Bathrooms are small rooms with big price tags. Between plumbing, tile, and waterproofing, costs add up fast — but they shouldn’t be a mystery. Here’s an honest look at what a bathroom renovation costs in Burnaby and the Lower Mainland right now.

Typical Price Ranges

Every bathroom is different, but most full renovations in Burnaby fall into one of these bands:

• Powder room / half-bath refresh: $8,000–$12,000. New toilet, vanity, faucet, mirror, paint, and flooring. No layout changes, no tile shower.
• Standard full bathroom: $15,000–$25,000. New tub or shower, toilet, vanity, full tile or tub surround, flooring, lighting, and paint.
• Master ensuite with custom tile shower: $25,000–$40,000+. Walk-in shower, glass enclosure, quality tile, upgraded fixtures, and often a layout change.

These are approximate 2026 ranges for professional work in the Lower Mainland. A one-for-one fixture swap on a tight budget can come in lower; moving walls or high-end finishes can push it higher.

What Drives the Cost

Five things decide where your project lands in those ranges:

• Plumbing changes. Keeping the toilet, shower, and sink where they are saves thousands. Moving a drain or toilet can add $2,000–$5,000 in plumbing and concrete or subfloor work alone.
• Tile and waterproofing. A proper tile shower needs cement board, waterproofing membrane, and skilled installation — not just tile on drywall. This is the area most often done wrong in DIY jobs, and fixing water damage later costs far more than doing it right once.
• Fixture and finish choices. A $300 vanity and a $3,000 vanity both hold a sink. Decide early which upgrades matter to you and which don’t.
• Hidden damage. Leaks behind old tubs and showers are common in older Burnaby homes. A good contractor budgets a contingency (10–15%) for what we find behind the walls.
• Permits. Most full bathroom renovations need a City of Burnaby plumbing permit. It’s a few hundred dollars and protects you at resale.

How to Keep Your Budget on Track

The most common budget mistake we see: starting demolition with only a rough quote. Before work begins, you should have a written scope that lists exactly what’s included — fixtures, tile allowance, plumbing, electrical, permits, and disposal.

Three practical tips:

• Pick your fixtures before the quote. A contractor can’t price your bathroom accurately if the tub, tile, and vanity are still “to be decided.”
• Keep the layout if you can. Moving plumbing is the single biggest cost multiplier in a small bathroom.
• Don’t skip waterproofing to save money. Cutting corners behind the tile is where the expensive failures happen — mould, rot, and a second renovation in five years.

How Long Does It Take?

A standard full bathroom renovation takes 2–3 weeks of active work. Custom tile showers and layout changes push it to 3–5 weeks. Add a week or two for material lead times and permit approval before work starts. Plan for one bathroom being out of service — if it’s your only one, line up an alternative before demolition day.

When to Call a Professional

Cosmetic updates — paint, a new mirror, swapping a faucet — are fine weekend projects. But once plumbing moves, tile goes in a wet area, or you suspect water damage, a professional renovation is the safer investment. Done right, a bathroom remodel also pays back well: it’s one of the renovations buyers notice first.

Planning a bathroom renovation? Get a free, no-pressure estimate from MapleNest Renovation — we handle everything from demolition and plumbing to tile, fixtures, and finishing touches.