Bathroom Renovation in Vancouver, British Columbia

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Bathroom Renovation in Vancouver, BC

Elite Contracting Ltd. builds bathroom renovations in Vancouver from our shop in Surrey. We handle everything from a straight fixture swap to a full gut with new tile, waterproofing and a reworked layout, in condos, character homes and Vancouver Specials across the East Side and West Side. Our Google rating is 5.0, and every bathroom starts with a free in-home measure and estimate.

A bathroom is the smallest room in the house and the one where water gets the most chances to do damage. In an older Vancouver home the tile often hides galvanized supply lines, a fan that vents nowhere useful, and framing that has been wet before. A good bathroom renovation deals with all of that, not just the fixtures you can see.

Here is what a Vancouver bathroom renovation with us can include:

  • New tub or shower, vanity, toilet, tile and fixtures, chosen to fit how the room is used.
  • Layout changes, including moving the toilet, sink or shower to make a cramped room work.
  • Plumbing and electrical upgrades where the old systems cannot carry the new room.
  • Waterproofing and ventilation done properly, because this climate forgives neither.
  • Permits and inspections when the work moves plumbing or touches walls.

The Short Version

Elite Contracting Ltd. builds bathroom renovations in Vancouver, working from a shop in Surrey, BC. A bathroom here can mean a new tub or shower, vanity, toilet, tile and fixtures; a layout change that moves the toilet or shower; plumbing and electrical upgrades; and waterproofing and ventilation built for a wet coastal climate.

Older Vancouver housing stock is the reason the work runs deeper than tile, and a permit applies once the job moves plumbing or interior walls. Simple residential renovations under $250,000 can qualify for the City of Vancouver’s Residential Renovation Fast Track, which issues permits within a week. Estimates cost nothing, and the form on this page starts one.

  • Do I need a permit to renovate a bathroom in Vancouver? A fixture-for-fixture refresh that keeps the layout usually does not need a permit, but moving plumbing or interior walls does.
  • How long does a bathroom renovation in Vancouver take? A refresh in the same layout moves quickly, while a layout change or full gut takes longer because of trades, waterproofing cure times and inspections.
  • What do you find behind the tile in older Vancouver bathrooms? In pre-1970 homes we commonly find galvanized supply lines, framing that has been wet, and electrical that was never sized for a modern bathroom, with knob-and-tube wiring sometimes nearby.
  • Can you renovate a condo or strata bathroom in Vancouver? Strata buildings add approvals and notice periods before work can start, and shutting water off touches more homes than yours.

Reviewed by Ranbir Bagri, Owner, Elite Contracting Ltd.

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★★★★★ 5.0 on Google

Renovating a Bathroom in an Older Vancouver Home

Renovating a bathroom in Vancouver usually means working inside an older home, and that is where the real work hides. We plan for the age of the house from the first measure so the finished bathroom is sound behind the tile, not just pretty in front of it.

These are the local realities we account for on Vancouver bathroom projects:

  • Galvanized supply lines. Pre-1970 Vancouver homes often still run galvanized water lines that clog and corrode. When we move a sink or rough in a new shower valve, we upgrade the plumbing rather than tie new fixtures to failing pipe.
  • Moisture that never left. Bathrooms in this climate stay damp for a reason. We open the walls expecting to find framing that has been wet, fix what we expose, and put ventilation in that actually moves air outside.
  • Waterproofing first. Tile is only as good as the membrane behind it. Every shower we build gets waterproofed before a single tile goes on, which is the difference between a bathroom that lasts and one that fails quietly inside a wall.
  • Undersized electrical. Older panels were never sized for a heated fan, modern lighting and the protected circuits a wet room needs. We add what the room requires and coordinate a panel upgrade when the house calls for it.
  • Condo and strata bathrooms. Strata work comes with approvals and notice periods before the water can even be shut off. We are used to building inside those rules.

Permits for a Vancouver bathroom. A fixture-for-fixture refresh usually does not need a permit, but moving plumbing or interior walls does.

Vancouver issues its own building permits, and simple residential renovations under $250,000 can go through the city’s Residential Renovation Fast Track, which issues permits within a week. We prepare and manage those applications so the work passes inspection and the paperwork does not stall your bathroom.

Where we work. From our shop at 10220 120 St in Surrey, we reach Vancouver in roughly 30 to 45 minutes by way of Highway 91 and the Knight Street Bridge, or Highway 99 through the George Massey Tunnel. We build bathrooms across the city, including Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Dunbar, Kerrisdale, Marpole, Renfrew, and the West End.

How a Vancouver bathroom renovation works with us

Every bathroom runs on the same clear steps, so you always know what comes next.

  1. Measure and estimate. We measure the room, talk through layout and finishes, and give you a written estimate with a realistic schedule.
  2. Design and permits. We finalize the layout and, when the work needs it, prepare and submit the permit applications.
  3. Build. We handle demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile and finishing, and we keep the rest of your home livable while we work.
  4. Final walkthrough. We review the finished bathroom with you and stand behind it with our workmanship warranty.

