Full Bathroom Renovation in Newmarket

What happens during a complete tear-out remodel

When you decide to strip out an outdated bathroom completely, every old surface—tile, tub, vanity, toilet and wet wall board—comes down to the bare framing and subfloor. Opening the room to the studs is the only way to inspect what decades of daily steam and splashes have done behind the walls. In a 1960s Huron Heights bungalow or a 1990s Stonehaven two-storey house, demolition regularly uncovers a weeping mixing valve, a plywood subfloor softened around the toilet flange, or an exhaust fan blowing damp air straight into the attic insulation.

After any framing or subfloor repairs are completed, our crew rebuilds the bathroom in a strict sequence:

• Rough-in plumbing and electrical wiring. Supply lines, drain traps, a new pressure-balanced or thermostatic shower valve, GFCI receptacles, dedicated circuits for heated floors, recessed LED pot lights and vanity sconces.
• Carpentry, levelling and solid wood blocking. Framing for recessed shampoo niches and tiled shower benches, shimming out-of-plumb studs so large tile lays flat, and bolting 2x8 or 2x10 blocking between studs for grab bars, towel bars and heavy glass hinges.
• Bonded waterproofing. Continuous waterproof backer board and sheet membrane across the entire shower or tub alcove—including floor, walls, bench and niche—with sealed corners and drain collar.
• Precision tile installation. Floor porcelain, shower walls, mosaic pans and feature walls laid out from approved drawing centrelines so sliver cuts never land in corners.
• Cabinetry, stone and fixture finishing. Vanity and quartz or stone countertop, undermount sinks, one-piece toilet, bathtub replacement or custom tempered shower glass, mirrors, trim and paint.

Three Newmarket bathroom layouts we rebuild most often

Across Newmarket’s neighbourhoods, full bathroom renovations usually fall into one of three distinct footprints.

1. The 5 x 8 ft or 7 x 9 ft family hall bathroom

In Gorham-College Manor, Bristol-London, Huron Heights, Armitage and Summerhill Estates, the main family bathroom is typically a compact three-piece room with a 60-inch alcove tub, a toilet and a single vanity. Keeping those three fixtures in their existing spots avoids under-floor drain moves while letting us install a deeper soaker tub, carry porcelain tile to the ceiling, build a recessed niche, upgrade the exhaust fan and fit a quartz-topped vanity. Our published labour package for a 7 x 9 ft main bathroom is $8,000 before finish materials.

2. The 1990s–2000s four-piece subdivision ensuite

Detached houses in Stonehaven-Wyndham, Woodland Hill, Summerhill Estates and Copper Hills were commonly framed with a large corner deck tub next to a narrow fibreglass shower stall. Our 9 x 12 ft four-piece labour package at $11,500 removes the corner deck and stall, relocates the toilet and shower drains, builds a curbless walk-in shower with frameless glass, a tiled bench and niche, and upgrades a single sink to a double vanity. Read our guide on upgrading a builder-grade ensuite in Newmarket and see our Newmarket dual walk-in shower case study.

3. Larger primary ensuites and wet rooms

In larger Stonehaven, Glenway and nearby Bradford homes, primary bathrooms have the floor area to pair a freestanding soaking tub with a curbless walk-in shower or continuous wet room, heated floors and custom stone vanity tops. Our 15 x 8 ft wet-room labour package starts at $15,000, including relocated rough-ins for the shower, toilet and double vanity. See our Bradford primary ensuite case study for a completed room of this type.

What drives the total budget up or down

Room dimensions matter less than what changes behind the walls and which finishes you pick. Relocating drain lines, recessing joists for a curbless shower pan, and selecting custom cabinetry or natural stone shift the budget the most.

• Relocating drains and supply lines

  Moving a toilet stack, shower trap or vanity rough-in requires opening the subfloor, new piping and a Town of Newmarket building permit.

• Tile area and format

  Tiling every wall to the ceiling, laying small hex sheets or handling oversized porcelain slabs takes additional setting hours.

• Shower entry and glass

  Recessing joists for a zero-threshold floor and measuring custom 10 mm frameless glass add both carpentry and glazier steps.

• Cabinetry, stone and brassware

  Your choice of vanity, countertop slab, thermostatic shower valves and freestanding tub fillers drives the material side of the budget.

• Conditions behind older drywall

  In 1960s Huron Heights bungalows or 1980s Glenway homes, we sometimes uncover rotted subflooring, galvanized pipe or attic-vented fans that need correcting.

• Condo and townhome rules

  Suites near Davis Drive or Yonge Street require management sign-off, booked elevator windows and strict weekday work hours.

• Municipal permits

  Swapping fixtures in the exact same footprint avoids permit fees, whereas adding or moving plumbing triggers a municipal review.

For size-by-size all-in budgets and individual trade rates, visit our Newmarket bathroom renovation cost guide.

Two hidden details that make a bathroom last

Once the grout dries, two systems you cannot see determine whether the bathroom stays fresh and dry for the next twenty years.

The first is continuous shower waterproofing. Tile and grout are decorative wear surfaces, not a waterproof barrier. Every shower we build gets a continuous waterproof membrane bonded behind the tile, lapped at every seam and sealed to the drain flange and mixing valve.

The second is exterior ventilation. Many bathroom repair calls we answer in Newmarket trace back to an aging builder fan that barely moves air or vents into the attic soffit. While the ceiling is open during a full renovation, installing a quiet, properly rated fan with an insulated duct to an exterior hood protects your paint, mirrors and roof sheathing.

Town of Newmarket building permits and ESA inspections

Whether your renovation needs a municipal permit depends on the plumbing layout. Replacing a tub, toilet or vanity in the exact same spot without altering drain or vent piping does not require a Town of Newmarket building permit. Relocating fixtures, adding a new sink or shower drain, altering framing, or adding a basement bathroom requires a permit through Town of Newmarket Building Services.

Source: Town of Newmarket: Residential Building Permits and Plumbing Alterations (accessed October 10, 2026)

We state clearly in your written quote whether your layout triggers a permit, and our licensed electrical contractor files all electrical work with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). Read our full guide to Newmarket bathroom renovation permits.

On-site schedule and how to get a written quote

A complete bathroom renovation typically takes three to five weeks on site:

1. Floor protection, dust barrier, demolition and framing inspection: 1 to 2 days.
2. Rough-in plumbing, electrical wiring, fan ducting and wood blocking: 3 to 5 days.
3. Waterproofing membrane, floor tile and wall tile installation: 1 to 2 weeks.
4. Vanity cabinet, quartz top, toilet, faucets, mirrors, lighting and paint: 3 to 5 days.
5. Tempered shower glass measurement and final installation: measured on finished tile and fitted as the closing step.

If your suite is in a condominium building near Davis Drive or Yonge Street, visit our small and condo bathrooms page for how board approvals fit before week one.

Ready for numbers? Upload a few photos or a short video on our free quote page. You will receive an itemized written quote first, followed by an on-site measurement visit, layout drawings, and our written labour warranty.