Bathroom / Washroom Renovation!

A bathroom renovation is the most consistently rewarding renovation a GTA homeowner can undertake, and one of the most consequential decisions for resale value, daily comfort, and household function.

Unlike any other room in the home, the bathroom is:

  • Entirely private — used individually rather than collectively
  • Used every single day — by every member of the household
  • Experienced personally — the quality of the space is felt rather than observed

Done well, a bathroom renovation is a daily luxury. Done poorly, it is a daily frustration that cannot be corrected without another renovation.This page covers the bathroom renovation ideas GTA homeowners are building - the configurations, design trends, material choices, and construction requirements that define a genuinely successful bathroom renovation in the current GTA market.

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Bathroom Renovation Services!
Maple Leaf Kitchen & Bath delivers every bathroom renovation scope, from a powder room refresh to a complete primary ensuite transformation. Every scope is managed in-house under one contract.

Our bathroom renovation services include:

  • Full bathroom renovation — complete demolition and rebuild from waterproofing to finishes
  • Primary ensuite renovation — double vanity, walk-in shower, freestanding tub, and premium tile throughout
  • Secondary family bathroom renovation — durable, functional, and storage-efficient for multi-person daily use
  • Powder room renovation — targeted update of the most visible half bathroom in the home
  • Basement bathroom addition — below-grade plumbing assessment, ejector system where required, full three or four-piece installation
  • Condo bathroom renovation — building management coordination, plumbing relocation assessment, and full scope delivery
  • Accessible bathroom renovation — curbless showers, grab bars, comfort-height fixtures, and wider doorways
  • Shower replacement — curbless walk-in, tub-shower combination, or wet room configuration
  • Vanity and countertop replacement — integrated stone basin, floating vanity, and double vanity configurations
Powder Room Renovation!
The powder room, a half bathroom with toilet and sink, is the highest-visibility bathroom in a GTA home relative to its renovation cost. It is the bathroom guests use, the bathroom visible from the front entrance in many GTA homes, and the space where a bold design decision reads as intentional rather than overwhelming.

What a well-finished GTA powder room includes:

  • Statement vanity — a furniture-style vanity, vessel sink, or wall-mounted pedestal that treats the space as a designed room rather than a functional afterthought
  • Bold tile or wallcovering — a richly patterned floor tile, a full-height feature wall, or a textured stone surface
  • Quality fixtures — matte black or brushed gold faucet, designer mirror, and side-mounted sconce at eye level
  • Solid-core door — for acoustic privacy adjacent to the living or dining area
  • Exhaust fan vented to the exterior — a building code requirement; not the ceiling cavity
Three-piece Bathroom Renovation!
A three-piece bathroom - toilet, sink, and walk-in shower - is the most requested bathroom configuration for GTA secondary bathrooms, basement bathrooms, home office suites, and teenager retreats. It provides complete bathroom function in approximately 35 to 50 square feet without a tub where one is not needed.

What a properly built GTA three-piece bathroom includes:

  • Curbless walk-in shower — more accessible, easier to clean, and more visually spacious than a curbed enclosure; requires a continuous waterproofing membrane flood-tested before tiling
  • Linear or centre drain — properly positioned and sized for the floor area
  • Large-format tile on a rigid substrate — 24x24 or larger; requires a perfectly flat cement board base
  • Frameless glass enclosure — eliminates threshold and frame; maximizes perceived shower size
  • Exhaust ventilation vented to the exterior — sized for the shower volume
  • Vanity with adequate storage — minimum 24-inch width with under-vanity storage
Four-piece Bathroom Renovation!
A four-piece bathroom - toilet, sink, shower, and tub - is the standard configuration for a primary family bathroom serving multiple household members and the required configuration for a legal basement apartment in Ontario. It serves the full range of bathing preferences in the minimum footprint.

What a well-finished GTA four-piece bathroom includes:

  • Tub-shower combination — the most space-efficient four-piece configuration; a separate walk-in shower and soaking tub where floor area permits
  • Double sink or wide single vanity — reduces morning rush-hour conflict in a multi-person bathroom
  • Durable large-format porcelain tile — matte or textured finish for wet area slip resistance
  • Adequate vanity storage — under-vanity storage, recessed medicine cabinet, and tall linen tower where space permits
  • Strong exhaust ventilation — properly sized fan on a timer switch or humidity sensor; vented to the exterior
  • In-floor radiant heating — installed before tile; cannot be added after tiling is complete
Premium Ensuite Bathroom Renovation!
A premium ensuite renovation is the single highest-return bathroom scope in the GTA market, and the renovation that most consistently produces the strongest buyer emotional response during a showing. A well-executed primary ensuite creates the most compelling room in the home and the most luxurious daily experience for the household.

