Bunnings has teamed up with hipages, the online platform to find and hire trusted local tradies, to offer customers a complete and affordable solution for installing a toilet suite at a fixed price.
Making access to qualified, licensed tradies, easier than ever before, customers can add a fixed-price installation fee when purchasing a toilet suite from Bunnings.“This is an exciting offer for Bunnings customers and local tradies across Australia, making it easier and more affordable for customers to update their bathroom and connect with local tradies to assist with those jobs that require a licensed tradesperson,” said Michael Schneider, Bunnings managing director. This service is now available at all Bunnings stores across Australia, following a successful four-week trial in 15 Bunnings stores across Newcastle and the Central Coast, earlier in the year.
David Vitek, co-founder, CEO & executive director, hipages, said “We’re thrilled to partner with Bunnings, to help more Australians experience the benefit and ease of being able to instantly book a qualified, local tradie online. Bunnings customers simply purchase the installation in-store with their toilet suite, then follow a simple process to connect with a hipages tradie.”
hipages collaborates with over 4,000 plumbers nationwide. These professionals go through a vetting process on signup, which includes license and ABN checks. Installation of a Bunnings toilet will cost $275 (plus cost of toilet suite) with full disposal of the old unit. It is available across the complete range of back to wall and close coupled toilets in the Bunnings range.
How it works
1. The customer purchases a back to wall or close coupled toilet suite at a Bunnings Warehouse store and can add a hipages toilet installation voucher at the checkout.
2. Using their unique voucher code, the customer then organises a time with a hipages plumber to install their toilet suite. Booking can be made online, in store at the Special Orders desk or over the phone
3. The hipages plumber installs the toilet at the time agreed, removing the old unit for disposal.
The hipages toilet installation service includes:
- Full installation of the new unit (cistern and bowl)
- Cleaning of the area once the installation is complete
- Removal of all packaging and disposal of the existing toilet
- One year warranty on the installation.
How to: Work with ugly plumbing
By Laney Clancy
Being married to a plumber and working for a plumbing business, I know that plumbers consider a flushing toilet, clear drains and well-organised pipes a thing of beauty. But for everyone else, aesthetically plumbing scores very low on the design scale. Every property, big or small, old or new, has some plumbing feature that’s oddly placed or simply an eyesore. Here’s how to hide, complement or even enhance your plumbing to make it easier on the eye.
In the bathroom
Vanity units have long been the go-to solution to hide sink drain pipes but if your bathroom or powder room is too cramped you may not have room for one.
The cheapest and easiest solution is to paint the pipework. You can choose the same colour as the bathroom wall for camouflage, or choose a more decorative colour like black (just make sure you apply a PVC primer first). Another option in a natural or nautical themed bathroom is to wrap the pipes in a material like rope. The patina of copper is quite beautiful — in my home we have run copper water supply pipes against a background of a black wall. The pipes are narrow so don’t take up space and the contrast is striking.
You can also convert ugly waste traps (where the pipes bend, often in a U shape after their connection to the basin plughole) from the standard plastic white ones to shiny chrome or modern black ones.
If you have a budget to work with, consider a pedestal basin to contain the pipes but keep the bathroom’s sleek look. Ensure a plumber has access to the pipes though, just in case they need to be repaired.
Toilets are also unavoidable eyesores in the bathroom. A wall-hung toilet puts the cistern behind a wall but be aware this does compromise a plumber’s access for repairs in future. A close-coupled toilet is the next best option as it reduces the visual impact of the toilet while maintaining accessibility. Or distract with a feature wall or impressive wall tile that moves the eye away from the toilet.
Ventilation fans are never the most attractive thing in a bathroom and the best way to hide one is to ensure it’s the same colour as the ceiling to make it blend in. Or you can safely cover it with a decorative grate that can also be sprayed to match your ceiling colour. A more expensive option is to rearrange your lighting so the fan falls in shadow.
In the laundry
No matter how sleek your washing machine, its taps and tubes are always going to be aesthetically troublesome. With front loaders in particular, you can run the hoses behind a shelf or cupboard or under a benchtop to your sink to keep them out of.
If space is an issue, you may be able to put up a curtain or screen. Make it practical — a rod you can use to hang drying items can also support a curtain you can draw across to hide the plumbing when not in use for laundry. Hiding your laundry behind cupboard doors is another way to maintain a sleek look.
Outside
Rainwater collection tanks and hot water tanks are bulky and often unsightly but there are a few things you can do to hide it or make it a feature. Camouflage is one way to disguise a tank—you could paint it to match your house or fence colour. Other people simply acknowledge the tank for what it is and turn it into a feature, using it as a canvas for artwork for example.
If you have enough room, consider erecting a screen or encasement around it. There are a number of decorative screens available that draw the eye to the screen rather than what’s behind it. An encasement turns the tank into a closed area that you can treat like a shed – particularly handy if you need to keep children or pets out. If the screen or encasement can support a living wall (vertical garden) then this is a beautiful idea as the greenery from this distracts from the tank behind it.
Don’t forget the plumbing!