What a Vancouver bathroom renovation can involve

ScopeWhat it usually involvesWhat we watch for in Vancouver
Fixture refreshNew vanity, toilet, tub, tile and paint in the same layoutOld galvanized pipe and tired shutoff valves behind the finishes
Tub-to-shower conversionRemoving the tub, building a walk-in showerWaterproofing the whole enclosure, not just the wet wall
Layout changeMoving the toilet, sink or showerRerouting drains through old framing, and the permit that comes with it
Full gutNew everything, down to the studsWet framing, knob-and-tube nearby, and panel capacity in pre-1970 homes

Why Vancouver homeowners trust their bathrooms to Elite Contracting

Homeowners hire us because we run one accountable crew from demolition to the final bead of silicone, instead of handing you off between subcontractors who never met. We have opened enough older Vancouver bathrooms to know what tends to be waiting behind the tile, so the estimate we give you holds up once the walls are open. One client in Burnaby, one bridge away from East Vancouver, had us renovate both bathrooms along with the kitchen, flooring and paint in a 1,200 square foot townhome, and the whole job was finished in two weeks.

Looking at a bigger project? A bathroom often pairs well with a larger Vancouver home renovation, and we also run bathroom renovation service across Metro Vancouver as a standalone job. If the kitchen is next on the list, our Vancouver kitchen renovations page covers that side.

Proof you can check. Elite Contracting Ltd. holds a 5.0 star rating on Google. We are fully insured and back our work with a workmanship warranty.

What homeowners say about our bathroom work

Homeowners tell us the same things: clean work, honest schedules, and bathrooms that feel bigger than the room they started with. Here are a few in their own words.

★★★★★

“I hired Elite Contracting to complete full renovations of a townhome I had just purchased in Burnaby. They upgraded both bathrooms, the kitchen, replaced all flooring and painted the entire 1,200 square feet unit. All of this work was completed in just 2 weeks.”

Karen Oliveira · Google review, 2026-03-19

★★★★★

“We contacted Elite Contracting for a full house renovation and they delivered a beautiful finished product.The kitchen renovation, bathroom upgrades, new flooring, and paint all came together nicely.The team was professional and knew how to deal with renovation challenges without making it stressful for us.”

Terri Torres · Google review, 2026-06-30

★★★★★

“Elite Contracting helped us renovate an older home and bring it up to a much cleaner, modern standard.They completed drywall repairs, flooring installation, bathroom work, painting, doors, trims, and general construction.The work was detailed and properly finished.”

Richard Adams · Google review, 2026-07-06

A useful local resource. The steps to renovating a home in Vancouver, including when a permit applies and how the Residential Renovation Fast Track works, are published by the City of Vancouver, and we work within that process on every job.

Elite Contracting renovates homes across Metro Vancouver. See every city we cover on our home renovation service areas page.

We also build bathrooms in the communities around Vancouver, including Burnaby, Richmond, and the North Shore, so if your neighbourhood sits on the edge of the city we can still help. Whether your project is one small bathroom or every wet room in the house, Elite Contracting Ltd. gives you one crew from start to finish, a clear written estimate, and a schedule you can plan your life around. To get started, call us at (604) 376-1481 or request a free in-home estimate through our contact page, and we will set up a time to see the space and talk through what is possible.

Start Your Vancouver Bathroom Renovation

Tell us what is wrong with the bathroom you have and what you want instead. We will measure the space, talk through layout and finishes, and give you a clear estimate. No pressure, no obligation.

Vancouver Bathroom Renovation, Answered

Do I need a permit to renovate a bathroom in Vancouver?

It depends on the scope. A fixture-for-fixture refresh that keeps the layout usually does not need a permit, but moving plumbing or interior walls does.

Vancouver issues its own building permits, and we handle the applications for the work that needs them so your bathroom passes inspection.

How long does a bathroom renovation in Vancouver take?

A refresh in the same layout moves quickly, while a layout change or full gut takes longer because of trades, waterproofing cure times and inspections. Simple residential renovations under $250,000 can qualify for the city’s Residential Renovation Fast Track, which issues permits within a week, and we give you a realistic schedule with your estimate.

What do you find behind the tile in older Vancouver bathrooms?

In pre-1970 homes we commonly find galvanized supply lines, framing that has been wet, and electrical that was never sized for a modern bathroom, with knob-and-tube wiring sometimes nearby. We fix what we expose as part of the renovation so the new room is sound, not just resurfaced.

Can you renovate a condo or strata bathroom in Vancouver?

Yes. Strata buildings add approvals and notice periods before work can start, and shutting water off touches more homes than yours. We plan around those rules and keep the building manager in the loop from day one.

Which Vancouver neighbourhoods do you renovate bathrooms in?

We build bathrooms across the city, including Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Dunbar, Kerrisdale, Marpole, Renfrew, and the West End. Our shop is in Surrey and Vancouver is a short drive over the bridges.

Are you insured for bathroom renovation work in Vancouver?

Yes. Elite Contracting Ltd. is fully insured, and we back our renovations with a workmanship warranty. Our 5.0 Google rating reflects how we work on real projects across Metro Vancouver.

Where We Work From

Elite Contracting Ltd. works out of 10220 120 Street, Surrey, BC V3V 4G1, on the Scott Road corridor. Crews cross into Vancouver by Highway 91 and the Knight Street Bridge, or Highway 99 through the George Massey Tunnel, in roughly 30 to 45 minutes.

The service area the owner lists is Surrey, Delta, White Rock, Richmond, Vancouver and West Vancouver.

Open driving directions to the shop

Permits and Codes

  • City of Vancouver. The city explains the approvals a home renovation needs, and its Residential Renovation Fast Track issues permits within a week for simple residential projects under $250,000. Renovate a home.
  • Building or renovating a house. The city’s guide to the permits and inspections involved, including when renovation work such as moving interior walls needs a permit. Build or renovate a house.
  • Province of British Columbia. The BC Building Code regulates new construction, building alterations, repairs and demolitions in B.C. BC Codes.
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