Bathrooms are the smallest rooms in the house and the most technically dense: plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile and ventilation packed into a few square metres. Here's what we want every client to know before the first hammer swings.
What it costs in the GTA
- Powder room: $8,000–$15,000
- Standard full bathroom (gut renovation): $18,000–$35,000
- Large primary ensuite: $35,000–$70,000+
Tile selection, glass, and vanity quality are the biggest movers within those ranges. Moving plumbing fixtures to new locations adds cost; keeping the layout keeps the budget tight.
Waterproofing is the whole game
Everything you admire in a finished bathroom sits on top of something you'll never see. Modern membrane systems (sheet or liquid-applied) behind tile, properly sloped and flood-tested shower pans, and silicone — not grout — at every change of plane: this is what determines whether your bathroom lasts 25 years or fails in five.
When comparing quotes, ask each contractor exactly what waterproofing system they use and whether they flood-test. The answer tells you everything.
Timelines
A full gut bathroom renovation takes two to three weeks when materials are on site before demolition. The sequence: demo → plumbing and electrical rough-in → blocking and inspection → backer board and waterproofing → flood test → tile → grout → vanity, toilet and fixtures → glass measure (then about a week's fabrication) → paint and accessories.
If it's your only bathroom, tell your contractor up front — the work can be sequenced to keep the toilet functional for most of the project.
Upgrades worth the money
- Heated floors ($1,200–$2,500): the highest satisfaction-per-dollar upgrade we install. Nobody regrets them.
- Curbless shower: safer, ageless and visually seamless — best decided early, since the floor structure has to accommodate it.
- Proper ventilation: a quiet, correctly sized fan on a timer protects everything you just paid for.
- A niche or two: shampoo bottles on the shower floor undo a lot of expensive tile.
Upgrades to skip
Jetted tubs (rarely used, often removed in the next renovation), overly trendy tile in permanent locations, and bargain glass hardware that pits within two years.
The one-bathroom-house question
Yes, you can renovate the only bathroom in your home without moving out. It takes honest scheduling: we keep the toilet operational except for a 2–3 day window and compress that window with extra crew. Ask how your contractor plans to handle it — "we'll figure it out" is not a plan.
Planning a bathroom this year? Get a free itemized quote and we'll scope the waterproofing, the layout and the budget honestly before anything gets demolished.