What defines a premium GTA primary ensuite renovation:

  • Double floating vanity — minimum 60-inch width; two sinks, two storage zones, and side-mounted sconces at eye level
  • Dedicated walk-in shower — curbless entry, large-format tile floor to ceiling, frameless glass enclosure, and built-in niche
  • Freestanding soaking tub — positioned as a deliberate design centrepiece; floor-mounted filler planned during plumbing rough-in
  • In-floor radiant electric heating — installed before tile is set; cannot be added after tiling is complete
  • Warm natural stone or large-format porcelain tile — floor, shower walls, and feature wall
  • Integrated stone vanity basin — countertop and sink carved from a single slab; eliminates maintenance-intensive caulk joint
  • Layered lighting — vanity sconces, shower fixture, ambient dimmer, and accent strip lighting all on independent circuits
Bathroom Waterproofing — the Most Critical Element!
Waterproofing is the most critical construction element in any bathroom renovation, and the one most frequently skipped, rushed, or performed incorrectly by contractors who prioritize speed over quality. A bathroom that is not properly waterproofed does not leak visibly at first. It saturates the surrounding framing over months, creating structural damage discovered only when the problem is already severe.

At Maple Leaf Kitchen & Bath, every shower and wet room is waterproofed with a named, tested membrane system:

  • Continuous membrane bonded to all wet surfaces — floor, walls, and ceiling in the shower zone
  • No gaps, no bridged corners, no penetrations without approved waterproof connections
  • Properly sloped floor assembly — minimum quarter-inch per foot pitch to the drain across the entire shower floor
  • Flood-tested before a single tile is set — confirmed watertight before tiling begins
  • ESA and plumbing permits obtained before any rough-in work begins
Bathroom Tile Selection and Installation!
Tile selection is the decision that most defines the visual character of a GTA bathroom renovation, and the decision with the most significant construction implications if the wrong format or material is selected for the specific application.

Tile options we design and install across GTA bathroom renovations:

  • Large-format porcelain — 24x48 or 32x32-inch format on floors and walls; fewer grout lines, more visual drama, and easier maintenance; requires a perfectly flat substrate
  • Warm natural stone look — porcelain tile in travertine, limestone, or warm beige stone textures replacing the cool grey palette of recent years
  • Fluted or ribbed tile — a textured surface profile on a feature wall or vanity face adding three-dimensional character
  • Book-matched porcelain slab — large-format panel with a continuous grain pattern matched across adjacent panels; the premium tile configuration for GTA ensuite renovations
  • In-floor radiant heating — installed before tile is set; cannot be added after tiling is complete
Bathroom Vanity and Storage!
The vanity is the functional centrepiece of the bathroom, and the storage element that most affects daily satisfaction with the space. A bathroom with inadequate vanity storage is a bathroom where countertop clutter accumulates permanently.

Vanity and storage options we design and install:

  • Double vanity — two sinks, two storage zones, and adequate counter space for two people simultaneously; minimum 60-inch width for a functional double vanity in a primary ensuite
  • Floating vanity — wall-mounted with open floor below; easier to clean, more spacious visual character, and flexible height installation for accessibility
  • Integrated stone basin — countertop and sink carved from a single slab; eliminates the maintenance-intensive caulk joint between undermount sink and countertop
  • Tall linen tower — floor-to-ceiling storage column adjacent to the vanity providing towel, toiletry, and cleaning supply storage
  • Recessed medicine cabinet — concealed storage at the vanity level without projecting into the bathroom space
Bathroom Shower Ideas and Configurations!
The shower is the bathroom element that most transforms daily experience, and the element with the most significant construction requirements that must be addressed before any tile is selected.

Shower configurations we design and build across GTA bathroom renovations:

  • Curbless walk-in shower — the dominant shower configuration in GTA bathroom renovation in 2026; more accessible, easier to clean, and more visually spacious than a curbed enclosure
  • Wet room — the entire bathroom floor waterproofed and sloped to a drain; the shower zone flows seamlessly into the rest of the bathroom; the premium configuration for GTA primary ensuites
  • Tub-shower combination — the most space-efficient four-piece configuration; appropriate for family bathrooms and legal suite bathrooms serving a range of tenant bathing preferences
  • Steam shower — fully enclosed, waterproofed, and equipped with a steam generator; requires a dedicated electrical circuit and a specific waterproofing assembly
  • Freestanding soaking tub — positioned as a deliberate design statement; floor-mounted filler planned during plumbing rough-in
Bathroom Lighting Design!
Bathroom lighting is the most consistently underplanned element of a GTA bathroom renovation, and the element that most affects how the bathroom feels and functions during daily use.

