Bathroom Renovation in Vancouver
Bathroom renovations fail in one place. Not the tiling, not the fixtures — the waterproofing behind them. It is the only part of the job that is completely invisible when finished and the only part whose failure destroys everything else.
Waterproofing membranes explained
A tiled shower is not waterproof. Grout and tile are porous, and water passing through them is expected — which is why a membrane sits behind or beneath the tile to catch it and direct it back to the drain. The tile is the wearing surface; the membrane is the actual waterproofing.
Systems are either sheet membranes bonded to the substrate or liquid-applied coatings built up in coats to a specified thickness. Both work when installed as a complete system by one manufacturer, with their corners, their seals and their tape. Mixing brands, or thin-coating a liquid membrane to save a day, is where failures originate — and the failure shows up as a damaged ceiling below, eighteen months later.
Sequence and realistic timeline
Demolition, then rough-in plumbing and electrical, then inspection where required, then substrate, then waterproofing, then the cure time the manufacturer specifies, then tiling, then grout, then fixtures and finishing. The cure is not padding and cannot be compressed by anyone motivated.
For a straightforward full bathroom, three to four weeks is realistic including cure times and inspection waits — not the week people hope for. Anyone quoting substantially less is either not waterproofing properly or not waiting for it to cure, and both are the same problem showing up later.
Strata approval for wet work
In a strata building, bathroom work almost always needs approval, and buildings are more careful about bathrooms than about anything else for the obvious reason: a leak here does not stay in your unit. Expect requirements around contractor insurance, working hours, and sometimes a plumber approved by the building.
Many buildings also require notice to units below, and some require an inspection of the completed waterproofing before tiling. Start the approval process early — it commonly takes longer than you expect and it is not something to begin after the demolition is booked.
Fixture lead times
Order everything before demolition starts. A vanity, a shower screen or a specific tile on a six-week lead time will stop the job dead, and a half-finished bathroom is worse than an old one. Bathrooms in this category run $32,000–$78,000 depending on specification.
Custom glass is the one to watch: shower screens are usually templated after the tiling is complete, so that measurement cannot happen early and the wait is at the end of the job. Plan to be without that screen for a period, or plan a temporary curtain, rather than being surprised by it.
What this costs
Bathrooms $32,000–$78,000 · kitchens $55,000–$140,000
Multi-trade renovation, quoted from drawings with a fixed payment schedule. The range reflects specification more than square footage — the same bathroom can sit at either end depending on tile, glass and fixtures.
Materials are always separate from labour and passed on at cost. Quotes are free and written, and the full rate card is published rather than given out on request.
Common questions
How long is a bathroom out of use?
Three to four weeks for a straightforward full renovation, including waterproofing cure times and any inspection waits. Anyone quoting substantially less is either skipping the membrane or not letting it cure. Custom shower glass is templated after tiling, so that element usually arrives at the very end.
What waterproofing is required by code?
Wet areas require a waterproofing system behind the tile — tile and grout are porous and are not themselves waterproof. Requirements differ by application and we confirm the current BC requirement for your specific layout rather than quoting a spec from memory. What matters as much is that one manufacturer's complete system is used, corners and seals included.
Does my strata need to approve it?
Almost certainly. Buildings scrutinise bathrooms more than any other work because a leak does not stay in your unit. Expect requirements on contractor insurance, working hours, notice to units below, and sometimes inspection of the waterproofing before tiling. Start that process well before booking demolition.