Bathroom Renovation in North Vancouver
Caniversal is a North Vancouver based renovation contractor rebuilding bathrooms across the North Shore, from small powder rooms to full primary ensuites.
We handle the design, the waterproofing, the tile work and the finishing, and we do it in a way that holds up years after the job is done.
-
Licensed and insured
-
WorkSafeBC registered
-
Serving North Vancouver
-
West Vancouver and the North Shore
Referral Driven
North Shore Based
Licensed & Insured
Free In-Home Consultation
A Bathroom Is a Small Room Where Small Mistakes Get Expensive
A bathroom is the smallest room in most homes and the one that punishes shortcuts the hardest.
Everything in it sits within a few square feet, so a shower pan that slopes the wrong way, a tile job with uneven spacing, or a fan that cannot move enough air is impossible to ignore once you live with it. And unlike a kitchen, a bathroom has water running through it and behind it every single day.
That matters more here than it does in a lot of places. The North Shore gets a serious amount of rain, humidity sits high for months at a time, and bathrooms in North Vancouver homes work harder than most. We see the results of that regularly. Older ensuites where the shower was tiled straight onto drywall in the 1980s. Basement bathrooms with no real ventilation. Tile that looks fine on the surface while the substrate behind it has been quietly failing for years.
So when we plan a bathroom renovation, the finishes are the last conversation, not the first one.
Waterproofing Is the Part You Never See
Nobody chooses a contractor because of their waterproofing. It is not something you can show off, and it disappears completely once the tile goes on. But it is the single biggest difference between a bathroom that still looks good in fifteen years and one that has to be torn out in six.
On every wet area we build, that means a proper waterproofing membrane behind the tile, a correctly sloped and tested shower pan, sealed corners and transitions, and moisture resistant backer board instead of standard drywall.
It also means ventilation that is actually sized for the room, because a bathroom fan that is too small is one of the most common problems we find in older North Vancouver homes.
If you live in a condo or townhome, this goes from important to critical. A leak that reaches the unit below turns into an insurance claim, a strata dispute and a bill that dwarfs whatever you saved on the renovation. It is worth doing properly the first time.
How We Approach Every Bathroom Renovation
1. In-Home Consultation
We come out, look at the existing bathroom and talk through what is not working. Sometimes it is storage, sometimes it is the layout, sometimes the tub has not been used in eight years and a proper shower would make more sense.
2. Layout and Material Planning
We work out what fits in the footprint you have, then walk you through vanity, tile, shower, tub, fixture and lighting options. If the layout is staying the same, we will tell you, because moving plumbing adds real cost and it is not always worth it.
3. Permits and Strata Approval
If your renovation involves moving plumbing, adding circuits or making structural changes, we handle the permit process with the District or City of North Vancouver. For condos and townhomes, we prepare and manage the strata approval package.
4. Demolition and Rough-In
Old finishes come out, plumbing and electrical rough-in goes in, and the waterproofing gets installed and inspected before a single tile is set.
5. Tile, Fixtures and Finishing
Tile, vanity, glass, fixtures, paint and trim, followed by a walkthrough where we go over everything together. Our labour warranty is in writing.
Bathroom Renovation Services We Provide
- Full bathroom remodels. Complete rebuilds from demolition through final finishing, including layout changes where the space allows.
- Walk-in and curbless showers. Custom tiled showers with built-in niches, benches and frameless glass, built on a properly waterproofed base.
- Tub to shower conversions. One of the most requested changes we do, particularly in ensuites where the tub sits unused.
- Bathtub installation. Freestanding, alcove and soaking tubs, with the plumbing and structural support planned properly.
- Vanities and storage. Custom and semi-custom vanities, medicine cabinets and storage built for the space you actually have.
- Tile and stone work. Floor tile, shower surrounds, feature walls and large format tile, set level and spaced properly.
- Heated floors. In-floor radiant heating, which is one of the upgrades homeowners tell us they appreciate most through a wet North Shore winter.
- Ventilation and moisture control. Correctly sized exhaust fans and ventilation that keeps humidity from becoming a long term problem.
- Accessible and aging in place bathrooms. Curbless entries, wider clearances, grab bar blocking and comfort height fixtures.
- Lighting and electrical. Vanity lighting, pot lights, GFCI outlets and fan wiring, coordinated with the rest of the renovation.
Types of Bathrooms We Renovate
Primary Ensuite
Usually the largest and most involved bathroom in the home, and the one where layout changes, double vanities, larger showers and freestanding tubs come into play. Read about our full home renovation services.
Main or Family Bathroom
The bathroom that takes the most daily abuse. Durability, storage and a layout that works for more than one person at a time matter more here than anything else.
