The average bathroom renovation cost in the GTA is roughly $18,000 to $45,000 for a full renovation, which is the range we publish for Toronto and the surrounding cities. A refresh that keeps the layout and replaces the visible parts sits below it, and a bathroom that changes shape with a custom tiled shower sits above it. That is a wide spread, and it is wide on purpose: an average describes many bathrooms, not yours. Your figure comes in a free written quote after someone has looked at the room. Below we break the average down so you can see where your project is likely to land.
TGV Construction Group Inc. has completed more than 300 projects across the GTA since 2017, and bathrooms are among the most common. For city-specific numbers, read our guides for Mississauga and Toronto condos; for the service, see bathroom renovation.
Why one average bathroom renovation cost is not enough
An average mixes very different jobs. A powder room with a new toilet, vanity and floor, a main family bathroom stripped to the studs, a primary ensuite with a walk-in shower and double vanity, and a basement bathroom where the drain has to be cut into the slab are all "a bathroom renovation". Put them in one pot and the average lands somewhere none of them actually costs. That is why we talk about where a project sits in the range, not about a single number.
It also matters where the average comes from. Many figures online are American, in US dollars, and some count a new mirror and paint as a renovation. GTA trades, Ontario Building Code requirements for waterproofing and ventilation, permits where plumbing moves, and condo rules in towers all push real local numbers above those national averages.
Low end, middle and high end of the range
Below the range: a refresh. The toilet, tub and vanity stay where they are. New fixtures, a tub-and-surround or a new floor, paint and lighting. No walls move and the plumbing is only reconnected. Powder rooms usually live here too.
The lower part: a full renovation, same layout. Everything comes out to the studs, new supply lines, a proper membrane in the shower area, porcelain tile, a stock vanity and a fan vented outside. This is the most common GTA bathroom and the one people usually mean when they ask about an average.
The upper part: a better shower and better finishes. A tub becomes a tiled walk-in shower with a glass panel, tile goes to the ceiling, the vanity is double or custom, a heated floor goes in. The layout still stays, but labour hours rise with every detail.
Above the range: a new layout. The toilet moves, a wall comes out to take space from a closet, a window is added or the shower becomes curbless. A permit, new drains, sometimes new floor framing and a repaired ceiling below. Primary ensuites often end up here.
Where the money goes in a typical bathroom
Labour is the largest share of almost every bathroom quote: demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile setting, glass and finishing are separate skills, often separate trades. The shower or tub area is the next largest item because it needs the most waterproofing and the most tile work. The vanity and tile choice follow; they can move the total a lot without adding a single hour on site. Permits, disposal and site protection are small lines, but quotes that leave them out look cheaper than they are.
The hidden items are the ones that shift a project from the average to above it: a rotted subfloor at the toilet, galvanized pipes, a fan that vents into the attic, a tub surround fixed to plain drywall with no waterproofing behind it. We point out what we can see when we quote and keep a modest contingency for what we cannot.
The renovation process, step by step
- Decide the type of project. Refresh in the same layout, full renovation, or a layout change: the type decides which part of the range you are in before any tile is chosen.
- Get a site visit. A contractor checks the subfloor, drains, venting, the fan and the electrical before pricing; an average from the internet cannot see any of those.
- Choose the big three early. Shower or tub, vanity and tile set most of the material budget. Choose them before the quote so it prices the real items.
- Compare written scopes. Line up waterproofing, subfloor repair, venting, electrical and disposal in each quote; the cheapest total often leaves one out.
- Permit if needed. Moving plumbing, removing a wall or adding a window needs a building permit from your municipality.
- Demolition and repair. The old room comes out and hidden damage is repaired before the new work starts.
- Rough-ins and waterproofing. Plumbing, electrical and fan venting, then a membrane in the shower and a water test.
- Tile and fixtures. Tile set and grouted, vanity, toilet and shower trim installed and tested.
- Glass and finishing. Shower glass measured after the tile, then paint, mirror, lighting and accessories.
Timeline
A refresh can be done in a week or so. A full renovation usually takes two to four weeks of site work once materials are on hand, and shower glass follows a week or two after tile because it is measured on the finished walls. A layout change adds the permit and an inspection or two. Custom vanities and special-order tile often take longer to arrive than the work itself, so they are ordered first.
Mistakes that push a bathroom above average
- Changing the plan mid-job. Moving a niche or the vanity after rough-in means redoing plumbing and electrical already inspected.
- Buying fixtures before the measurements. A tub or vanity that does not fit the room is a return trip, a restocking fee and a delay.
- Skipping waterproofing to save money. It is a small line in the quote and the most expensive thing to fix later, often from the ceiling below.
- Picking the lowest total without reading the scope. Our guide to comparing renovation quotes shows how to line up what each one includes.
- Replacing only the vanity when the room needs more. If the vanity is the only problem, our vanity replacement guide covers that smaller job; if the floor is soft and the tile is cracked, a vanity alone will not last.
Two real-world examples
A family bathroom in a 1990s Ajax two-storey, same layout, new tub and surround, porcelain floor, stock vanity, new fan vented outside: a straightforward job that sits in the lower part of the range. A Toronto ensuite where the tub is replaced by a tiled walk-in shower with frameless glass, tile to the ceiling, a quartz-top vanity and new pot lights, with no walls moved: the upper part of the range. Move the toilet and steal a closet for a bigger shower, and the same ensuite goes past it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average bathroom renovation cost in the GTA?
For a full bathroom renovation in Toronto and the GTA, most projects cost $18,000 to $45,000. A refresh in the same layout comes in under that range, and a layout change with a custom tiled shower can go above it. The figure for your bathroom is set in a free written quote.
Why do online averages look lower?
Many are American figures in US dollars, include cosmetic updates in the average, or leave out labour, permits and disposal. GTA labour rates and the Ontario Building Code requirements for waterproofing, venting and electrical are part of every real quote here.
Is a small bathroom much cheaper?
Less than people expect. A small bathroom needs the same plumber, electrician, waterproofing and tile setter as a big one; it saves on materials, not on trades.
Where does most of the money go?
Labour is usually the largest share, followed by the shower or tub, tile and the vanity. Moving a toilet or drain is the change that adds the most for the least visible result.
How can I keep my bathroom near the low end of the average?
Keep the toilet, shower and vanity where they are, choose standard-size porcelain tile, pick a stock vanity and a quality tub-and-surround or prefabricated shower base instead of a fully custom shower.
Find out where your bathroom sits in the range
The quickest way past the average is a site visit. TGV Construction Group Inc. measures, checks what is behind the walls where we can and gives you a written quote for your bathroom, free.
Call us at (365) 363-6995, email estimating@tgvconstructiongroup.ca or send your details through the Get a Quote page.