Plumbing is an essential part of a house and you can certainly be inventive about designing around eyesores. Don’t forget that these pipes, drains, tubes and tanks have a function first so your decorative efforts should not compromise plumbing operations. Also be aware that if a professional does need to repair something, you need to make sure the plumber can access the fixture.
Pretty plumbing? It is possible.
— Laney Clancy is the marketing and finance manager at Pipe Perfection Plumbers in Sydney. She is married to Darren, the owner of the business. Laney gets to talk to plumbers about plumbing and home maintenance a lot, and loves a good bathroom makeover.
Our resident expert Baz DuBois shares his best advice. Don’t forget to contact us if you have a question for Baz!
Don’t move the plumbing
A lot of people advise not moving plumbing to save money, particularly the drainage. That’s fine if the bathroom has a design and layout that suits you and or your family. If I am renovating a bathroom, I expect that it’s an investment that will be enjoyed over at least 10 years, so I do think the planning and layout is very important. The cost of changing the plumbing may not be that significant in the context of how it could improve the space and how long you’ll get out of the reno.
Planning
Once you’re happy with your brief, start with really broad strokes on paper and again don’t focus on detail or aesthetics at this stage. This is more about how you will move through and around the space. It was Louis Sullivan who first coined the phrase “Form ever follows function”. This simply means if all the functional aspects you require are met, the style and architectural beauty of the space will develop naturally.
Less is best
The less you replace the less it will cost. When you’re looking to do a bathroom makeover on a budget, be sure you don’t replace items and fixtures that still have good integrity. So often newbie renovators’ first step is to start demolishing. After the first day of hard labour and huge mess, you have removed walls and floor tiles, a bath and toilet that had years of life left in them but simply were not your style or colour choice. Before you spend big money on a full bathroom renovation, think about a mini low-cost refresh.
DIY
f you are happy to leave the plumbing fixtures (toilet, bath, shower etc) in the same place, there is a lot you can do on your own to really transform your bathroom. Let’s start by removing everything that doesn’t require a tradesman to replace and you can simply go to your local hardware store and get them off the shelf: toilet seat, shower screen, vanity, taps (yes you don’t have to be a tradesman to replace taps ad soap holders etc!
Look or style
If you’re looking to get another five years out of a bathroom that has integrity but you hate the look of it or the home’s for sale and it needs a refresh, there are some great quick-fix products on the market. You could consider painting the tiles with specialist paint or carefully removing the silicone around the bath and in all junctions and re-grouting the existing tiles. This will not only give a nice refreshed look, it will add years to the life of the bathroom. I recently had a bathroom that had been tiled to the ceiling with a white tile in a brick pattern with a terracotta feature about three-quarters of the way up. It was a very eighties look! I re-grouted the walls up to the feature with a product from Davco which only needs 1mm of existing grout removed and you simply skim the new polymer-based product over the top. I choose black but there are about 10 different colours. I then masked up the feature tiles and painted them with a tile paint in white to match the existing tiles. Lastly, from the feature up to the ceiling, I went for a very light mint and simply covered the junction between walls and ceiling with a timber scotia and painted that in white with the ceiling (which was dark). The bathroom now has a vintage or French chalet feel.
Vanities and storage
Some of the vanities you can buy off the shelf blow me away. When I think back 20 years, the choice of vanities was very limited and to go custom cost a fortune. But as good as the off the shelf stuff goes, I love getting an old chest of draws or a side table, giving it a revamp or paint finish and combining that with an off the shelf basin. It means you have something unique and cool. You may need a plumber to finish it off, but that would be the case either way.
Trades and critical path
Depending on your skill set you will need tradies for some or all of the work to be carried out. Whether your input is a little or a lot, you will save money by making sure you have a tight and achievable critical path. This is a document that sets out who will be doing what, in what order and how long it will take. The way I prepare my critical path is to carry out or build the reno on paper, i.e:
- Demolition and remove shower screen tiles etc
- Plumber turn off plumbing and remove taps and plumbing fixtures
- Install new powerpoints
- Patch walls
- Waterproofing
- Tiler
- Painter.
The important part here is not what you know, although that helps, it’s more about starting this document so when you’re getting quotes on the work you can’t do yourself, you ask that tradie how long will your job take and what needs to be done before that trade starts? The more information you can get before you start, the smoother the reno will be. And we all know time is money.
The most fun I have had in a bathroom
I once renovated a studio apartment in Potts Point which had an oversized bathroom (a common mistake in small apartments). I knocked down all the bathroom walls and left the toliet where it was. Originally the shower was in the bath which ran perpendicular to the toilet. I removed the bath and used the plumbing for a new shower. To block the view of these two spaces from full view of the apartment, I positioned an armoire with the doors facing the main room. Inside the armoire on one side, I installed a vanity basin and on the other, shelves for storage. It was a very unique space. I gained an extra 2.5 metres squared for for the living area (10%) and all the potential buyers went nuts for it.
The biggest mistakes I have seen
If I have seen it and said it once, I have seen it and said it a thousand times: nothing will drain the life and personality out of a space quicker than ill-considered lighting.
Last but not least, have fun, draw it 100 times before you lift a hammer and remember, every big job is just a bunch of small jobs added together!