Powder Room
Small, no shower, and the fastest bathroom to renovate. Because the square footage is low, it is often where homeowners choose a bolder tile or vanity than they would elsewhere.
Basement and Suite Bathrooms
Common in North Vancouver homes with rental or in-law suites. These bring their own considerations, including drainage, ventilation and permit requirements.
What Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in North Vancouver?
Bathroom renovation costs depend mostly on the size of the room, whether the plumbing is moving, and the tile and fixture selections. As a general guide for 2026 on the North Shore:
Powder room, roughly $8,000 to $15,000. New vanity, toilet, flooring, lighting and paint in a small space with no shower or tub.
Main or family bathroom, roughly $20,000 to $40,000. Full gut and rebuild with new tile, tub or shower, vanity, fixtures and ventilation, keeping the existing layout.
Primary ensuite, roughly $35,000 to $70,000 and up. Larger footprint, custom tiled shower, frameless glass, double vanity, heated floors and often a layout change.
Moving plumbing is the single biggest cost variable. Keeping the toilet, sink and shower where they are can save several thousand dollars, and in a lot of bathrooms it makes very little difference to how the finished room feels.
These are planning ranges, not quotes. The only way to get a real number is for us to see the space.
Do You Need a Permit for a Bathroom Renovation in North Vancouver?
If you are replacing fixtures in the same locations, retiling, or installing a new vanity, you generally do not need a permit.
If you are relocating plumbing, adding electrical circuits, removing or moving walls, or adding a new bathroom where one did not exist before, you almost certainly will. Adding a bathroom to a basement or a secondary suite has its own set of requirements.
Permits are issued by the District of North Vancouver or the City of North Vancouver depending on where your property sits, and the two have separate processes. If you are in a condo or townhome, strata approval comes before anything else, and most stratas will ask for proof of insurance, a scope of work and confirmation of who is doing the waterproofing. We prepare all of it.
Bathroom Renovations Across North Vancouver and West Vancouver
We renovate bathrooms throughout North Vancouver, including Lynn Valley, Central Lonsdale, Lower Lonsdale, Deep Cove, Edgemont Village, Pemberton Heights, Delbrook, Blueridge and Canyon Heights, along with West Vancouver neighbourhoods like British Properties, Dundarave, Ambleside and Caulfeild.
The homes vary a lot across these areas. A 1970s split level in Blueridge, a Lower Lonsdale condo and a British Properties ensuite are three completely different projects, and we plan each one around what is actually there.
What North Vancouver Homeowners Say
Bathroom Renovation FAQs
1. How much does a bathroom renovation cost in North Vancouver?
A powder room typically runs $8,000 to $15,000, a main bathroom $20,000 to $40,000, and a primary ensuite $35,000 to $70,000 or more. The biggest variables are the size of the room, whether plumbing is being moved, and your tile and fixture selections.
2. How long does a bathroom renovation take?
Most bathroom renovations take three to five weeks from demolition to final walkthrough. Powder rooms can be quicker. Custom tile work, frameless glass and special order fixtures are usually what extend a timeline, since glass is measured after the tile is set.
3. Do I need a permit to renovate my bathroom?
Replacing fixtures in the same location and retiling generally does not require a permit. Moving plumbing, adding circuits, removing walls or adding a new bathroom does. We confirm what your project needs before we start.
4. Can I use my bathroom during the renovation?
No, the bathroom being renovated is out of service for the duration. If it is the only bathroom in the home, that is something we plan around carefully and we will be upfront with you about the timeline before we begin.
5. Is it worth converting my tub to a shower?
It depends on the bathroom. In an ensuite where the tub goes unused, converting to a larger shower is one of the best improvements you can make. In a main or family bathroom, keeping at least one tub in the home is usually worth it, both for daily use and for resale.
6. What kind of waterproofing do you use?
We use a waterproofing membrane system behind tile in all wet areas, along with moisture resistant backer board, sealed corners and transitions, and a sloped and tested shower pan. We are happy to walk you through exactly what goes into your bathroom before it gets covered up.
7. Do you handle condo and strata bathroom renovations?
Yes. We prepare the strata approval package, coordinate building access and elevator booking, and work within the noise and hours restrictions your building sets.
8. Are heated bathroom floors worth it?
On the North Shore, most homeowners who install them say yes. In-floor heating adds a modest amount to a tile budget when it is done during a renovation, and it also helps the floor dry faster, which is a real benefit in a humid climate.
9. What areas do you serve?
North Vancouver, West Vancouver and the surrounding North Shore, including Lynn Valley, Central Lonsdale, Deep Cove, Edgemont Village, British Properties, Dundarave and Ambleside.
Ready to Start Your Bathroom Renovation?
Tell us about your bathroom and we will give you honest direction and a clear next step, whether that is a full remodel or a smaller update.