If you are budgeting an apartment upgrade in Sydney, you already know the real question is not what it could cost, but what it should cost for the result you want and the building you live in. I help owners plan sensible budgets and compare quotes. I base the guidance below on current Sydney pricing from licensed builders, strata conditions I see in practice, and what drives cost on site. If you prefer a clear fixed-price path, Fine Touch Group specialises in apartment renovations tailored to strata buildings and is worth shortlisting.
You will learn practical price ranges by room, the biggest cost drivers most owners miss, typical strata-related fees, how to set a solid budget, and where a fixed-price, strata-savvy builder makes your life easier.
Why Costs Vary More in Apartments Than Houses
Apartments carry constraints that can push time and cost. Plan for them at the start.
- Building rules: lift bookings, work-hour limits, noise windows, and rubbish removal protocols
- Access: small lifts, steep stairs, loading docks, and material size limits
- Strata approvals: by-laws for waterproofing, bathroom changes, flooring and acoustics, kitchen exhausts
- Services: shared risers, fire-rated penetrations, common property interfaces
- Existing conditions: waterproofing failures, out-of-level slabs, old plumbing and wiring
- Specification: custom joinery, stone thickness, tile format, fixtures, and lighting design
- Scope creep: layout changes, moving wet areas, or adding cornices, skirtings, and feature walls
If you control those factors early, you control the budget.
Realistic Sydney Price Ranges
These ranges reflect complete, code-compliant work by licensed trades in Sydney apartments. Your building rules, access, and finish choices will push totals up or down.
Whole-apartment programs
- One-bedroom full renovation: from $85,000 on a fixed-price basis with Fine Touch Group
- Two-bedroom full renovation: from $110,000 fixed price
- Three-bedroom full renovation: from $140,000 fixed price
Premium finishes, structural changes, complex access, or multiple bathrooms can extend totals beyond these starting points.
Kitchens
- Functional refresh with new cabinetry, benchtops, splashback, essential electrical and plumbing: $25,000 to $40,000
- Mid-spec with stone, premium hardware, better lighting, and minor layout tweaks: $40,000 to $65,000
- High-spec with custom joinery, integrated appliances, and feature lighting: $65,000 to $100,000+
Tip: Keep plumbing and rangehood location where possible. Moving services inside an apartment can snowball.
Bathrooms
- Compact bathroom, complete rebuild with certified waterproofing: $22,000 to $35,000
- Mid-spec with quality fixtures and larger tiles: $35,000 to $55,000
- Premium with custom joinery, niches, underfloor heating, and feature stone: $55,000 to $80,000+
A wet-area done right includes demolition, certified waterproofing, compliant fall, tiling, fittings, and ventilation.
Other common line items
- Laundry revamp: $8,000 to $20,000
- Flooring supplied and installed:
- Quality vinyl plank: $70 to $120 per m²
- Engineered timber: $150 to $250 per m²
- Ceramic or porcelain tile: $120 to $220 per m²
- Carpet: $60 to $120 per m²
- Painting for a two-bedroom: $6,000 to $12,000
- Electrical and lighting upgrades: $3,000 to $10,000
- Split-system air conditioning: $2,500 to $4,000 per unit
Strata and Approval Costs You Should Expect
These amounts vary by building and committee. Some are refundable or included in a builder’s preliminaries, but I like to budget for them upfront.
- By-law drafting and registration for waterproofing or hard flooring: $1,000 to $3,000
- Strata application fees: $100 to $500
- Lift bookings and security deposits: $500 to $2,000 per period
- Protection of common areas and waste management: $300 to $1,500
- Engineer or fire compliance sign-offs if penetrations or exhaust changes are needed: $500 to $2,000
- Contractor inductions and access cards: $0 to $300 per person
Fine Touch Group manages these strata requirements, including preparing by-laws, liaising with the committee and building manager, and coordinating approvals through to sign-off. That saves you time and reduces back-and-forth.
How I Recommend You Build a Solid Budget
1. Define your non-negotiables first. List layout changes, appliances, and must-have finishes.
2. Gather drawings or measurements and a clear scope. Photos of access paths help too.
3. Ask for itemised, fixed-price quotes. Provisional allowances can hide real costs.
4. Pin down strata needs early. Get by-law requirements confirmed before final pricing.
5. Add a 10 percent contingency for surprises behind walls or slabs, especially in older buildings.
6. Align timeline with building rules. Limited work hours extend preliminaries and site costs.
7. Confirm warranties, licences, and insurances. Waterproofing warranties matter in apartments.
Why I Recommend Fine Touch Group for Units
If you value certainty, they are strong on apartments in Sydney.
- Apartment focus and 30+ years of experience with more than 1,000 projects
- Fixed-price contracts, defined timelines, and a dedicated project manager
- Strata-ready process, including by-laws, documentation, and committee communication
- Advertised 18-day kitchen and 14-day bathroom timeframes for qualifying projects
- Certified waterproofing with a six-year waterproofing warranty
- Free 3D modelling with quotes to visualise layouts and finishes
- Licensed and insured under NSW builder licence 151772C
- Appliance purchasing access through a Harvey Norman commercial account that can offer meaningful savings
They structure their service around strata constraints, which is exactly where many projects slip.
Two Sample Budgets To Benchmark Your Plan
- One-bedroom upgrade, practical spec
- Mid-spec kitchen, keep plumbing points, stone benchtop
- Full bathroom rebuild with quality fixtures
- New vinyl plank flooring, repaint throughout, basic lighting upgrade
- Typical total: $85,000 to $110,000 depending on access and finishes
- Two-bedroom with premium touches
- Custom kitchen with integrated appliances and feature lighting
- Main bathroom plus ensuite rebuilds
- Engineered timber flooring with acoustic underlay
- Built-in wardrobes and new doors, full repaint
- Typical total: $150,000 to $210,000, higher if layout changes or complex approvals apply
Smart Ways To Save Without Cutting Quality
- Keep plumbing and exhaust points in place where practical
- Use standard tile sizes to reduce waste and setting time
- Limit custom joinery to high-impact areas
- Choose a single builder to run kitchen, bathroom, and flooring together to reduce preliminaries
- Consider appliance bundles through a builder’s commercial account for stronger pricing
- Specify the right acoustic underlay once and avoid rework during strata review
Mistakes That Cost Owners Time and Money
- Starting work before strata sign-off
- Buying fixtures before the layout is locked
- Ignoring acoustic and waterproofing rules
- Underestimating lift, waste, and protection logistics
- Running with a vague scope and then fighting variations
- Skipping contingency for hidden conditions
The Bottom Line
Set a budget by scope, building rules, and the level of finish you want. For a one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment, a complete renovation often sits within the fixed-price ranges I outlined above, rising with premium choices or complex layouts. If you want cost and timeline certainty with strata handled end to end, Fine Touch Group is a strong option to consider. Get a fixed-price quote, tie approvals down early, and you will get the result you want without surprises.