No one wants to be on the receiving end of a shonky tradesperson, especially when it comes to protecting their property from expensive water damage. Using a licensed waterproofing professional can reduce the risk of costly damage down the track.
Each state and territory has different rules about who is permitted to undertake waterproofing work. Always use a certified waterproofing professional and ask trades a few basic questions about their qualifications and expertise to gauge if they are the right person for the job. If working with a project or building manager, remember to ensure they are asking these questions on your behalf.
1. Do you hold a waterproofing licence? Qualified waterproofing professionals will have undertaken a Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing from a body such as Master Builders Association of NSW and hold a waterproofing license, indicating they are trained in the technical and practical aspects of waterproofing. While there are specialist waterproofing professionals available, homeowners may find their current building and plumbing contractors hold a waterproofing licence.
2. Do you belong to a recognised industry association? Membership of industry associations, such as Master Builders Association of NSW, provides peace of mind that a builder or contractor will demonstrate a high standard of workmanship and integrity, and keep up to date with laws and regulations.
3. What is your waterproofing experience? In addition to a waterproofing license, it’s worth enquiring about previous experience for added peace of mind. Don’t be shy to ask for customer testimonials.
4. Will you provide a written guarantee of workmanship and a warranty? Property owners should always request a written guarantee on waterproofing work. Waterproofing defects can appear years after the work is completed, so keep paperwork in a safe place in case it’s needed down the track.
5. Does it comply? By law, waterproofing work is required to comply with Australian Standard 3740-2010 Waterproofing Domestic Wet Areas and/or Australian Standard 4654-2012 External Above Ground Waterproofing at a minimum. Depending on the property, you may require additional waterproofing work which can be discussed with your builder.
A reader has sent in the following question for our resident expert Baz Du Bois:
“Hi Barry. We are about to renovate our bathroom and replace everything, including the toilet. We want to pull out as much ourselves as possible to prepare for the new bath, shower and toilet etc. What should we demolish ourselves and what should we leave for the experts to remove? Do we need to be careful when removing the toilet?”
Here’s Baz’s great advice:
Thanks for the question. Bathrooms are one of the most difficult and expensive rooms to take on in a reno, so with that in mind, it’s great that you want to jump in and get some of the hard labour done yourself. Even as a DIYer, it’s first important to have a critical path and demolition plan mapped out on paper so you and your tradies are on the same page and can schedule and collaborate.
Start with the date the plumber has agreed to start and work back with your demo from there. I find it very helpful to make a note of what I am going to do, in what order and what equipment I may need. For example:
- remove toilet, vanity and bath (large hammer, crowbar, screwdrivers), one day, two people required for lifting.
- remove mirror and wall tiles (small grinder with masonry disk, cold chisel, spade, buckets or bags for debris), two days.
- remove floor tiles, one day (hire jack hammer).
By doing the job on paper like this, you will discover tools and processes you may not have allowed for in your timeline. Delays or delaying your tradies will cost you money. At this point ,you may be saying things to yourself like ‘that’s a lot of trips to the street or yard, do I have the time it takes, where am I going to put all this waste?’ They’re great questions so also add the answers into your construction plan and when you’re getting prices from your tradies, ask them the same questions. Collaboration and communication are the keys to a good reno.
My next tip is if your home was built before 1987, it could have asbestos in some of the building products. It’s not easy to know if it has, so treat the project as if it does and take best practice measures. Check out asbestosawareness.com.au but a couple of measures I always take are to wear personal protective gear (like disposable overalls, gloves, a mask and eye protection) and use a plastic drop sheet or similar to isolate any dust from spreading through the rest of your home.
Ok, let’s get down and dirty. I see no reason why you can’t carry out all the demolition but be aware that all ceramics tiles, baths, basins and toilets can be dangerous and sharp when broken so where possible, cover such items with a towel etc if you need to break them up to remove them and wherever possible, remove them intact. Many of these items are accepted at reuse and recycle yards.
As soon as you remove items such as the vanity, bath and toilet, use an old shirt or rag in a strong plastic bag to temporally seal up the plumbing and protect it from building and demolition debris. Force it like a plug into the pipe. This will also stop any smells!
Demolition is hard work and renovating is very rewarding. I promise the more times you do this on paper, the smother the process will become.
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6 budget-friendly bathroom updates
By Laney Clancy
If you want to give your bathroom a new look but don’t know where to start, focus on these 6 essentials and you’ll soon have a washroom wake-up that won’t wreck the budget.
1. Fixtures as a foundation
New fixtures (vanity/sink, toilet, shower, bathtub) can completely transform a bathroom; everything from the shape to the colour of a fixture can set the look of the whole room. Use fixtures as a foundation for your style. You can then embellish with other touches and accessories.
Budget tip: Save on labour costs by using the existing plumbing infrastructure; install your new toilet, shower and/or basin in the same position as the original fixtures.
2. Turn it on with taps
Taps make great style accents and changing your taps can be an affordable way to update the look of your bathroom. The change needs to be like for like, for example if you have a mixer (hot and cold through one outlet) it’s easier to replace it with another mixer, or 2 outlets for 2 outlets, (starting from $40 for a set of handles).