How Much Does a Bathroom Vanity Cost in Australia?

At a Glance

A custom bathroom vanity in Australia typically costs $1,500–$8,000 per job, covering design, manufacture, delivery, and installation. A compact 600mm wall-hung unit for a powder room sits at the lower end. A 1500mm+ double-basin vanity with engineered stone benchtop and soft-close drawers pushes toward the upper range. Plumbing connections are always a separate cost requiring a licensed plumber.

What's Included

A custom vanity quote from a Cabinet Maker typically covers:

• Design and measure: On-site measurement, material selection, and layout drawing. Most cabinet makers include this in the job price, though some charge a separate design fee ($150–$350) that is credited against the build.
• Cabinet carcass: The box structure, usually 16–18mm moisture-resistant (MR) board with melamine or laminate finish. Quality builds use 18mm throughout with dowelled or confirmat construction. Budget builds may use 16mm with cam-lock assembly.
• Benchtop: Supplied and cut to size with basin cutout. Material choice is the single biggest cost variable (see Benchtop Materials below).
• Doors and drawer fronts: Material, profile, and finish to match the design. Polyurethane (spray-painted MDF), laminate, veneer, or solid timber.
• Hardware: Drawer runners (soft-close ball-bearing or Blum/Hettich undermount), hinges (soft-close concealed), and handles or push-to-open mechanisms.
• Delivery and installation: Fitting the vanity to the wall or floor, levelling, and sealing to the wall with silicone. Wall-hung units require structural backing (timber noggins or masonry).
• Basin supply: Some cabinet makers supply the basin as part of the package. Others expect the homeowner or plumber to supply it separately. Clarify this upfront.

Not included (separate trades/costs): Plumbing connections (licensed plumber required, ~$300–$600), tapware supply and installation, waterproofing if the vanity area is within a wet zone, tiling behind or beneath the vanity, electrical work for lighting or heated mirrors, and demolition/removal of the existing vanity.

Vanity Types and What They Cost

Wall-hung (floating) vanities (~$2,000–$6,000 installed). The most popular style in modern Australian bathrooms. Mounted to the wall with no floor contact, making the bathroom feel larger and floor cleaning easier. Requires a structurally sound wall with timber noggins or steel backing behind the plasterboard. Installation is more complex than freestanding, adding $200–$500 to labour. Australian brands ADP, Timberline, and Marquis all offer wall-hung ranges with 6–8 week lead times for custom sizes.

Freestanding vanities (~$1,500–$4,500 installed). Sits on the floor like traditional furniture. Simpler installation with no wall reinforcement needed. Available in wider style ranges from traditional timber to contemporary laminate. Good for renovations where wall modification is impractical or undesirable, such as in heritage bathrooms or rental properties.

Custom-built to fit (~$2,500–$8,000+ installed). Made to exact dimensions for non-standard spaces. Essential for bathrooms with odd angles, sloping ceilings, niche recesses, or where every millimetre of storage matters. A skilled Cabinet Maker can integrate features like pull-out laundry hampers, recessed shelving, or symmetrical double-basin layouts that off-the-shelf units cannot accommodate. Lead times are typically 4–8 weeks from design sign-off to delivery.

Size and What to Expect

Vanity pricing scales with width, depth, and the number of drawers or doors:

• 600mm compact (~$1,500–$2,500 installed). Powder rooms and small ensuites. Single basin, one or two drawers. Wall-hung versions maximise floor space in tight rooms.
• 900mm standard (~$2,000–$4,000 installed). The most common size for main bathrooms. Single basin with two to three drawers or a door-and-drawer combination. Fits most standard bathroom layouts.
• 1200mm+ double basin (~$3,500–$6,000 installed). Shared bathrooms and master ensuites. Two basins with four to six drawers. Requires two sets of plumbing connections and a wider benchtop cutout. Benchtop material becomes a significant cost factor at this size.
• 1500mm+ premium (~$5,000–$8,000+ installed). Large master bathrooms and luxury renovations. Full-width double basin with extensive storage. Often includes integrated features like open shelving sections, towel rails, or LED lighting channels. Engineered or natural stone benchtops are standard at this tier.

Benchtop Materials

The benchtop is typically 20–40% of the total vanity cost. Material choice affects both aesthetics and long-term durability in a wet environment.

• Laminate and solid surface (~$150–$400 per linear metre installed). Budget-friendly and available in hundreds of colours and patterns. Modern laminates are moisture-resistant and durable, though edges can swell if water penetrates the substrate. Solid surface (Corian and similar) allows seamless basin integration and is repairable if scratched.
• Engineered stone (~$500–$1,000 per linear metre installed). Caesarstone, Essastone, and Smartstone are the main brands in Australia. Extremely durable, non-porous, and available in a wide range of colours. The most popular choice for mid-range to premium vanities. Requires professional templating and fabrication, adding 2–3 weeks to the timeline.
• Natural stone (~$700–$2,000 per linear metre installed). Marble, granite, and travertine. Each slab is unique. Natural stone requires sealing every 1–2 years to prevent staining in a wet bathroom environment. Marble is beautiful but porous and prone to etching from acidic products. Granite is the most durable natural option.
• Timber (~$300–$600 per linear metre installed). Solid timber or timber veneer with a marine-grade polyurethane finish. Australian hardwoods (spotted gum, blackbutt) and imported species (American oak, walnut) are common. Timber adds warmth but requires resealing every 2–5 years to maintain water resistance. Not recommended for families with young children who splash frequently.

