Bathroom Renovations · North Vancouver
The North Shore is the wettest place we work. Bathrooms here punish shortcuts faster than anywhere else in the Lower Mainland.
Bathroom Renovations in North Vancouver
If a bathroom is going to fail, it fails fastest on the North Shore. Higher rainfall, more shade from the mountains and heavy tree cover, and homes that simply do not dry out the way they do south of the inlet — it all adds up to assemblies that stay damp. We are called to rebuild more failed showers in North Vancouver than anywhere else we work, and the cause is almost always the same: tile set on backer board or drywall with no waterproofing membrane behind it.
Ventilation is the North Shore issue people underestimate. A bathroom fan that is undersized, ducted into an attic instead of outside, or simply never used will produce mould here far faster than the same setup in Richmond, because the ambient humidity never gives the room a chance to recover. We size fans to the room and duct them properly to the exterior on every job, and on older homes we frequently find the existing fan venting into the roof space — which is a moisture problem for the whole house, not just the bathroom. The second factor is the age of the housing: Lower Lonsdale and Grand Boulevard have homes old enough for galvanized supply piping and joists that have taken decades of slow leakage, both of which get found once the room is opened.
Mid-century and post-and-beam homes, split-levels, older Lonsdale character houses, and newer townhomes and condos along the Lonsdale corridor
Replacing a tub, toilet or vanity in its existing position generally does not require a building permit in either North Vancouver municipality. Moving fixtures or adding a bathroom does, and plumbing and electrical work is permitted separately. Which building department you deal with depends on whether you are in the City or the District — they are independent. Strata buildings add their own approval. We confirm the jurisdiction, pull permits, and make sure the waterproofing is inspected before tile goes on.
What We Offer
Stripped to studs and joists so damage gets found and fixed. Full waterproofing membrane, correctly sloped pan, properly sized and exterior-ducted ventilation, and tile on a substrate that will hold it.
Opening up showers that are leaking, drying and replacing damaged framing and subfloor, then rebuilding with a membrane system so the failure does not repeat. This is the most common call we get here.
Level-entry showers with linear drains, which require modifying the floor structure to drop the pan. Done as structural work with a fully sealed membrane, not a silicone lip holding water back.
Double vanities, heated tile floors, frameless glass, and better ventilation. Heated floors genuinely earn their keep on the North Shore — they help the room dry between uses, not just feel warm.
Correctly sized fans ducted to the exterior rather than into an attic. We find improperly vented fans regularly in older North Shore homes, and it is a whole-house moisture issue rather than a bathroom one.
North Vancouver bathroom renovations typically run $16,000–$32,000 for a full main-bathroom gut and rebuild, $9,000–$16,000 for a powder room, and $32,000–$48,000 for a premium ensuite with heated floors and custom glass. Older homes needing supply-line replacement, subfloor repair or ventilation correction add to that — we identify what we can before quoting and list contingencies explicitly.
Get Your Free QuoteScope: Full gut after long-term shower leak, subfloor and joist repair, fan re-ducted to exterior, sheet membrane waterproofing, curbless shower, heated floor
Duration: 3.5 weeks
The owners had recurring mould they kept repainting over. Opening the room showed two problems: the shower had no membrane behind the tile, and the exhaust fan had been venting straight into the attic for years. We repaired the subfloor and one joist, ducted the fan properly through the roof, rebuilt the shower with a full sheet membrane and linear drain, and added a heated floor. The mould has not returned because the cause was fixed rather than covered.
Verified Google Reviews
“They've become my go-to for any home renovation. They consistently deliver exactly what I envision, if not better.”
Nikki I
Multiple home renovations · Google review
“Timelines were respected, and the workspace was kept clean and organized, which made a big difference during the renovation process.”
Jasleen Lidder
Full renovation & finishing carpentry · Google review
“From start to finish Christopher was there for us. Honest, reasonable and very professional.”
Laura Logan
Kitchen renovation · Google review
Frequently Asked Questions
A full main-bathroom gut and rebuild typically runs $16,000–$32,000. Powder rooms are $9,000–$16,000 and premium ensuites $32,000–$48,000. Older homes needing galvanized piping replaced, subfloor repair or ventilation correction sit at the higher end.
Higher rainfall, more shade, and homes that never fully dry out. Any flaw in the assembly keeps getting fed moisture instead of getting a chance to recover. Tile and grout aren't waterproof — the membrane behind them is — and most failures we rebuild had no membrane at all.
Usually ventilation, waterproofing, or both. We very often find fans that are undersized or ducted into the attic rather than outside, which pushes moisture into the roof space. Repainting treats the symptom. We diagnose the cause before quoting a rebuild.
Not for replacing fixtures in their existing positions. Moving a fixture or adding a bathroom does require permits, and plumbing and electrical are permitted separately. Whether you deal with the City or the District depends on your address — we confirm that first.
More here than most places, and not mainly for comfort. A heated floor helps the room dry between uses, which matters in a climate this damp. The added cost on a full renovation is modest relative to the benefit.
Get a free, no-obligation quote from a team with over 30 years of experience serving North Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.