A bathroom renovation in Canada costs anywhere from about $4,000 for a powder room refresh to $60,000 and up for a fully rebuilt primary ensuite. The wide range is not a cop-out. It comes down to three decisions: whether you move any plumbing, how much tile you lay, and how much of the work you pay a contractor to do versus buying fixtures yourself and hiring trades directly.
This guide breaks the numbers down the way a contractor would when writing a quote: by renovation tier, by line item, by trade, and by region. Prices are in Canadian dollars and reflect what homeowners in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta are paying in 2026. Fixture prices come from our own catalogue, so they are real shelf prices, not estimates.
Key takeaways
- Powder room refresh: $4,000–$9,000. Small full bathroom, same layout: $8,000–$16,000.
- Mid-range full bathroom with new tile, tub or shower, vanity and toilet: $16,000–$32,000.
- High-end primary ensuite with layout changes, glass shower, freestanding tub and heated floors: $35,000–$60,000+.
- Labour is 40–50% of the bill. Moving a toilet or drain adds $2,000–$6,000 on its own.
- Buying fixtures yourself instead of through the contractor typically saves 15–30% on that part of the budget.
Bathroom renovation cost by tier
Contractors quote by scope, not by square footage, because a 5×8 bathroom with a moved toilet costs more than a 6×10 bathroom where everything stays put. These are the four tiers most Canadian quotes fall into.
| Tier | Typical cost (CAD) | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Powder room refresh | $4,000–$9,000 | New vanity, faucet, toilet, mirror, light, paint. No tile work beyond a backsplash. |
| Small full bath, same layout | $8,000–$16,000 | Everything above plus new tub or acrylic shower, floor tile, tub surround, exhaust fan. |
| Mid-range full bath | $16,000–$32,000 | Tiled shower with glass door, porcelain floor, quartz-top vanity, LED mirror, new plumbing valves, pot lights. |
| High-end ensuite | $35,000–$60,000+ | Layout changes, curbless shower, freestanding tub, double vanity, heated floor, wall-hung toilet, large-format tile. |
Two adjustments to apply. Toronto, the rest of the GTA and Metro Vancouver run 15–25% above these ranges because trades cost more and permits take longer. Quebec outside Montreal, the Prairies and Atlantic Canada usually land 10–20% below.
Where the money actually goes
Homeowners consistently underestimate labour and overestimate fixtures. On a typical mid-range renovation the split looks like this.
| Category | Share of budget | On a $24,000 renovation |
|---|---|---|
| Labour (demolition, tiling, carpentry, finishing) | 40–50% | $9,600–$12,000 |
| Fixtures (toilet, tub, shower system, faucets, mirror) | 15–25% | $3,600–$6,000 |
| Tile and flooring materials | 10–15% | $2,400–$3,600 |
| Vanity and countertop | 8–12% | $1,900–$2,900 |
| Plumbing and electrical rough-in | 10–15% | $2,400–$3,600 |
| Permits, design, disposal | 3–5% | $700–$1,200 |
The fixture line is the one you control most directly. A contractor who supplies fixtures usually adds 20–40% over retail. Buying them yourself, delivered to the site before demolition day, is the single easiest saving in the whole project.
Fixture prices in Canada: what things really cost
These are current prices from the MyBath catalogue, so you can plug them straight into a budget. Every item ships across Canada; orders over $600 ship free in Ontario.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding vanity (cabinet only) | $150–$300 (24"–30" HDF) | $360–$500 (30"–48" solid wood) | $650–$800 (60"–72" double) |
| Quartz or sintered stone top with sink | $250–$400 | $400–$700 | $700–$1,400 |
| Toilet | $208–$260 (one-piece dual flush) | $385–$500 (Toto Drake, Duravit D-Neo) | $1,000 wall-hung set; $1,799–$4,200 smart toilet |
| Bidet seat (optional) | — | $800 (Toto C5) | $1,750–$3,000 (Toto S7, Duravit SensoWash) |
| Tub | $400–$700 alcove acrylic | $720–$820 freestanding acrylic | $1,500–$4,000 stone resin or cast iron |
| Shower system (valve, head, hand shower) | $130–$250 | $400–$600 pressure-balanced 2-way or 3-way | $780–$1,440 thermostatic with body jets |
| Sink faucet | $65–$130 | $150–$200 widespread or wall-mount | $250–$365 |
| LED mirror or medicine cabinet | $155–$200 | $250–$350 | $390–$420 lit medicine cabinet |
| Glass shower door or panel | $600–$1,000 framed | $1,200–$2,000 semi-frameless | $2,000–$3,500 frameless custom |
| Tile (material only, per sq ft) | $3–$5 ceramic | $6–$10 porcelain | $12–$25 large-format or natural stone |
| Exhaust fan, light fixtures, accessories | $250–$400 | $500–$900 | $1,000–$2,000 |
Three fixtures that set the tone of a mid-range budget
Livia 60" Solid Wood Double Vanity
$650
Sealed pinewood, two sinks, centre drawers
Dual-Flush One-Piece Toilet
$208.50
Elongated bowl, soft-close seat included
Kodaen Madison 2-Way Shower System
$420
Rain head, hand shower, rough-in valve included
Labour rates across Canada
Trades are billed either hourly or by the job. Ask which one your quote uses, because a flat-rate tiling quote can hide a very high effective hourly rate on a small room.