Basin Types and How They Affect Cost

The basin type determines the benchtop cutout complexity and plumbing configuration:

• Undermount basins. Mounted beneath the benchtop for a clean, seamless look. Requires a polished benchtop edge around the cutout, which adds fabrication cost (~$100–$250 extra). Best suited to engineered stone or natural stone benchtops. Caroma offers the most widely available undermount range in Australia.
• Vessel (sit-on) basins. Sits on top of the benchtop. Requires only a small hole for the waste connection, simplifying fabrication. Creates a design statement but needs a lower vanity height to compensate (standard vanity height is 850mm; with a vessel basin, the cabinet should be 700–750mm). Available in ceramic, stone, and concrete.
• Inset (drop-in) basins. Drops into a cutout in the benchtop with a visible rim. The simplest and most cost-effective option. Common in laminate benchtops where undermounting is not practical.
• Integrated basins. Basin and benchtop formed as one piece (common with solid surface materials like Corian). No joins, no cutout, no silicone — the most hygienic option. Premium pricing, typically $800–$1,500 for the combined benchtop-basin unit.

What Affects the Cost

• Size. The single biggest factor. A 1500mm vanity uses roughly 2.5 times the materials of a 600mm unit, and benchtop fabrication cost scales proportionally.
• Benchtop material. Laminate at $150–$400/m vs engineered stone at $500–$1,000/m can add $500–$1,500 to the total for a 900mm vanity.
• Wall-hung vs freestanding. Wall-hung installation requires structural backing, adding $200–$500 in preparation work if noggins are not already in place.
• Basin type. Undermount basins add fabrication complexity. Vessel basins are simpler but require a non-standard vanity height.
• Hardware quality. Entry-level soft-close runners ($15–$30/pair) vs premium Blum Tandembox or Hettich ArciTech ($60–$120/pair) affect the feel and longevity of drawers. Over 4–6 drawers, the difference adds $200–$500.
• Finish. Polyurethane (spray-painted) doors cost 30–50% more than melamine or laminate doors but offer more colour options and a smoother finish.
• Custom vs standard sizing. Off-the-shelf vanities are cheaper but only come in fixed widths (600, 750, 900, 1200mm). Custom sizing from a Cabinet Maker costs more but fits perfectly.
• Plumbing modifications. If the new vanity is a different size or position from the old one, the plumber will need to relocate supply and waste pipes. This is a separate cost ($300–$800 depending on how far the pipes move).

A simple 900mm freestanding vanity with a laminate benchtop and inset basin in a suburban bathroom sits toward $1,500. A 1500mm wall-hung double-basin vanity with engineered stone benchtop, Blum hardware, and polyurethane doors in an inner-city ensuite renovation pushes toward $8,000.

Coordination with Other Trades

A bathroom vanity installation rarely happens in isolation. Understanding the trade sequence prevents costly rework:

1. Plumber (first fix): Rough-in pipework for basin supply and waste must be in place before the vanity is installed. If relocating the vanity position, the plumber relocates pipes first.
2. Waterproofer: If the vanity sits within or adjacent to a wet zone (AS 3740:2021), waterproofing must be completed and certified before the vanity goes in.
3. Tiler: Wall and floor tiling behind and beneath the vanity area should be completed before installation (especially for wall-hung vanities where the wall behind is visible).
4. Cabinet maker: Vanity installation, levelling, and wall/floor fixing.
5. Plumber (second fix): Basin, tapware, and waste connections after the vanity is installed.

If you are renovating the whole bathroom, the vanity is typically part of a broader project. See our bathroom renovation guide for the full trade sequence and combined costs.

City and Regional Price Comparison

City-level: Sydney (NSW) serves as the baseline at $1,500–$8,000 per job. Melbourne tracks close to Sydney, with strong demand for custom vanities in heritage bathroom renovations. Brisbane sits at or slightly below Sydney. Perth and Adelaide run 5–10% higher due to smaller trade pools and material shipping costs.

Suburb and regional level: Within any city, the spread depends on the property. Compact inner-city bathrooms with access constraints push toward the upper end. Larger suburban bathrooms with straightforward layouts and good access sit closer to $1,500. Apartments with strata requirements (noise restrictions on installation, lift access for delivery) add to costs.

How We Calculate

Estimates are based on current trade rates for licensed Cabinet Makers across Australian capital cities, adjusted for regional labour costs and typical material prices. All figures include GST. Ranges reflect the spread between a compact freestanding vanity with budget materials and a large custom wall-hung unit with premium benchtop and hardware. Plumbing is quoted separately and not included in these figures.