On paper, project managing your own bathroom renovation sounds smart. You get a few quotes, line up a plumber, tiler, sparkie, maybe a carpenter, and you’re away. How hard can it be? Ask anyone who’s actually tried it.
For homeowners across the Illawarra (from Wollongong to Shellharbour to Thirroul), the same pattern shows up again and again: what starts as a money-saving DIY management plan turns into weeks (or months) of delays, extra costs, and a whole lot of stress.
Here’s why using a bathroom renovation company often makes far more sense than trying to coordinate it all yourself.
The Hidden Job You Didn’t Know You Signed Up For When You Planned a New Bathroom
Renovating a bathroom isn’t just “getting some tradies in.”
Behind the scenes, there’s an actual build sequence that needs to happen in the right order, often down to the day:
Demolition and strip-out
Plumbing rough-in
Electrical rough-in
Carpentry/structural work (if needed)
Sheeting and prepping walls/floors
Waterproofing
Tiling
Plumbing & electrical work
Shower screens, mirrors, accessories, final clean
When you’re managing this yourself, every stage is a moving target. If one person runs late (or disappears), everyone else gets pushed back. That’s when you start hearing the classic complaints:
“The tiler can’t come now for another three weeks.”
“The plumber’s booked out until after Christmas.”
“We’re still waiting on the shower screen guy.”
A renovation company lives in this sequence every day. They know the lead times, the dependencies, and the flow. For you, it’s a steep learning curve. For them, it’s Tuesday.
Common Pitfalls When You DIY a Bathroom Reno
1. Trades booked in the wrong order
This is the big one.
If the wrong trades turn up at the wrong time, you either:
Pay them to stand around doing nothing, or
Send them away and wait until they’re free again.
Example: The tiler turns up… but waterproofing hasn’t cured, or the plumber hasn’t finished doing what they need to do. That’s days lost, and in busy periods, it can easily spiral into weeks.
A renovation company sequences the schedule so you don’t pay for downtime, and your project actually moves forward every week.
2. Blown timelines (and living in a construction zone)
Most people underestimate how long a bathroom reno really takes once you factor in:
Lead times for custom showers, vanities, and tiles
Delivery delays
Weather delays (for certain structural works)
Tradies juggling multiple jobs
When you’re doing it yourself, it’s easy to hear “Yeah, I can probably fit you in next week” and take that as a firm booking. Then you’re still brushing your teeth in the laundry sink a month later.
A bathroom reno company works with realistic timeframes and builds a schedule around actual availability, not wishful thinking. If something shifts, they’re the ones on the phone reshuffling everything so you don’t have to.
3. Budget blowouts and “while we’re here” extras
DIY project managers are often hit with surprise costs like:
Extra labour to fix hidden water damage or rotten timbers
Re-doing incorrect work (like failed waterproofing or incorrect fall to waste)
Changes or “variations” because something wasn’t specified clearly at the start
Without a clear scope and one person overseeing the whole job, each trade may quote for their bit only. No one is looking at how it all fits together.
A renovation company can:
Give you a detailed scope of works
Flag likely problem areas early (especially in older Illawarra homes)
Bundle costs so you have a realistic picture upfront
You’re far less likely to be blindsided by surprise invoices.
4. Compliance, waterproofing, and warranties
Bathrooms are high-risk areas for leaks and water damage. In NSW, waterproofing and certain works must comply with strict standards and be carried out by licensed professionals.
Common DIY management issues:
Waterproofing done by someone who’s “handy” but not properly qualified
No documentation for warranties or compliance
Incorrect installation of fixtures that void manufacturer warranties
These problems often don’t show up until after you’ve paid everyone and the job looks finished. That’s when a leak appears, tiles start lifting, or mould spreads behind walls.
A bathroom reno company:
Uses properly licensed and insured trades
Knows the relevant Australian Standards and NSW requirements
Can provide documentation for warranties and compliance
So if anything goes wrong later, you’re not stuck playing detective, trying to remember who did what.
5. Communication breakdowns (too many moving parts)
When you manage it yourself, you’re the middle-person for everything:
Tradies calling you during work hours
Suppliers asking for final selections
Trying to keep everyone updated on what has or hasn’t been done
If there’s a miscommunication, such as the wrong tile size, wrong tapware finish, wrong placement – it becomes your problem to fix. And often your cost.
With a reno company, there’s a single point of contact. They coordinate with trades and suppliers, keep the job on track, and handle all the “who said what” so you don’t have to.
6. Quality control and finishing details
It’s the small details that make a bathroom feel professionally done:
Tile layout that looks balanced and intentional
Neat silicone lines and grouting
Plumbing fixtures aligned and installed correctly
Powerpoints and lighting placed where they actually make sense to use
If you’re not used to assessing trade work, it’s hard to know what’s “good enough” and what will annoy you every day for the next 10 years.
A renovation company does this all the time. They know what to look for, they set the standards upfront, and they make sure the finished bathroom matches the design and functional brief, not just “close enough.”
Why Hiring a Bathroom Reno Company Is Worth It (Especially in the Illawarra)
When you hire a bathroom renovation company, you’re not just paying for labour. You’re paying for:
Project management
They build and manage the schedule, so you’re not chasing people or guessing the next step.Trade network
They work with trusted plumbers, electricians, tilers, waterproofers and carpenters who actually show up, and know how to work together.Local experience
Illawarra homes, whether it’s older fibro cottages to newer builds, come with quirks. A local company knows what typically goes wrong and plans for it.Design and practicality
They can help with layout, tile choices, storage and lighting so the bathroom not only looks good but works well every day.Compliance & peace of mind
Licences, insurances, waterproofing certificates, warranties are all handled.
Most importantly, you get your time, sanity, and weekends back. Instead of spending your nights on the phone and your days managing delays, you make the big decisions once, then let the experts get on with it.
When Does It Make Sense to DIY the Management?
Being fair: there are situations where managing your own bathroom reno might work:
You have strong construction/renovation experience
You already know and trust the trades you’re using
You’re flexible on timelines and can live with delays
You enjoy the challenge of coordinating a project
If that’s not you? A bathroom reno company is almost always the smoother, safer, and surprisingly often the more cost-effective option once you factor in time, mistakes, and do-overs.
Tempted to DIY? Check out our article about planning a bathroom renovation.
If you live in the Illawarra and you’re thinking about a bathroom renovation, you’ve got two choices:
Be the project manager – juggle trades, timelines and issues yourself, hoping it all comes together.
Hire a bathroom reno company – get one team to handle the lot, from design and demo to the final clean.
Both can get you a new bathroom. Only one lets you actually enjoy the process.
Give Beau Bedford a call today and start the ball rolling…