All advice / Planning and cost
Your insurer needs to know
Before a bathroom renovation starts, tell your home insurer. Most policies require you to notify them of any renovation, extension or structural work. Failing to do so can void your cover or leave gaps that only show up when you make a claim.
This is not a complicated process. A phone call or online update to your insurer before work starts is usually enough. They may ask about the scope, the builder, the licence and the expected cost.
What can go wrong during the renovation
A bathroom job involves demo, pipe work, wiring and sealing. Things that can go wrong include water damage from a pipe join during the rough-in, damage to the next room during demo, or a fire from wiring work.
Your home policy may or may not cover damage caused during building work. Some policies cut out building damage. Others cover it but with strings — for example, the builder must hold their own cover.
Check your policy before work starts. If it cuts out building damage, your builder's cover should pick it up — but confirm that too.
Builder insurance vs home insurance
A licensed builder should carry public liability cover, which pays for damage to other people or their property during the work. In NSW, for jobs over $20,000, the builder must also carry Home Building cover — this protects you if the builder dies, goes missing or loses their licence.
These are not the same as your home policy. Builder cover pays for damage the builder causes during the work. Your home policy pays for other events — a storm, a fire, a theft — that may happen while the bathroom is half-built.
Both are needed. Neither replaces the other.
Update your policy after the renovation
A new bathroom raises the value of your home. If your policy still shows the old sum, you may be under-covered. A modern bathroom with new fittings costs more to replace than the old one did.
After the work is done, update the insured value of your building with your provider. This is usually a simple change. It may raise your premium slightly, but it means you are fully covered if you need to claim.
Keep a copy of the written scope, the final invoice and the sealing sign-off. These are useful if you need to claim or if a future buyer asks for proof of the work.
Waterproofing certificates and insurance
A sealing sign-off (AS 3740) is not just a building rule. It is proof that the wet area was sealed to standard. If water damage turns up later — in your home or, in a unit, in the one below — the sign-off shows the work was done right.
Without one, you may be on the hook for damage from a sealing failure, and your provider may refuse the claim. This is one of the reasons every ETR bathroom is sealed to AS 3740 with a sign-off.
Warranty and defects
A builder's warranty covers faults in the work for a set period. ETR gives a 10-year warranty. If a fault shows up in that time — a tile lifting, a leak at a join, a fitting that fails because of how it was put in — the warranty covers it, not your home policy.
Home cover pays for sudden damage — a burst pipe, a storm, an impact. It does not pay for slow wear, ageing or faults in the building work. Knowing where warranty ends and home cover starts saves mix-ups later.
Checklist before the renovation starts
Tell your home provider the scope and dates. Check your policy covers your home during the work, or learn what it leaves out. Check the builder holds public liability cover and, for jobs over $20,000, Home Building cover. Keep copies of the builder's licence, cover papers, the written scope and the sealing sign-off.
After the work is done, update your insured value to match the new worth of the home. A free on-site measure anywhere in Sydney is the right starting point for the job itself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell my insurer about a bathroom renovation?
Yes. Most home policies need you to tell them before any building or structural work starts. If you skip this step, your cover could be voided or have gaps you only find when you claim.
Does home cover pay for damage during a bathroom job?
It depends on your policy. Some policies cut out damage from building work. Others cover it with strings. Check your policy before work starts and confirm what the builder's cover handles as well.
What cover should my bathroom builder carry?
A licensed builder should carry public liability cover. In NSW, for jobs over $20,000, the builder must also carry Home Building cover. This protects you if the builder cannot finish or fix the work.
Should I update my home policy after a bathroom job?
Yes. A new bathroom raises the value of your home. Update your insured sum with your provider after the work is done so you are not under-covered.
Why does the sealing sign-off matter for cover?
A sealing sign-off (AS 3740) is proof that the wet area was sealed to standard. If water damage turns up later, the sign-off shows the work was done right. Without one, you may be on the hook for the damage and your provider may refuse the claim.