A complete Maple Leaf Kitchen & Bath bathroom lighting design includes:

  • Vanity lighting — side-mounted wall sconces at eye level on either side of the mirror; eliminates the face shadow created by a single overhead bar fixture
  • Ambient pot lighting — recessed LED fixtures on a dimmer circuit; warm colour temperature of 2700K to 3000K
  • Shower lighting — a recessed wet-rated fixture within the shower zone on its own circuit independent from the vanity and ambient circuits
  • Heated towel rail — hardwired on its own circuit; not plug-in; rough-in positioned during the electrical phase
  • Accent lighting — LED strip lighting above the vanity mirror, below a floating vanity, or within a shower niche

All lighting zones must be planned before electrical rough-in begins.
Bathroom Accessibility Options!
Accessibility features in a GTA bathroom renovation are practical design decisions that make a bathroom safer and more comfortable for every household member at every age, and that anticipate mobility changes that may occur over the years the home is occupied.

Accessibility elements we incorporate into GTA bathroom renovations:

  • Curbless shower entry — threshold-free access benefiting everyone from young children to older adults and wheelchair users equally
  • Grab bars with structural backing — blocking installed in the wall framing during renovation allows grab bars to be added at any future point without opening finished walls
  • Comfort-height toilet — 17 to 19 inches from floor to seat; significantly easier for older adults and adults with mobility limitations
  • Wider doorways — minimum 32-inch clear opening; 36-inch for full wheelchair access; door swing direction confirmed before framing
  • In-floor radiant heating — eliminates the cold floor surface that is a primary fall risk for older adults
Permits for Bathroom Renovation!
Most GTA bathroom renovations require at least one permit, and many require three. Proceeding without required permits creates financial and legal consequences that surface at the worst possible time.

Permits commonly required for GTA bathroom renovation:

  • Building permit — required for any structural modification, new habitable space, or basement bathroom addition
  • ESA electrical permit — required for all new circuits, panel connections, exhaust fan wiring, and dedicated appliance circuits; obtained by our licensed electrical contractor
  • Plumbing permit — required for all new drain rough-in, below-slab plumbing, fixture additions, and relocation of existing plumbing connections; performed by our licensed plumber

Consequences of proceeding without required permits:

  • Stop-work orders and fines up to $50,000 under the Ontario Building Code Act
  • Insurance claim denial for claims originating in unpermitted work
  • Resale complications identified during buyers' due diligence
  • Retroactive permitting cost — opening finished walls for inspection costs 2 to 5 times the original permit fee
Bathroom Renovation Cost!
The following ranges reflect current GTA market pricing for a properly permitted, licensed-trade, warranty-backed bathroom renovation. All costs are project-specific and depend on the size of the space, whether plumbing rough-ins need to be relocated, and the tier of materials selected.

  • Powder Room (new toilet, vanity, tile, lighting, painting): $10,000–$18,000+
  • Full 3-Piece Bathroom (tile shower, vanity, toilet, flooring, lighting): $15,000–$28,000+
  • Full 4-Piece Bathroom (separate tub and shower, custom tile, vanity, heated floor): $22,000–$40,000+
  • Premium Primary Ensuite (full custom tile, frameless glass shower, freestanding tub, double vanity, radiant heat): $35,000–$60,000+

Please Note

These ranges are planning frameworks, not quotes. Every bathroom is different- existing conditions, plumbing rough-in locations, space size, and your specific material selections all affect the final number. The only way to know your actual project cost is a detailed, itemized written estimate based on your specific bathroom, provided at no cost and no obligation.
What's Included in Bathroom Renovation!
At Maple Leaf Kitchen & Bath, every bathroom renovation is managed from design through permit close-out under one roof - one contract, one point of contact, and one team accountable for every element of the scope.

What is included on every bathroom project:

  • In-house design — BCIN-qualified designer on every project; layout and material selection confirmed before drawings begin
  • OBC-compliant drawings and permit management — all permits managed from application through close-out
  • Licensed trades — licensed electricians with ESA permits, licensed plumbers with plumbing permits on every project
  • Waterproofing system — named and tested membrane on every shower and wet room; flood-tested before tiling begins
  • Written material specifications — every tile, fixture, and finish specified before construction begins
  • All inspections scheduled and attended — framing, rough-in, ESA, and final
  • Written change order process — no additional scope proceeds without written client approval
  • 1–2 year workmanship warranty — all completed work backed in writing
  • GCL insurance and WSIB compliance — verifiable certificates provided before work begins
Why Choose Us for Bathroom Renovation!
Every bathroom we deliver is built to perform long after the tools are packed away. At Maple Leaf Kitchen & Bath, the technical details that protect your investment are non-negotiable standards on every project, not optional upgrades.

