Vancouver · Burnaby · Richmond · North Shore
Bathroom Renovations in Vancouver
Bathrooms are the least forgiving room in a house. Everything is wet, everything is tight, and the mistakes take two years to show up. This is the work we're best at.
- Fixed written price in 5 business days
- 2-year workmanship warranty
- Fully insured · WorkSafeBC
What a bathroom renovation costs in Vancouver in 2026
Bathrooms vary more by size than kitchens do, so the ranges below are split by room rather than by finish level.
| Room | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Powder room | $8,000 – $18,000 |
| Standard main bathroom (approx. 5×8) | $18,000 – $35,000 |
| Primary ensuite | $35,000 – $65,000 |
| High-end custom ensuite | $65,000 – $85,000+ |
A basic refresh — new vanity, toilet, retile and fixtures without moving anything — generally runs $12,000 to $22,000. Labour in Metro Vancouver sits 20–40% above the national average, which is most of the difference between our numbers and what you'll read on national cost sites.
The cost drivers people underestimate: shower glass (custom frameless is not a small line), tile format (large-format slab takes far longer to set than 12×24), and whether the fixture locations move. Moving a toilet drain in a concrete slab is a different job to moving one over a joist bay.
What you get in 5 business days. An itemized written price with fixtures and tile specified by name and model — not a lump sum with a $4,000 tile allowance that quietly runs out.
Waterproofing — the part you'll never see
Almost every bathroom failure we're called in to fix is a waterproofing failure, and almost none of them were visible on handover day. They surface eighteen months later as a soft spot in the hall floor or a stain on the ceiling below.
This is where corners get cut, because nobody photographs a membrane. What we do instead:
- A continuous bonded waterproofing membrane across the full shower enclosure, not just the pan
- Pre-sloped shower bases with the fall built into the substrate rather than into the mortar bed
- Sealed and reinforced corners, curbs, niches and pipe penetrations — the four places failures actually start
- A flood test before a single tile is set
- Cement board or an approved backer throughout — never drywall behind tile in a wet area
It adds a day or two. It is the difference between a bathroom that lasts twenty years and one that costs you a ceiling.
Curbless showers, heated floors and large-format tile
Curbless showers. A flush entry with no lip to step over — visually calmer, easier to clean, and genuinely useful if you plan to stay in the house as you age. It requires recessing the floor structure and getting the slope exactly right, which is why not every contractor offers it.
Heated floors. Electric in-floor heat under tile is the single upgrade our clients mention most afterwards. It's inexpensive to install during a renovation and near-impossible to retrofit later, so decide now rather than regretting it.
Large-format tile and slab. Fewer grout lines make a small bathroom read considerably larger. But large-format is unforgiving: the substrate has to be flat to within about 1/8" over 10 feet, and every panel needs 95% mortar coverage achieved by back-buttering. Skip either and you get lippage, hollow spots and eventually cracked tile. It is a specialist install, and it's the work we're known for — see our stone and slab page.
Permits and how long it takes
Plumbing work in a bathroom renovation generally requires a permit. The practical test is movement: replacing a tub in the same location with the same drain doesn't need one; moving that tub twelve inches does. Adding electrical — heated floors, a new exhaust fan circuit, additional pot lights — brings an electrical permit with it.
| Project | Active work on site |
|---|---|
| Condo bathroom | 2–3 weeks |
| Standard main bathroom | 3–4 weeks |
| High-end custom ensuite | 4–6 weeks |
From signing to completion, a mid-range Metro Vancouver bathroom typically runs four to seven weeks once you account for selections, material lead times and inspections. Custom shower glass is usually the last item and often the one holding up completion — it can only be measured after the tile is set.
If it's your only bathroom, tell us at the estimate. We sequence those jobs differently and keep the fixture down-time as short as we can.
Our Work
Recent bathroom and ensuite projects
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Spa Ensuite & Sauna
West Vancouver
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Floating Double Vanity
West Vancouver
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Stone Vanity & Herringbone Tile
Vancouver
Bathroom renovation questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Vancouver?
A standard main bathroom runs $18,000 to $35,000, a primary ensuite $35,000 to $65,000, and a powder room $8,000 to $18,000. A basic refresh without moving fixtures starts around $12,000. High-end custom ensuites reach $85,000 and beyond.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom renovation in Vancouver?
Plumbing work generally requires a permit. The test is movement: replacing a tub in the same location with the same drain does not need one, but moving that tub does. Adding electrical such as heated floors or a new fan circuit requires an electrical permit.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
Two to three weeks of active work for a condo bathroom, three to four for a standard main bathroom, and four to six for a high-end custom ensuite. Allow four to seven weeks in total from signing.
What is a curbless shower and can my bathroom have one?
A curbless shower has a flush entry with no lip to step over. It requires recessing the floor structure and building in the correct slope, so it depends on your floor framing. We assess this at the estimate.
Are heated floors worth it?
It is the upgrade our clients mention most often afterwards. It is inexpensive to install during a renovation and very difficult to retrofit later, so it is worth deciding on now.
How do you waterproof a shower?
A continuous bonded membrane across the full enclosure, a pre-sloped base, sealed and reinforced corners, curbs, niches and pipe penetrations, cement board rather than drywall, and a flood test before any tile is set.
Bathroom renovations across Greater Vancouver
- Vancouver
- Burnaby
- Richmond
- North Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- Coquitlam
- Port Moody
- New Westminster
- Surrey
- Delta
Free · No Obligation
Get a fixed price for your bathroom
We'll visit, measure, and send a fixed written price within 5 business days. No fee, no pressure, no follow-up sales calls.