| Trade | Typical rate (2026) | Typical bathroom total |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed plumber | $100–$175 per hour | $1,500–$4,000 same layout; $4,000–$8,000 with moved drains |
| Licensed electrician | $90–$150 per hour | $800–$2,500 (GFCI outlets, fan, pot lights, LED mirror hardwire) |
| Tile setter | $8–$20 per sq ft installed | $2,500–$6,000 for floor plus full shower |
| Demolition and disposal | $500–$1,500 flat | Includes bin rental; DIY saves most of it |
| Drywall, painting, trim | $45–$75 per hour | $800–$2,000 |
| General contractor management | 10–20% of project | $2,000–$6,000 on a mid-range job |
Regional differences: Toronto vs Montreal vs Vancouver
The same mid-range full bathroom, same fixtures, same tile, quoted in six Canadian cities:
| City | Mid-range full bath | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto and GTA | $20,000–$35,000 | Highest trade rates in the country, condo board rules add time |
| Vancouver | $20,000–$36,000 | Labour shortage, strict permit process |
| Ottawa | $17,000–$30,000 | Slightly below Toronto rates |
| Calgary and Edmonton | $15,000–$28,000 | No PST, competitive trades market |
| Montreal and Laval | $14,000–$27,000 | Lower labour rates; RBQ-licensed contractor required |
| Halifax | $14,000–$26,000 | Lower labour, higher shipping on materials |
Permits and code: what adds cost you cannot skip
You do not need a permit to swap a vanity, toilet or faucet in the same location. You almost always need one when you move plumbing, alter a wall, add an outlet circuit or change the exhaust fan ducting. Municipal permits for a bathroom renovation run roughly $200–$800 depending on the city, plus inspection visits your trades have to be present for.
Code items that show up on every Canadian bathroom quote
- Anti-scald shower valve. Pressure-balanced or thermostatic is mandatory. Every system we sell includes one.
- GFCI-protected outlets within 1.5 m of the sink, and a dedicated outlet if you are adding a bidet seat or smart toilet.
- Exhaust fan vented outdoors, not into the attic. Budget $300–$700 installed if the old one dumps into the ceiling.
- Waterproofing membrane behind tile in the shower. Not optional in a good quote; ask what product they use.
How long a bathroom renovation takes
Time matters because you are usually paying for a hotel, a second bathroom, or patience. Typical schedules once materials are on site:
- Powder room refresh: 3–5 working days.
- Small full bath, same layout: 2–3 weeks.
- Mid-range full bath: 3–5 weeks. Tile curing and glass door measurement add fixed waits.
- High-end ensuite with layout changes: 6–10 weeks including permit inspections.
The most common delay is fixtures arriving late. Order the vanity, toilet, tub and shower system before demolition starts. Most orders from MyBath arrive in the GTA within 3–7 business days and in Quebec within 5–10, which is well inside any renovation timeline, but custom glass and imported tile can take 4–8 weeks.
Seven ways to cut the cost without a cheap result
- Keep the layout. Leaving the toilet, drain and supply lines where they are saves $2,000–$6,000 in plumbing and usually a permit.
- Choose a freestanding vanity over custom cabinetry. A 36" solid wood freestanding vanity costs $400; a custom built-in with the same footprint starts at $2,500 before the countertop.
- Buy fixtures yourself. Contractor markup on supplied fixtures is 20–40%. Have everything delivered before day one.
- Go acrylic on the tub. A freestanding acrylic tub at $720–$820 gives the same visual impact as a $3,000 stone tub and weighs a third as much, so no floor reinforcement.
- Use large-format porcelain. Fewer grout lines means faster installation and less labour per square foot, even though the tile itself costs more.
- Refresh instead of replace where you can. A new LED mirror at $165 and a matte black faucet at $65 change a room more than most people expect.
- Do the demolition and painting yourself. Together they are $1,300–$3,500 of a contractor quote and require no licence.