  • Full waterproofing on every shower: Continuous liquid membrane applied to all shower walls and floors before any tile is installed, no adhesive-only shortcuts that fail within a few seasons
  • Licensed plumbers in-house: All plumbing rough-in, drain modifications, and fixture installation performed by licensed plumbers with required permits on every project
  • ESA electrical permits managed: All bathroom electrical work- vanity lighting, radiant heating, exhaust ventilation, and GFCI circuits- permitted and inspected throughout
  • Detailed upfront estimates: Every scope element priced and documented before you commit, zero surprise additions once walls open
  • Properly sized exhaust ventilation: CFM-rated for the actual bathroom cubic footage and always vented to the exterior, never to the attic or interior cavity
  • 1–2 year workmanship warranty: All completed work backed in writing, GCL insured and WSIB compliant throughout

FAQs - Bathroom Renovation / Remodeling

A powder room or small 3-piece bathroom typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. A full 4-piece bathroom renovation runs 3 to 6 weeks. A comprehensive primary ensuite with significant tile work and custom elements can take 6 to 10 weeks. Permit approval timelines, custom material lead times, and the condition of what is discovered behind the existing tile all affect the schedule.
Yes, in almost all cases. We discuss bathroom renovation logistics during the consultation to understand your household's bathroom access needs. For a single-bathroom home, we may establish a specific construction schedule that preserves morning access. For a multi-bathroom home, the bathroom under renovation is typically fully out of service for most of the project, but other bathrooms remain accessible.
We use a full liquid waterproofing membrane system on all shower walls and floors, not tile adhesive alone, and not tape-and-mortar systems. The membrane is applied to all surfaces, seams, and transitions within the wet zone before any tile is installed. This is the only approach that reliably prevents water infiltration behind tile over the long term.
Large-format porcelain tile at 24 by 24 inches or larger is the most popular choice in GTA bathroom renovations currently, it creates a clean, contemporary look with fewer grout lines to maintain. For shower floors, smaller format tile or mosaic is required to allow adequate slope to the drain. Natural stone including marble and travertine adds warmth and elegance but requires periodic sealing and more careful maintenance than porcelain.
For primary ensuites, the answer is almost always yes. The incremental cost of adding in-floor radiant heating during a renovation is typically $1,000 to $2,500 and provides daily comfort throughout every Ontario winter. It also adds perceived value to the bathroom for future buyers.
A tub-to-shower conversion focuses specifically on replacing an existing bathtub with a walk-in shower, drain modification, waterproofing, tile installation in the shower area, and a glass enclosure, while leaving the rest of the bathroom unchanged. A full bathroom renovation addresses everything simultaneously. Many homeowners choose the full renovation because the disruption period is similar but the comprehensive result is significantly more impactful.
A walk-in shower conversion in an existing bathtub footprint, with tile, drain modification, and frameless glass, typically runs $8,000–$18,000 depending on tile selection and glass configuration. A fully custom shower built in a primary ensuite with premium large-format tile, custom niches, a linear drain, and a frameless glass enclosure can run $15,000–$30,000 or more as part of a comprehensive ensuite renovation.
Yes. We design and construct accessible bathrooms for homeowners with mobility considerations, aging-in-place requirements, or AODA compliance needs. Accessible bathrooms include curbless shower entries, properly positioned grab bars installed with structural backing, comfort-height toilets, appropriately clearanced vanity configurations, and non-slip tile specifications.
Vanity selection depends on your storage needs, the available floor space, and the design aesthetic you want to achieve. Floating vanities create a spacious visual effect and make the floor easier to clean. Freestanding vanities allow more storage and create a furniture-like look. Custom-built vanity cabinetry allows you to maximize storage for your specific space and design any configuration you want.
We install properly sized exhaust fans based on the cubic footage of the bathroom, not the minimum-rated fan that fits the budget. Undersized exhaust fans are one of the most common causes of chronic bathroom moisture and mould problems. All fans we install are vented to the exterior, not to the attic or interior cavity, which causes moisture accumulation in the building envelope.

Get Estimate

Unlike vague ballpark quotes from other contractors, our estimates are detailed and comprehensive. We take the time to understand the full scope of your project before pricing it, which means no unexpected cost increases mid-renovation and no items you didn't know were missing from your quote.

  • Free, no-obligation consultation, in person or virtual
  • Full project scope review, layout, materials, systems & timelines
  • Detailed written estimate with clear line items
  • Financing options discussed if needed
  • No pressure, no surprises, just honest, professional advice

Contact us today and take the first step toward your dream renovation.
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