In a strata building? Work involving waterproofing generally needs owners corporation approval before it starts. How approval fits in
Small, internal and hard-working
In most two-bedroom Parramatta apartments built since the late 1990s, the ensuite is the smallest wet area in the building — often under four square metres, often internal with no window, and often backed onto a bedroom wardrobe.
It is also the room that gets used every morning by the people living there. When it is dated, cramped or mouldy, it is noticed daily.
The problems we see most
Mould on the ceiling. Almost always a ventilation problem. The original exhaust fan is undersized, its duct is partly blocked, the grille is clogged with lint, or it switches off with the light before the steam has cleared.
A shower tray and framed screen. A moulded tray with a framed pivot door, both yellowed and with sealant failing. It makes a small room smaller.
A narrow floor vanity. A cupboard vanity with a moulded top, carcass swelling around the waste.
Grout and silicone failure. Dark, cracked grout on the shower floor and perished silicone at the junctions — sometimes a sign that water is already getting behind.
What makes a small ensuite work
Remove the tray. A tiled floor running into the shower, falling to a linear or square waste, with a single fixed glass panel. The room reads as one space.
Wall-hung everything. A wall-hung vanity with drawers and, where the wall construction allows, an in-wall cistern with a wall-hung pan. The floor is visible and easy to clean.
Shallow storage. A recessed mirror cabinet if the wall permits, or a slim surface cabinet. A shower niche set into a stud wall rather than a corner caddy.
Ventilation fixed properly. A correctly rated fan, a clear duct path to the riser or outside, and a run-on timer or humidity sensor.
Light at the face. A backlit mirror or vertical lights beside it, rather than one downlight overhead.
Ventilation in strata buildings
Exhaust in an apartment is not simply a matter of fitting a bigger fan. Many buildings duct bathroom exhaust into a shared riser, and the building's rules may limit what can connect to it. Where a fan ducts to the outside wall, changing the penetration affects the building's facade, which is common property.
We check the existing arrangement at the measure, and specify a fan that works within what the building allows.
Powder rooms
Townhouses and larger apartments often have a powder room — toilet and basin, no shower. With minimal waterproofing, the program is short. It is a good room for a stronger tile, a feature basin or wallpaper, because it does not need to handle steam.
In a strata building, check whether your by-laws treat a powder room renovation as a minor renovation or a major one. If there is no waterproofing work, it may need less formal approval — the strata manager can confirm.
Doing both bathrooms together
One approval, one set of lift bookings, one waterproofer attendance, shared waste removal. It is the cheaper way to do both. The downside is no shower in the apartment for the program. Some owners stagger them, keeping one working at all times.
Costs
Apartment ensuite: roughly $15,000–$25,000. Powder room: $8,000–$14,000. See the 2026 cost bands.
Call 02 4601 3371 or send the room details through.
Everything else we quote
Questions people ask before they commit
My ensuite has no window. What can be done about mould?
The fix is extraction, not paint. A properly sized exhaust fan, connected to the building's exhaust riser or ducted outside as the building allows, running on a humidity sensor or a run-on timer after the light switches off. Undersized or blocked fans are the most common reason windowless apartment ensuites grow mould on the ceiling.
Does an ensuite renovation need strata approval?
If it involves waterproofing, yes — the same as a main bathroom. It is generally a major renovation needing a special resolution at a general meeting. If you are renovating both the main bathroom and ensuite, seek approval for both together.
What does an apartment ensuite cost?
As a 2026 guide, $15,000 to $25,000 for an apartment ensuite taken back to the slab, including strata logistics. A powder room without a shower is typically $8,000 to $14,000.
Is it cheaper to do the ensuite and main bathroom together?
Yes. One strata approval, one set of lift bookings and protection, one waterproofer attendance, and shared waste removal. The trade-off is that the apartment has no shower during the program, which is why some owners stagger them.