Older homes, sloping streets
Baulkham Hills grew earlier than most of the Hills District. Streets toward Old Windsor Road, Seven Hills Road and Winston Hills are lined with 1960s and 70s brick-veneer homes, while 1980s houses fill the later subdivisions. The land falls away steeply in many streets, so split-level and highset homes with a garage underneath are common.
That history shows up in the bathrooms:
- Timber floors. Many bathrooms sit on a suspended timber floor rather than a slab, which makes moving a shower or toilet more achievable.
- Mortar-bed showers. Older showers may have been built with little or no modern membrane.
- Previous renovations. Plenty of rooms were redone in the 1990s, sometimes over the top of original tiles.
- Separate toilets. A small toilet room next to the bathroom is very common.
- Asbestos risk. Homes of this age can contain asbestos cement sheeting in wet areas.
What we check first
Asbestos. Sampled and tested before demolition. If present, removal is carried out by a licensed asbestos removalist with the required clearance.
The subfloor. In split-level homes we look at bearers, joists and floor sheeting under the bathroom, since long-term leaks often cause damage underneath.
The waste line. On a sloping block the sewer usually runs downhill beneath the house. Knowing its route tells us what can move.
Hot water. Older homes may have a hot water system at the far end of the house, which affects how long hot water takes to reach a new shower.
Popular changes in Baulkham Hills
- Combining the bathroom and separate toilet into one generous room.
- Replacing a bath-over-shower with a walk-in shower where there is a second bath in the house, or keeping a bath for young families.
- Adding an ensuite to the main bedroom in a home that never had one, using part of a bedroom or a hallway linen cupboard.
- Accessible features for owners who have lived in the suburb for decades. See accessible bathrooms.
Council
Most of Baulkham Hills is in The Hills Shire, though streets near the southern boundary can fall in the City of Parramatta, so check your rates notice. Adding an ensuite that changes walls or the building footprint may need approval, depending on the work.
Nearby
We also work in Castle Hill, Glenhaven, Winston Hills and Norwest.
See the cost guide or read about waterproofing and tiling.
Call 02 4404 2242 or send us the room details.
Other suburbs
Questions people ask before they commit
Why test for asbestos in Baulkham Hills?
A large share of the housing was built in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, before asbestos cement products were phased out. Wet-area wall sheeting, eaves and older extensions can contain it, so a sample is tested before the bathroom is pulled apart.
Our house is a split level. Does that change the job?
It can. Bathrooms on a suspended timber floor over a subfloor are easier to re-plumb than slab rooms. Access to the subfloor, the condition of the bearers and joists, and where the sewer line runs down the slope all affect the layout options.
What does a Baulkham Hills bathroom renovation cost?
As a 2026 guide, most main bathrooms land between $25,000 and $39,000. Older homes more often need asbestos removal, framing repairs or new floor sheeting, which add to that figure.