Bathroom renovation in Edmonton, built to stay dry

Two bathrooms the same size can get very different quotes from us. The difference usually comes from the plumbing and the tile more than the vanity.

Moving fixtures is the biggest step up. Relocating a toilet means a new drain in the floor, and in a main-floor bathroom that can mean opening the ceiling below. Turning a tub into a tiled shower means a new drain and valve, waterproofing, and tile on three walls and the floor.

Tiling the whole floor and every wall costs more than a tiled shower with painted walls, and large or patterned tile takes longer to set flat. Glass shower doors, heated floors and lit mirrors are finishes that add up.

Older rooms can also hide problems: water damage under an old tub, a subfloor that needs replacing, or materials that need asbestos testing before they come out. Alberta health guidance recommends that testing in buildings built before the early 1990s (MyHealth Alberta). We look for all of this at the site visit, so the fixed price covers the room you have.

We take out a plumbing permit for a remodel, because Edmonton's exemption is narrow. It covers maintenance, meaning a like-for-like replacement of a worn fixture in the same spot, not a renovation or upgrade (City of Edmonton).

A remodel is past that line. New fixtures, a moved toilet, a tub turned into a shower with a new drain, or a second sink are all plumbing work that needs a permit. Wiring for a new fan, a heated floor or an extra light needs an electrical permit (City of Edmonton), and the City lists building or finishing a bathroom among renovations that need permits (City of Edmonton).

Who applies matters too. The City issues homeowner trade permits only to owners who live in the house, in a home that shares no wall with a neighbour, and a certified trade contractor applies in every other case. On our projects we handle the permits before work starts and book each inspection, and the job isn't done until it passes them.

We build grab bars, wheel-in showers and walk-in tubs that let someone keep living in their own home. Three programs can help with the cost, each with its own rules.

The federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit covers renovations that help a person who is 65 or older by the end of the year, or someone eligible for the disability tax credit, get into, move around or function in their home, or that lower their risk of harm there (Canada Revenue Agency). Up to $20,000 of eligible expenses can be claimed a year per home, and the credit is calculated at the lowest federal tax rate, which is 14% for 2026 (Finance Canada).

From the 2026 tax year, each expense can be claimed under one credit only (Finance Canada, Bill C-15), and a RAMP grant does not reduce the Home Accessibility Tax Credit (Canada Revenue Agency). Keep your invoices itemized so whoever prepares your return can sort them. Our multigenerational credit guide shows how the credits fit together.

Alberta's Residential Access Modification Program gives low-income Albertans grants of up to $12,000 per person each benefit year and up to $24,000 within 10 years (Government of Alberta). It covers people of any age who use a wheelchair, seniors 65 and over who use a four-wheeled walker on an ongoing basis, and people living with a progressive neuro-degenerative disease, subject to income limits and residency rules.

Alberta's Seniors Home Adaptation and Repair Program offers a low-interest home equity loan of up to $40,000 to seniors with a total annual income of $75,000 or less and at least 25% equity in their home. Bathrooms and walk-in tubs are among its listed project examples (Government of Alberta).