits your tiles
- New pipework leak tested while it can still be seen
Fit-off, once the tiles are down
- Toilet connected to its water and waste
- Vanity, basin and tapware fitted
- Shower rail or head, mixer trims and bath spout on
- Everything run and checked for leaks
- Certificate of Compliance for the plumbing, with a copy to you
Choose the fixtures before the rough-in
Each fixture sets where its pipes come out of the wall or floor. Once the tiles are on, moving a point means cutting into them, so have the models picked before the first visit.
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Vessel basin Vanity and basin
A vessel basin on a benchtop and a basin set into the vanity need their tap and waste at different heights. The lines go in to suit the one you have bought.
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Rail shower Shower
A rail shower like this runs from one outlet above the mixer. A ceiling rain head or a separate hand shower needs its own outlet, set at rough-in.
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Back-to-wall toilet Toilet
Back-to-wall pans hide their connections, so the waste and water inlet have to sit exactly where that model expects them. Each suite lists its set-out.
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Wall spout and taps Bath
Wall spouts and taps are fixed in the wall before tiling. Their height over the bath and their depth behind the tile are decided then.
Same layout or a new one
Keeping the shower, basin and toilet where they are is the simpler job: new fixtures go onto the existing water and waste points. Moving any of them means new pipework to the new spot. Under a timber floor the waste runs underneath; on a concrete slab it usually means cutting into the slab.
The paperwork follows the layout too. These are the NSW requirements for the plumber.
| Same layout | New layout | |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of Work | Not needed | Lodged before work starts |
| Certificate of Compliance | At the end, copy to you | At the end, copy to you |
| Sewer service diagram | Not needed | If the drains change, copy to you |
In Newcastle and the Hunter, work that needs an inspection is lodged with Building Commission NSW.
Renovating a bathroom in a unit
Thornton and the estates around it are mostly houses, but most homes in Newcastle's CBD are flats or apartments. Under NSW strata rules, a bathroom renovation is a major renovation: the owners corporation has to approve it by special resolution at a general meeting.
Get that approval before the plumbing starts. Without it, an owner can be made to pay to put the bathroom back the way it was.
What it costs when the plumbing is wrong
None of these shows up on the day the bathroom looks finished.
Other plumbing while the walls are open
A renovation is the easiest time to change what feeds the bathroom. We also do TMV testing: a thermostatic mixing valve blends hot and cold water to a set temperature before it reaches the tap.
Common questions
When does the plumber come in during a bathroom renovation?
Twice. The rough-in happens once the old bathroom is stripped and before the walls are lined, and the fit-off happens after the room is waterproofed and tiled. Let us know your renovation dates when you book.
Can the toilet or shower move to a different wall?
Usually, yes. It means new water lines and a new waste run to the new spot, which is more work on a concrete slab than under a timber floor. Where the existing drains run decides how much work it is.
Does my renovation need a Notice of Work?
Not if the fixtures stay where they are. NSW rules leave out bathroom renovations where the location of fixtures has not changed. If a fixture moves, the Notice of Work is lodged before the work starts. Either way, the job finishes with a Certificate of Compliance and you get a copy.
I own a unit. What approval do I need first?
In NSW, a bathroom renovation in a strata building is a major renovation, so the owners corporation must approve it by special resolution at a general meeting. Your strata manager can tell you how to put it on the agenda.
Can you replace the hot water system at the same time?
Yes. We fix and replace hot water systems, with electric storage, heat pump, solar and gas options. See hot water.
Do you plumb commercial bathrooms?
We work for both domestic and commercial clients. Tell us about the building when you book.
Something is leaking after a renovation. Can you come out?
Yes. Call us on 0474 659 574: we're open 24 hours, 7 days.
Where we do renovation plumbing
From our base in Thornton to Maitland, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Raymond Terrace, Tea Gardens, the Hunter Valley and surrounds.
- Plumbing inspection documents: Notice of Work, Certificate of Compliance and Sewer Service Diagram, NSW Government.
- Strata renovation rules, NSW Government.