Published estimates put a standard main bathroom renovation in Quebec at roughly $11,000 to $20,000 in 2026, at the lower end of the Canadian range. Where your project lands depends on the size of the room, the finish level and whether the plumbing moves. This guide is written for homeowners in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the West Island and the North and South Shores who are about to ask for quotes. It shows what drives the number, where the money goes, what surprises to budget for, and how to cut cost without cutting quality.
TL;DR
- For a standard 40 to 60 square foot main bathroom, one 2026 breakdown gives $11,000 to $20,000 in Quebec, compared with $14,000 to $26,000 across Canada.
- Keeping fixtures where they are is the biggest single saving. Moving a toilet, tub or vanity means new drains and supply lines.
- Labour is a large share of the budget, because plumbing, electrical, tile, drywall and ventilation all meet in a small room.
- Set aside 15% to 20% on top for what the walls and floor reveal on demolition day.
- A $5,000 budget can cover a cosmetic refresh, not a full gut renovation.
Table of Contents
- What a bathroom renovation costs in Greater Montreal
- Why older Greater Montreal homes cost more to renovate
- Where the money goes
- The hidden costs to budget for
- Can you renovate a bathroom for $5,000?
- How to lower the cost without cutting corners
- Planning the layout before you ask for quotes
- What we do differently
- Get a quote built around your bathroom
- FAQ
- Sources
What a bathroom renovation costs in Greater Montreal
No single figure fits every bathroom, so it helps to look at several published ranges and notice where they agree.
- One 2026 Canadian breakdown gives $11,000 to $20,000 for Quebec for a mid-market full renovation of a standard 40 to 60 square foot main bathroom, against $14,000 to $26,000 nationally.
- A Canadian home-renovation publication puts a 5-by-10-foot house bathroom at $10,000 to $16,000 for design, planning, supply and installation, and says condominium work costs roughly 30% more. That matters in Montreal, Laval and Brossard, where many bathrooms are in condos.
- Another Canadian guide cites an average of $13,393. It puts small bathrooms under 70 square feet at $5,900 to $15,100, and large primary bathrooms over 100 square feet at $25,000 and up.
- For a 10-by-10-foot room, one guide says about $10,000 to $30,000 or more when professionally remodelled.
These are published estimates, not quotes. Treat them as a sanity check for the quotes you collect. A wide range is normal, because the same footprint can hold a prefabricated shower and a basic vanity, or a custom tiled shower with heated floors.
Ranges by scope
| Scope | What it usually means | Cost pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | Paint, new vanity top or faucet, lighting, caulking, maybe a new toilet | Low, fixtures stay in place |
| Standard remodel | New vanity, toilet, tub or prefab shower, flooring, tile on wet walls | Moderate |
| Full remodel | Gut to the studs, new waterproofing, new tile, new fixtures | High, mostly labour |
| Layout change | Moving the toilet, shower or drain, new circuits, possibly framing | Highest, plumbing and structure |
This mirrors how one Canadian budgeting guide separates cosmetic updates, standard remodels, full remodels and layout changes, and it is the order in which cost tends to climb.
Why older Greater Montreal homes cost more to renovate
A lower Quebec range does not make every Montreal bathroom cheap. Much of the housing in neighbourhoods such as the Plateau, Rosemont, Verdun and Villeray, and in older parts of Laval and Longueuil, is made up of duplexes and triplexes built decades ago. Once the walls are open, those buildings often reveal older drain stacks, galvanized supply lines or wiring that needs attention. Newer houses in places like Mirabel, Terrebonne or Vaudreuil-Dorion usually hold fewer surprises. The regional range gives you a starting point, and the age and type of your building will push you up or down within it.
Where the money goes
A bathroom is small, but it concentrates several trades in a few square metres. That is why cost per square foot looks high compared with a bedroom or living room. One Canadian budgeting guide notes that plumbing, electrical, tile, drywall and ventilation all have to be coordinated in a tight space, which makes labour a large share of the total. Spending more on a beautiful faucet changes the total less than changing the scope of work does.
The shower or tub is the swing item
Contractors consistently point to the shower or tub surround as the line that moves the total most. Going from a prefabricated insert to a custom tiled shower raises both material and labour demands. If you want one place to economize, or one place to invest, start here.
Plumbing and electrical
Plumbing and electrical work stays a modest part of the budget when everything stays put, and rises quickly when drains are moved or circuits are added. Electrical is easy to underestimate. A modern bathroom often wants more than one light source, a properly vented fan, a dedicated outlet for a heated floor or a heated towel rail, and ground-fault protection near water. If you are changing any of that, ask for the electrical line item separately. Our electrical services and plumbing services pages show how we handle both inside one project.
Flooring, walls and paint
Tile on the floor and wet walls, new drywall, and paint finish the room and all add labour. Moisture-resistant wall boards and a proper waterproofing system behind tile are not the place to save. If an old wall is stained or soft, read about water-damaged drywall repair in Greater Montreal before you decide whether to patch or replace.
The hidden costs to budget for
Quotes cover what a contractor can see. Demolition shows the rest.
Surprises behind the walls
Professionals commonly recommend a 15% to 20% contingency for conditions found on demolition, such as rot, mould or infrastructure that does not meet current code. The usual suspects are:
- a subfloor softened by years of small leaks around the tub or toilet
- old cast iron or galvanized drain stacks that have corroded
- a ventilation duct that ends in the attic instead of outdoors
- outdated wiring in the wall you are opening
The older the building, the more likely one of these turns up. If your bathroom is the original from decades ago, plan the contingency as a real part of the budget, not as a hope.
