There are lots of different tasks involved in a bathroom renovation — making it hard to determine how to divvy up your budget. This rough guide will help you work out where you should be spending your cash.

It's all well and good to say that a typical bathroom renovation costs between $15,000 and $20,000, but where exactly is this cash going?

The bathroom is the most renovated room in the house; unsurprisingly it's also the space most prone to budget blowouts. By taking a close look at the bunch of elements that make up a bathroom renovation you can not only keep control of your finances, but decide where you can scrimp — and splurge.

Whether you're handing over a big fat cheque to a bathroom renovation company and getting them to co-ordinate your entire revamp, or you're embarking on a DIY job, it's important to know precisely where your money is being spent.

We uncover the average prices of some of the big ticket items:

Tiling

Every bathroom includes tiling of some sort — whether it's the floor, walls, a fancy feature border — or all three! Tilers can either can provide you with quote for the entire job, or give you a rate per square metre.

According to quotes website ServiceSeeking.com.au the average tiler charges $40 per square metre, this includes site preparation, labour and basic materials such as glue and grout, but not the cost of tiles. This rate is for standard sized tiles only (at least 12 inch x 12 inch) and you'll be have to pay more if you have a more complex mosaic job.

The total cost of laying floor tiles in a typical eight square metre bathroom is $320, but once you add in the cost of the tiles and essential extras like sealing and waterproofing you'll be up for anywhere between $1500 and $3000.

Plumbing

Common bathroom renovation plumbing jobs include the installation of the toilet, bath/shower and sinks. If you're contracting a plumber on an hourly basis you can expect to pay around the $70 mark , however most plumbers will quote you on a per task basis.

Provided no massive changes need to be made to the way the plumbing is routed, you can normally get away with a plumbing budget of $1000. Each bathroom fixture should cost between $200 to $300 to install, although the amount varies considerably depending on type and model.

Fixtures and fittings

Fixtures and fittings account for half the total cost of your bathroom renovation. This is the part of your bathroom renovation that can make or break your budget. It's easy to go crazy on expensive products — think frameless shower screens and beautiful Grohe spouts. But, if you can rein in your spending and opt for mid-range priced, quality fittings over the razzle, dazzle you should be able to furnish your bathroom for under $5000.

Electricals

The installation of exhaust fans, downlights and safety switches are all tasks handled by an electrician. For an average hourly price of $65 an electrician will come out and install your electricals, however this rate doesn't include parts or any complex wiring. For a more luxurious bathroom feel you might also want to consider underfloor heating and a heated towel rail!

Cabinetry

Not to be forgotten is the all-important vanity — a crucial part of any bathroom. If you're after something custom made you can contract a cabinetmaker to whip one up for you at a rate of $40/h, or approximately $1000. Even after you've crunched all your numbers, you should allow an extra 10 percent for unexpected costs — there's bound to be a few!

If you want instant estimate for your bathroom renovations try out this bathroom renovations cost calculator.

Looking for more renovation advice? Check out our renovation section.