IVAN BODNAR — INDEPENDENT RENOVATION SPECIALIST
or email [email protected]
FIELD GUIDE — HOW A BATHROOM IS READ
Bathroom Renovation Caulfield is run by Ivan Bodnar, an independent renovation specialist working as a sole trader across Caulfield and surrounding Melbourne suburbs. The visible finish is only one part of a successful renovation. What sits under it — existing conditions, substrate and preparation — decides how well the new surface performs.
This page walks through those layers in the order we look at them, so you know what to expect before you request a quote. For the full scope, from updating an existing bathroom to a more extensive renovation, see Bathroom Renovations.
01
What’s there now: surfaces, wear, cracked tiles, failing grout and signs of deterioration. Read about the on-site assessment.
02
Once old finishes come off, the wall and floor behind them can be properly checked and prepared. See surface preparation.
03
Plumbing, electrical and other regulated work is done by appropriately licensed specialists. See licensed specialist coordination.
04
Wall and floor tiling goes onto a surface that has been prepared to suit the chosen system. See wall and floor tiling.
01
LAYER 01 — EXISTING CONDITIONS
An on-site assessment tells us a lot, but not everything. Existing conditions and concealed issues can affect the scope after work begins — and we’ll tell you plainly what we can assess, what remains uncertain and why.
Image: unfinished wall tiling beside a stained, mould-marked wall (illustrative stock photo, not one of our projects).
02
LAYER 02 — SUBSTRATE AND PREPARATION
Surface preparation and installation suitability depend on the existing substrate and the proposed system. Our practical work covers surface preparation, plasterboard installation and plastering, so the base is considered before any wall and floor tiling starts.
LAYER 03 — LICENSED SPECIALISTS
Many bathroom renovations include plumbing, electrical or other work that requires a licence. Ivan doesn’t personally undertake that work. Where it forms part of your renovation, appropriately licensed specialists carry out the relevant components, and Ivan may coordinate their involvement.
You still deal directly with Ivan for the assessment and the renovation work he carries out himself, so you know who is doing what from the start.
DECISION AID
Some bathrooms need updating; others need a more extensive renovation. These notes explain what shapes that decision and the cost.
We don’t publish set prices, because cost depends on the bathroom in front of us: its size, existing conditions, the condition of the substrate, the tiling system chosen and whether licensed trades are needed. A quotation follows an on-site assessment. Our guide to bathroom renovation costs explains these factors in more detail.
Visible wear and damage, the state of existing tiles and grout, the surfaces they sit on and what the work is likely to involve. We’ll also point out what can’t be confirmed until old finishes are removed.
It can. Existing conditions and concealed issues can affect the scope after work begins. If that happens, we explain what has been found and talk through the options before going further.
If the bathroom still works for you and the surfaces underneath are sound, an update may suit. If it no longer meets your needs or shows deterioration, a more extensive renovation is often the more practical option. Read more in Update or full renovation?
THE PERSON BEHIND THE WORK
Independent Home Renovation Specialist
Ivan began learning residential renovation work alongside his father. He then built broader experience working with tradespeople, renovation teams and as a subcontractor — approximately 15 years of residential renovation in total. He has worked in Australia since 2016 and in Melbourne since 2019.
Today he operates as a sole trader. Homeowners communicate directly with the person assessing and carrying out the work, from the first conversation through to the finish. The aim is simple: practical renovation work that suits the property’s existing condition and your needs.
Stock photo of a finished bathroom, shown for inspiration only.
PREPARATION
More detail: what to have ready before you request a quote.
ENQUIRY
Tell us about your bathroom and where it is. Ivan will reply to talk it through and arrange an assessment where it makes sense. Nothing is sold or booked online, and we don’t offer an emergency or immediate-attendance service.
Email: [email protected]
Melbourne, Victoria
Privacy: the details you send are used only to respond to your enquiry and discuss your renovation. See our privacy information.
Once sent, you’ll see an on-screen confirmation that your enquiry has been received.
