A bathroom renovation in Pickering typically costs in the range we publish for the GTA, roughly $18,000 to $45,000 for most full projects, with a vanity-and-fixture refresh in the same layout below that and a layout change with a custom tiled shower above it. Those are rough ranges, not a quote: the real figure depends on your house, your scope and what the walls hide, and it is set only in the written quote, which is free. Most bathrooms are finished in two to four weeks of on-site work. This guide lays out what drives the cost, how the process runs and what Pickering homeowners should know before booking a contractor.
TGV Construction Group Inc. has completed more than 300 projects across the Greater Toronto Area since 2017, and Pickering is one of the places we work most, with bathrooms in Amberlea, Liverpool, Bay Ridges and Brock Ridge among them. Every quote is free, and you can start yours on our Get a Quote page. For the west side of the GTA, see our Mississauga bathroom cost guide; for the regional picture, the GTA bathroom budget guide.
What affects the cost of a bathroom renovation
Scope. Replacing the vanity, toilet, tub surround, floor and paint in the same layout is the most common project. Moving the toilet or the shower drain, taking out a wall to enlarge the room or building a curbless shower turns it into a construction project with a permit and new rough-ins.
The shower. A tiled walk-in shower with a glass panel is the single biggest line in most quotes: waterproofing, a sloped base, tile labour and custom glass. An acrylic tub-and-surround kit is a fraction of that and still looks clean in a family or basement bathroom.
Tile. Standard porcelain is the budget option. Large-format slabs, marble-look porcelain with levelling clips, mosaics and herringbone patterns add hours, not just material. Tile to the ceiling costs more than tile to the tub line.
Plumbing changes. Each fixture that moves means a new drain and vent through the floor or wall. In a Pickering two-storey the bathroom often sits over the kitchen or a finished ceiling, so the ceiling below is opened and repaired too.
Electrical and ventilation. Today's bathrooms need a GFCI-protected circuit, often a second one for a heated floor, and a fan that vents outside, not into the attic. Many 1970s and 1980s houses here have a fan that stops in the insulation, and the stained drywall around it tells the story.
Vanity and fixtures. A stock vanity with a top is the budget line; a custom vanity with a stone top, wall-hung toilet or a thermostatic shower system sits at the top. Fixture choice can swing a quote by thousands without changing a single hour of labour.
The hidden condition. Behind the tile in older Pickering bathrooms we regularly find a rotted subfloor around the toilet flange, a tub surround installed over drywall with no waterproofing, galvanized supply lines and undersized venting. We flag visible risks at quoting and carry a realistic contingency so the number does not keep moving.
The bathroom renovation process, step by step
- Free consultation and quote. We measure the room, check the subfloor, the drain locations, the exhaust fan and the water pressure, and agree the scope in writing.
- Design and selections. Tile, vanity, fixtures, glass and lighting are chosen and ordered. Vanities and shower glass are the long lead items, so the start date follows their delivery.
- Permits. The City of Pickering issues a building permit when plumbing moves, a wall changes or a window is added; a like-for-like replacement usually does not need one. Electrical work is filed with the Electrical Safety Authority.
- Demolition and protection. Floor protection and a dust barrier go up, the old bathroom comes out, and the subfloor and framing are checked for rot and water damage.
- Plumbing and electrical rough-ins. Drains and supply lines are rerouted, a new circuit and GFCI outlets run, the exhaust fan vented outside; inspected before anything closes.
- Waterproofing and substrate. Cement board or foam board on the wet walls, a waterproofing membrane in the shower, a sloped pan tested with water before tile.
- Tile. Floor and shower tile set, grouted and sealed. Large-format and marble-look porcelain need a flat substrate and levelling clips, which is where the hours go.
- Vanity, toilet and fixtures. Vanity set and plumbed, toilet installed, shower valve trim and faucet connected, everything tested under pressure.
- Glass, paint, accessories. Shower glass measured after tile and installed a week or two later; paint, mirror, lighting, towel bars and the door hardware finish the room.
