The short answer
A full apartment renovation in Sydney runs $60,000 to $160,000+, depending on size and finish. A typical 2-bedroom lands at $80,000 to $130,000. Single rooms cost less: a kitchen from $18,000, a bathroom from $15,000. Three things set the number: the size of the apartment, how far you gut it, and your strata building's rules. The strata layer is what makes an apartment cost more, and take longer, than the same work in a house.
Years in apartments
Projects completed
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Strata approval rate
Most cost guides treat "apartment" as a footnote on a general renovation page. This one is built for Sydney apartment and strata owners specifically, with real 2026 prices and the strata costs nobody else spells out. Use the estimator below for a quick range, then read on for the detail.
How much does it cost to renovate an apartment in Sydney?
A full apartment renovation in Sydney runs from about $60,000 for a one-bedroom to $160,000 or more for a premium three-bedroom. What sets your number is the size of the apartment, how far you gut it, and the finishes you choose. Here is how that breaks down by size.
| Apartment | Typical area | Full renovation |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bed | ~40–55 m² | $60,000 – $100,000 |
| 2 bedroom | ~70–90 m² | $80,000 – $130,000 |
| 3 bedroom | ~100–120 m² | $100,000 – $160,000 |
These are our real Fine Touch Group ranges for a full apartment renovation, drawn from 1,000+ Sydney projects. Your exact number depends on finishes, layout changes, and your building.
What you get at each budget
Standard full reno
from, one-off project cost
A full apartment renovation at a solid, honest standard.
- New kitchen and bathroom, quality materials
- Fresh flooring and paint throughout
- Standard fixtures and lighting
- Strata approval handled
Mid-range
from, one-off project cost
Engineered stone, custom joinery and a full bathroom rebuild.
- Engineered stone and custom joinery
- Full bathroom rebuild to AS 3740
- Some layout changes
- Designer fixtures and lighting
- Strata, acoustic and waterproofing handled
Premium
from, one-off project cost
A whole-apartment reconfigure with high-end finishes throughout.
- Whole apartment reconfigured
- Natural stone and full custom joinery
- Two bathrooms to a high spec
- Premium appliances throughout
- High-end finishes end to end
Cost by room
Kitchen
Cabinetry is the biggest line in a kitchen, at 30 to 40 percent of the total. An apartment kitchen starts at $18,000 and runs higher with stone benchtops, custom joinery and premium appliances.
| Kitchen | Sydney 2026 |
|---|---|
| Standard (laminate, polyurethane) | $18,000 – $25,000 |
| Mid-range (engineered stone) | $25,000 – $35,000 |
| High-end (full custom) | $35,000 – $50,000+ |
See our apartment kitchen renovations for real examples at each level.
Bathroom
Bathrooms tilt toward labour, at 40 to 50 percent of the cost. In an apartment, waterproofing is the step that matters most even though it is one of the cheapest.
| Bathroom | Sydney 2026 |
|---|---|
| Standard (keep layout) | $15,000 – $20,000 |
| Mid-range (full reno) | $20,000 – $30,000 |
| High-end (reconfigure) | $30,000 – $45,000+ |
See our apartment bathroom renovations.
The hidden cost of apartments: strata, access and compliance
This is where an apartment renovation parts ways with a house. The build is the easy part. The strata layer is what adds cost, time, and risk, and it is the thing most cost guides skip.
Strata approval depends on the work
s109Cosmetic work
$0Painting, carpet, hooks, built-in wardrobes. No approval needed.
s110Minor renovations
$0 statutoryKitchen, hard floors, recessed lights, non-structural walls. Needs an ordinary resolution, no by-law.
s108Major works
~$1,100+Anything affecting waterproofing (most bathrooms), structure, or plumbing. Needs a special resolution and a registered by-law.
By-law drafting is around $900 to $1,000 plus GST, plus $175.70 to register it with NSW Land Registry Services. Major-works approval realistically takes 6 to 12 weeks, which is a real holding cost.
Once you renovate a bathroom, the leak is yours
Two more apartment-only realities move the price and the timeline. Acoustic underlay has to meet your building's star rating, usually 4 or 5 stars, tested on site. And restricted work hours, often 8am to 4pm on weekdays only, remove weekend catch-up and stretch the calendar, which adds holding costs.
This is the part we handle. In 30 years and 1,000+ Sydney apartments, our strata approval rate is 100 percent. We prepare the by-law, the engineering, and the acoustic and waterproofing certificates, manage the lift bookings and work-hour rules, and stand behind the compliance, so the risk sits with us, not you.
“I was not expecting another $880 fee for a strata lawyer to register a special bylaw.”
“The building part is fine. It's the getting-permission-from-strata part that makes me want to give up. Engineered drawings, a full schedule of works, and insurance certs. For a bathroom.”
Hidden costs in older blocks
Sydney has a lot of pre-1990 apartment stock. The surprises below are common, and worth budgeting a 15 to 20 percent contingency for.
| Hidden cost | Range |
|---|---|
| Asbestos removal (pre-1990 blocks) | $1,000 – $5,500 |
| Switchboard upgrade (old fuses) | $900 – $1,200 |
| Partial or full rewire | $1,500 – $5,000 |
| Waste removal / skips in strata | $200 – $1,550 |
Then there are special levies, which land on top of a renovation with no opt-out. Owners in buildings facing cladding or water-ingress repairs have been hit hard.
“I feel like I went backwards. Years of hard work gone to the trash instantly, only because of buying a unit.”
Estimate your renovation
Pick your apartment size and how far you want to take it for a working 2026 range.
Apartment renovation cost estimator
Our real Sydney pricing for a full apartment renovation. A guide, not a quote.
Apartment size
Finish level
2 bed apartment, mid-range finish
$100,000 – $130,000
Includes the full renovation. Add 15–20% contingency for older blocks. Just refreshing a single room? A kitchen starts at $18,000 and a bathroom at $15,000.
2026 Sydney Apartment Renovation Price Guide
Real per-room costs, the full strata cost checklist, and the questions to ask before you sign. Sent straight to your inbox.
How to budget without nasty surprises
- 1. Carry a 15 to 20 percent contingency. Older blocks find ways to spend it.
- 2. Get the strata by-law done before work starts, and understand it transfers waterproofing liability to you.
- 3. Never pay more than a 10 percent deposit. It is the law in NSW.
- 4. Get three quotes, and expect them to vary. The cheapest is rarely the safest in a strata building.
Get a fixed-price quote for your apartment
30 years of Sydney apartment and strata renovations. We handle the by-law, the approvals, and the build. Fixed price, no surprises.
Frequently asked questions
Go deeper
The complete Sydney strata approval guide
By-laws, the works application, and how to get approved without the months of back-and-forth.
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Apartment renovations Sydney
Whole-apartment renovations by a 30-year strata specialist. Fixed price, strata handled.