Frenchs Forest is one of those Northern Beaches suburbs that doesn’t get as much attention as Manly or Freshwater, but the homes here are substantial — generous blocks, plenty of brick veneer and split-level houses from the 70s and 80s, and a growing number of more recent builds as the area has been gradually redeveloped over the past decade or so.
We’re based in Belrose, which puts us about five minutes from most of Frenchs Forest. We know the streets, we know the housing stock, and we’ve done real work here — including a full home renovation on Bluegum Crescent and a bathroom project that you can see in the gallery below.
If you’re looking for someone who actually works in Frenchs Forest rather than just listing it as a service area, that’s us.
What Bathroom Renovations in Frenchs Forest Usually Involve
The homes in Frenchs Forest throw up a few things you don’t often see in other Sydney suburbs, and it’s worth being upfront about them.
Split-level layouts. A lot of the original builds in Frenchs Forest — the brick homes from the 1970s and 80s — have split-level floor plans. That means the bathroom is sometimes on a mid-level with unusual ceiling heights, or accessible only through a bedroom, or positioned in a way that makes plumbing access tricky. None of this is insurmountable, but it does need a builder who’s encountered it before rather than one who only works on new builds or simple apartments.
Older waterproofing. Homes built before the mid-1990s often have little to no proper waterproofing membrane — the AS 3740 standard for wet area waterproofing only came into widespread practice around that time. If your Frenchs Forest home is original and hasn’t had the bathroom touched since it was built, there’s a reasonable chance the waterproofing situation needs attention. We check this as a matter of course and tell you exactly what we find.
Bathroom-laundry combinations. In the older homes especially, it’s common to find a bathroom and laundry that share the same space, often awkwardly. One of the more satisfying jobs we do in this suburb is separating these two functions properly, or alternatively rethinking how the combined space works so it actually functions for a modern household.
Good bones. On the plus side, the older Frenchs Forest homes tend to be solidly built. There’s real brick, real timber framing, and a lot more space than you’d find in a comparable-era home closer to the city. That gives us more to work with.
Our Frenchs Forest Projects
Frenchs Forest Bathroom Renovation
The bathroom renovation for a home in Frenchs Forest is shown thoroughly with photos in the gallery on this page. The initial brief was a sleek and functional bathroom. It was not supposed to be a showpiece but rather a room that works well on a daily basis and looks like it belongs in a well-kept house.
The following works were carried out: complete removal of existing structures, application of new waterproofing membrane, tiling throughout, installation of updated shower enclosure, new vanity, and fixtures, plumbing connections have been updated. This is the type of work where the final result looks simple because every element underneath has been done correctly.
See Our Portfolio
What We Do
Full Bathroom Renovation
For bathrooms that need to come back to the frame — old waterproofing, layout changes, or plumbing that needs proper attention — we handle the complete job from demolition through to handover. One builder, one point of contact, everything managed.
Bathroom Refresh
If the structure is sound but the bathroom looks its age, a refresh can make an enormous difference without the cost or disruption of a full renovation. New tiles, new vanity, new shower screen, updated fixtures. Three to five days of work rather than three weeks.
Laundry and Bathroom Combinations
Rethinking a combined bathroom-laundry space is something we do regularly in Frenchs Forest. Whether that means separating the two functions, building proper storage into the laundry side, or just making the combined area feel less like an afterthought — we’ve done it enough times to know what works.
Ensuite Additions
Some of the larger homes in Frenchs Forest have the space to add an ensuite where one didn’t previously exist. This involves more planning than a straightforward renovation — structural considerations, plumbing routing, waterproofing in a new wet area — but it’s something we can assess and advise on properly.
How We Work — The Short Version
One job at a time. We do not operate multiple sites in parallel. When we are working for you, that’s our focus.
Mostly Dave carries out the work himself. He is a licensed builder with the vast majority of trades under his belt for the last 30 years. Also, the plumber and electrician that he collaborates with is his team members since years. There won’t be a stranger subcontractor appearing on day three who does not know what Dave promised you on day one.
You get a firm quote, not an estimate. We quote jobs properly, line by line, so you know exactly what you are paying for. If anything unforeseen comes up during the work, we inform you immediately and present you with the options before incurring any additional costs.
We deliver results at the agreed time. The motto is straightforward: on time, on budget. Our profile reviews will confirm that, if you want, we are ready to introduce you to our previous clients so that you can listen from them directly.
Commonly Asked Questions
How much does a bathroom renovation in Frenchs Forest cost? For a standard full renovation in Frenchs Forest — complete strip-out, new waterproofing, tiling, vanity, shower, fixtures — you’re typically looking at $16,000–$24,000 depending on the size of the space and the finishes you choose. The bathrooms could easily be the homes that are at the higher end of the scale that need plumbing work or have waterproofing problems. We give you a detailed itemised quote so there are no surprises.
How long does it take? A full bathroom renovation runs about two to three weeks. A cosmetic refresh — keeping the existing layout and plumbing — can be done in less than a week in some cases. Extensive projects like laundry work, or adding an ensuite, will definitely take longer. We will provide you with a realistic timeline before starting the work.
Do I need council approval? For most standard bathroom renovations in Frenchs Forest, no — they fall under exempt development under the Northern Beaches Local Environmental Plan. If you’re making structural changes, adding new wet areas, or altering the external appearance of the home, that changes. We’ll let you know at the quoting stage whether anything requires approval.
We have an older home — are there things you typically find behind the walls? Yes, and honesty here matters. In homes built before the mid-1990s, we commonly find: no proper waterproofing membrane, or one that’s failed; galvanised steel pipes that are corroded internally; original tile layers that have been tiled over once or twice already; and occasionally, minor moisture damage to the timber framing or subfloor around the shower area. Finding these things isn’t a catastrophe — it’s actually better to find them during a renovation than to leave them hidden — but you do need a builder who checks for them rather than just tiling over the top.
Can you do just the shower, or does it have to be a full renovation? Yes, we can scope it to just the shower if that’s what makes sense. Not every bathroom needs a full gut-out. If the vanity is fine and the rest of the room is in good shape, there’s no reason to replace what doesn’t need replacing. We’ll tell you what we’d recommend based on what we actually see, not what maximises the job value for us.
Suburbs We Work Nearby
We’re based in Belrose, which means Frenchs Forest is essentially our local area. We also regularly work in:
- Manly
- Mosman
- Belrose, Davidson, Terrey Hills
- Across the Northern Beaches broadly
If you’re in the Frenchs Forest area and you’ve been putting off a bathroom renovation, it’s worth at least having a conversation. We can usually come out for an initial look within a week.
Get a Quote for Your Frenchs Forest Bathroom
No forms to fill in, no waiting for a call centre. Call Dave directly or send an enquiry and he’ll get back to you himself.
📞 Call Dave: 0416 136 965 📩 Request a free quote online