Routine-led layout
Plan drawn around who stands where, with clearances checked at every door swing.
The quiet room off your bedroom
Primary ensuite
A larger bathroom planned around morning routines: two of everything where it matters, a separate wet area, and lighting that works at 6 am and at 10 pm.
01
What this actually involves
Ensuites fail for predictable reasons. Two people at one basin. A door that swings into the towel rail. A single bank of downlights that is either glaring or useless. A tub that looked generous in the showroom and leaves an 18 inch walkway at home.
We plan the room around the routine rather than the fixture list. Where does each person stand? What has to be reachable while wet? Which light comes on first in the morning? The answers usually simplify the plan and save money.
The details that make an ensuite feel like a good hotel are not expensive ones: a heated floor on a timer, a towel warmer on the same circuit, a fan quiet enough to leave running, and a dimmable warm light near the floor for the middle of the night.
- Clearances checked on paper so no door hits a towel rail
- Wet area separated so the dry side stays warm
- Three lighting layers on separate switches
- A fan quiet enough that you leave it running
- Sample budget
- $32,000 - $78,000 (sample range)
- Time on site
- 4 - 7 weeks on site
- Best for
- Larger bathrooms shared by two people
Figures are illustrative. Your written proposal is a fixed price for a measured room.
02
What is included
Everything below is in the base scope. Nothing here is an upgrade line we take out to make a number look better.
Separated wet area
Shower and tub grouped behind glass so the rest of the room stays dry and warm.
Double vanity or two zones
Two basins where the wall allows, or one basin with a separate dressing counter.
Layered lighting
Face-height sconces, a dimmable ceiling circuit and a low-level night light on a sensor.
Heated floor and towel warmer
Both on a programmable schedule so the room is ready before you are.
Quiet ventilation
A fan rated under 1.0 sone, ducted properly and sized to the room volume.
03
How the work runs
Five stages, in order, with the same crew on site from the first day to the last.
Routine interview
We ask about mornings, evenings and who uses what.
Plan and elevations
Layout options drawn to scale with clearances marked.
Structure and services
Demolition, framing, plumbing, wiring, heat mat circuits.
Waterproof and tile
Wet area built, flood-tested, tiled floor to ceiling.
Fit-out
Cabinetry, stone, glass, lighting and a final adjustment visit.
04
What moves the price
Four things that change the number
These are the decisions we talk through at the measuring visit, because each one moves the figure more than the tile you pick.
Freestanding tub
Beautiful, and it needs 30 inches of clear walkway on the access side plus floor-mounted filler plumbing set before tile.
Steam
A steam shower needs a sealed ceiling, a sloped ceiling detail, a generator location and a full-height glass enclosure.
Window position
A window in the wet area is wonderful and needs a waterproofed reveal and the right glazing.
Floor structure
Stone floors and cast iron tubs are heavy. In older homes we sometimes add sistered joists, which we price up front.
Next step
Ready to talk about primary ensuite?
Send a photograph and rough dimensions. We reply the same working day with an honest range, before anyone books a visit.
Free measured survey · Fixed written proposal · Bathrooms only
05
Questions about this work
Only if you use one. Many clients move the tub to the hall bath and give the ensuite a larger shower, which is usually the better room for two adults.
A sealed, fully tiled enclosure to the ceiling, a slight ceiling slope so condensate runs to the wall, a correctly sized generator and an accessible service location for it.
Four to seven weeks. We start on a Monday, work a fixed crew, and give you a week-by-week schedule at the pre-construction meeting.
Often, yes. Keeping the toilet and drain positions typically saves several thousand dollars, and we will show you a version of the plan both ways.