- Final walkthrough. Every joint and fixture checked, touch-ups done, care notes for grout and glass handed over.
Timeline
A full bathroom renovation usually runs two to four weeks on site once materials have arrived, with the shower glass arriving a week or two after the tile is finished because it is measured on the real walls. Lead times set the calendar: a custom vanity can be six to eight weeks from order, special tile two to four. If the house has only one bathroom, we schedule the work so the toilet is out of service for as few days as possible and tell you exactly which days those are.
Permits and local rules in Pickering
The City of Pickering issues building permits under the Ontario Building Code when plumbing is relocated, a wall is removed or a window is added, with an inspection at rough-in and at the end. A fixture-for-fixture replacement in the same places normally does not need a permit. Electrical work is filed with the Electrical Safety Authority by the licensed electrical contractor. Water service in Pickering comes from Durham Region, so if the main shut-off at the meter is stiff or seized, as it often is in older homes, the Region is called to shut the curb stop before the work starts. In a townhouse condominium the corporation adds its own rules for work hours and shared stacks. Our GTA permit guide covers the general process.
Mistakes to avoid
- Tiling over a shower with no membrane. Cement board is not waterproof. A membrane and a water test on the pan are the difference between a shower that lasts twenty years and one that leaks into the kitchen in five.
- Choosing tile before the layout is final. Niche positions, the glass line and the drain location decide how the tile lays out. Decide the room first, then the tile.
- Keeping the fan that vents into the attic. Moisture in the attic becomes mould on the roof sheathing. Vent outside through the roof or the wall.
- Removing the only tub in the house. Great for you now, a problem for the buyer with a toddler later. Keep one tub if you can.
- Choosing a contractor on price alone. The low quote is usually missing the subfloor repair, the membrane or the venting. Compare scopes line by line; our guide to reading renovation quotes shows how.
What a typical project involves
A typical Pickering project is a 1980s two-storey in Amberlea with the original main bathroom: almond tub, laminate vanity, a fan that goes nowhere. The owners want a walk-in shower, a double vanity and a heated floor. The drain moves, so the City of Pickering issues a permit; demolition reveals a soft subfloor at the toilet, replaced before anything else. New supply lines, a second circuit for the floor, the fan vented through the roof, a waterproofed shower with marble-look porcelain to the ceiling, a 60-inch vanity with a quartz top, and a glass panel two weeks after tile. Three weeks on site, two inspections. That is the shape of most mid-range bathroom renovations here, and a free quote prices yours exactly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Pickering?
Most full bathroom renovations in Pickering land in the range we publish for the GTA, roughly $18,000 to $45,000, with a fixture-and-vanity refresh below that and a layout change with a custom tiled shower above it. The exact figure is set only in the free written quote.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom renovation in Pickering?
If plumbing moves, a wall changes or you add a window, yes: the City of Pickering issues it and inspects the rough-in. Replacing fixtures in the same places usually does not need one.
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
Two to four weeks of on-site work for a full renovation once materials are on hand, plus a week or two for shower glass after the tile is done.
Can you turn a tub into a walk-in shower?
Yes, and it is the most requested change in Pickering homes from the 1970s and 1980s. It needs a new drain position, a waterproofed sloped base and usually a permit. Keep at least one tub in the house if you plan to sell.
Is a 5 by 8 bathroom cheaper to renovate?
The room is small but the work is the same: plumbing, waterproofing, tile, electrical. A small bathroom saves on materials, not on trades, so it sits in the lower part of the range rather than far below it.
Get a free bathroom renovation quote in Pickering
TGV Construction Group Inc. handles bathroom renovations across Pickering, Ajax and the rest of Durham Region, from design through the final walkthrough, with more than 300 projects completed since 2017.
See our general contracting and renovation services, then send your details through our Get a Quote page. You can also call us at (365) 363-6995 or email estimating@tgvconstructiongroup.ca.
