Most renovation budgets blow out before a single tile is laid.

The culprit is usually layout decisions made without understanding plumbing logic.

Here are the most expensive bathroom layout mistakes.

1. Moving the Toilet Without Reason

Relocating a toilet means:
• Reworking waste pipes
• Adjusting fall gradients
• Possibly cutting slab or raising floors

If the current position works, keep it.

2. Ignoring Door Swing Clearance

A vanity drawer that clashes with a door seems minor — until cabinetry has to be remade.

Always check:
• Door arc
• Shower screen swing
• Towel rail clearance

3. Choosing Oversized Vanities

Bigger is not better.

Standard bathroom widths in Australia range from 1.5m to 2.4m.
A 1500mm vanity in a 1700mm room will feel cramped, no matter how beautiful it is.

4. Forgetting Storage

Open shelving looks beautiful online.

Real life requires:
• Drawers
• Concealed storage
• Space for cleaning products
• Electrical outlets inside cabinets

5. Poor Lighting Planning

One ceiling light is not enough.

Plan for:
• Mirror lighting
• Task lighting
• Soft ambient lighting

Lighting is inexpensive compared to tiling changes later.

The smartest renovators design around plumbing efficiency, movement flow and storage first. Finishes come second.