Three sample budgets
1. Powder room in a Mississauga townhouse: $5,600
| Aria 24" HDF vanity with quartz top | $480 |
| Aquila single-handle faucet | $65 |
| Dual-flush one-piece toilet | $209 |
| Kodaen LED mirror | $165 |
| Light fixture, accessories, paint | $450 |
| Vinyl plank floor, 25 sq ft installed | $600 |
| Plumber, 6 hours | $780 |
| Electrician, 4 hours | $480 |
| Handyman for install and paint, 2 days | $1,100 |
| Disposal and contingency | $1,271 |
| Total | $5,600 |
2. Mid-range full bath in a Toronto semi, same layout: $23,800
| Livia 36" solid wood vanity with quartz top and sink | $900 |
| Widespread faucet, matte black | $198 |
| Toto Drake toilet (tank and bowl) | $385 |
| Kodaen Madison 3-way shower and tub system | $592 |
| Alcove acrylic tub | $650 |
| LED medicine cabinet 30" | $344 |
| Porcelain tile, 130 sq ft floor and surround, materials | $1,100 |
| Semi-frameless glass tub screen | $900 |
| Fan, pot lights, accessories, paint | $900 |
| Demolition and disposal | $1,200 |
| Plumbing labour | $3,200 |
| Electrical labour | $1,500 |
| Tiling and waterproofing labour | $4,200 |
| Carpentry, drywall, paint labour | $2,400 |
| Contractor management and contingency | $5,331 |
| Total | $23,800 |
3. High-end ensuite in a Vaughan detached, layout changed: $48,500
| Livia 72" solid wood double vanity with stone top | $2,000 |
| Two wall-mount faucets | $308 |
| Duravit D-Neo wall-hung toilet with in-wall tank | $1,000 |
| Toto S7 Washlet bidet seat | $1,747 |
| 60" freestanding acrylic tub and floor-mount filler | $1,300 |
| Kodaen Crystal thermostatic shower system | $780 |
| Two LED mirrors | $700 |
| Large-format porcelain, 220 sq ft, materials | $3,300 |
| Frameless glass shower enclosure | $2,800 |
| Electric in-floor heating | $1,600 |
| Lighting, fan, accessories, paint | $1,800 |
| Permit, design, disposal | $1,900 |
| Plumbing including relocated drains and in-wall carrier | $7,500 |
| Electrical including heated floor circuit | $2,800 |
| Tiling, waterproofing, curbless shower pan | $8,500 |
| Framing, drywall, carpentry, paint | $4,200 |
| Contractor management and contingency | $6,265 |
| Total | $48,500 |
Hidden costs that blow up bathroom budgets
Keep 10–15% of the budget in reserve. These are the surprises Canadian contractors find most often once the old tile comes off:
- Water damage under the tub or behind the shower. Rotten subfloor replacement runs $800–$2,500.
- Old plumbing. Galvanized steel in pre-1960s homes and Poly-B in 1980s–90s builds usually get replaced while the wall is open: $1,000–$3,000.
- Asbestos. Vinyl flooring, drywall compound and pipe wrap in homes built before the early 1980s may need abatement: $1,500–$4,000.
- Electrical panel capacity. Heated floors, a smart toilet and a steam shower can push an older 100 A panel; upgrades start at $2,500.
- Out-of-level floors and walls. Large-format tile shows every hump; levelling compound and shimming add labour hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of a bathroom renovation in Canada?
Most full bathroom renovations in Canada land between $16,000 and $32,000 in 2026. Powder rooms and cosmetic updates run $4,000–$9,000, and high-end ensuites with layout changes run $35,000–$60,000 or more. Toronto and Vancouver sit at the top of each range, Montreal and the Prairies at the bottom.
How much does a small bathroom renovation cost?
A small 5×8 bathroom renovated on the same layout with a new tub or shower, tile, vanity and toilet costs $8,000–$16,000. Keeping the plumbing where it is and buying fixtures yourself keeps it at the lower end.
How much should I budget for fixtures?
Plan on 15–25% of the total, or $3,000–$6,000 on a mid-range project. A complete mid-range set from our catalogue, including a solid wood vanity, toilet, shower system, faucet and LED mirror, comes to roughly $2,000–$2,500 before the countertop.
Do I need a permit to renovate a bathroom in Ontario or Quebec?
Not for like-for-like fixture replacement. You do if you move plumbing, alter structure, add circuits or change ventilation. Quebec additionally requires an RBQ-licensed contractor for most work you are not doing yourself.
Is it cheaper to buy fixtures myself or through the contractor?
Yourself, almost always. Contractors mark up supplied fixtures by 20–40%. The trade-off is that you own the delivery timing, so order early and have everything on site before demolition.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
Two to three weeks for a small bathroom on the same layout, three to five weeks for a mid-range renovation, and six to ten weeks for a high-end ensuite with permits and layout changes.
Ready to price your fixtures?
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