Permits
Permit rules differ between Montreal's boroughs and the surrounding cities, such as Laval, Longueuil, Brossard and Mirabel. A Canadian Federation of Independent Business study of 12 municipalities found that for a $20,000 bathroom conversion, permits cost between $180 and $2,029. The same report found the number of required documents ranged from five to eleven, and some places asked for professional sign-offs that added to the cost. Your own borough or city decides what you need, so confirm with it or ask your contractor to. We cover the common rules in our guide to the bathroom renovation permit in Mirabel.
Delays and temporary living costs
If a project drags because trades arrive out of sequence, you pay in time. A family with one bathroom may end up paying for a gym membership to shower or staying elsewhere. The easiest way to limit that cost is a clear schedule where plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile and finishing follow each other without gaps.
Can you renovate a bathroom for $5,000?
Only in a limited sense. The small-bathroom range cited above starts around $5,900, which means $5,000 is below the typical cost of even a compact, professionally done remodel. A budget of that size is realistic for a refresh where the fixtures stay in place. That could include:
- a new vanity and faucet in the same position
- a new toilet
- fresh paint in a moisture-suitable finish
- new light fixtures and a quieter fan, if the wiring is already in place
- re-caulking, regrouting or refinishing a tub
It will not cover gutting the room, a custom tiled shower, moving plumbing, or repairs to hidden damage. If your bathroom has a soft floor, a leak or mould, those come first, and they can use up the whole $5,000 on their own. For a cosmetic job, our painting services team can handle the finishing work, but get the scope in writing before you start.
How to lower the cost without cutting corners
Savings that work are the ones that reduce labour or material without touching waterproofing, venting or electrical safety.
- Keep the plumbing layout. Moving fixtures adds floor work and plumbing labour, often before any framing changes.
- Choose a prefabricated tub or shower surround instead of a custom tiled one.
- Use large-format porcelain tile rather than natural stone. Fewer grout lines mean less labour, and porcelain is cheaper per square foot.
- Standardize sizes. A 60-inch vanity costs less than a 72-inch one and avoids custom work.
- Supply your own fixtures, if your contractor agrees. One Canadian guide estimates that keeping the layout, using a prefab surround, large tile and your own fixtures can save 20% to 30%. Confirm warranty and return terms first, since a contractor may not warranty fixtures they did not source.
- Do not skimp on waterproofing. A proper membrane or waterproof backer board behind tile is a small share of the total and prevents far more expensive mould and rot later.
One common saving is risky: doing the demolition or wiring yourself to save on labour. Demolition can disturb old pipes or wiring, and electrical and plumbing work in Quebec must be done by licensed professionals. If you take on any part yourself, limit it to painting or clearing the room.
Planning the layout before you ask for quotes
A simple layout puts the toilet, vanity and tub or shower along one or two walls that already carry the drains. Before you meet a contractor:
- Measure the room and note where the stack and vent are.
- Mark door swing, window position and any slope in the ceiling.
- Decide whether you need a tub, a walk-in shower, or both.
- List what is non-negotiable: storage, a second sink, accessibility features.
- Photograph the existing plumbing access, if any, such as a panel behind the tub.
With that sheet, quotes become comparable, because every contractor prices the same scope. If you are planning with an older space in mind, our list of bathroom renovation mistakes will help you avoid the usual traps.
What we do differently
Most budget overruns we see do not come from tile or taps. They come from trades working one after another with no shared plan: a plumber closes a wall the electrician still needs, or a tiler finds the substrate was never waterproofed. When one accountable, licensed team manages plumbing, electrical, drywall, flooring and painting, those gaps are caught on paper rather than on site. We also think a quote should show the scope line by line, so you can see what a change costs before you approve it, and what a contingency is for. Opening a wall is when a bathroom tells the truth, so we would rather plan for that than be surprised by it.
— Daricson Service
Get a quote built around your bathroom
If you are in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the West Island or elsewhere in Greater Montreal and want a quote that covers the whole project, from plumbing and electrical to drywall, flooring and finishing, see our bathroom renovation service. You deal with one team, and we explain the scope and options before work starts. For a wider project, such as a kitchen or basement alongside the bathroom, our home renovation page shows how we coordinate it. You can also call us for a free quote at 514 971 6737.
FAQ
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Montreal?
For a standard 40 to 60 square foot main bathroom, one 2026 breakdown gives $11,000 to $20,000 in Quebec for a mid-market full renovation. Older duplexes and triplexes, condo work and layout changes push the cost up. A written, itemized quote for your room is the only reliable figure.
What is the most expensive part of redoing a bathroom?
Labour is usually a large share, because several trades have to be coordinated in a small room. Among individual choices, the shower or tub surround has the biggest effect, followed by moving plumbing. Hidden damage found during demolition can add to either.
How much contingency should I keep for a bathroom renovation?
Professionals recommend 15% to 20% of the budget. Lean toward 20% if the bathroom is decades old or has had leaks. If nothing goes wrong, you keep the money.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom renovation in Greater Montreal?
It depends on your borough or city and on the scope of work. A study of 12 Canadian municipalities found permit costs from $180 to $2,029 for a $20,000 bathroom project. Check with your borough or city, whether that is a Montreal borough, Laval, Longueuil or another municipality, before work begins.
Sources
- Bathroom Remodel Cost: Full Breakdown by Room Size (2026)
- Bathroom Renovation Cost Breakdown (Canadian Home Trends)
- How Much to Budget for a Bathroom Remodel (Lotly)
- How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost? (PODS Canada)
- Cost of a Bathroom Renovation in Canada (WealthNorth)
- Permitting: Flushing out the nonsense (CFIB)