Ontario · 2026 Estimate Guide
How to Write a Bathroom Renovation Estimate (What to Include + Free Template)
A bathroom is the highest-risk room you'll quote — waterproofing, plumbing, tile labour, and older-home surprises all live here. A tight, itemized estimate is how you protect your margin and win the homeowner's trust. Here's what belongs on a professional bathroom renovation estimate in Ontario, with real 2026 pricing references and a sample.
The line items every bathroom renovation estimate should include
- Demolition & disposal — Removing old tile, fixtures, and flooring, plus haul-away.
- Plumbing — Connecting to existing rough-in, or relocating fixtures (the single biggest cost driver — flag it clearly).
- Electrical — GFCI outlets, exhaust fan, pot lights, heated-floor circuits. Licensed work, often with an ESA notification.
- Waterproofing — The bathroom-specific line kitchens don't have. Never leave it off or quote it vaguely.
- Tile — Material and labour, priced separately (labour varies enormously by tile size and pattern).
- Vanity, countertop & fixtures — Huge price range; tie the line to the chosen spec.
- Finishing — Drywall, paint, trim, accessories, final fixture install.
- Permit / ESA — Where plumbing is relocated or new circuits added.
- Contingency — 10–15%, higher for pre-1985 homes (knob-and-tube, galvanized pipe, asbestos, subfloor rot).
- HST — As a line.
Realistic Ontario cost references
- Cosmetic refresh (same layout)$3,000–8,000
- Mid-range remodel (keep plumbing)$12,000–35,000
- Full gut (relocated plumbing)$30,000–70,000+
- Labour share50–65% of total
- Waterproofing membrane (standard shower)$1,500–3,500
- Moving a fixture (rough-in)$800–2,000 each
- Tile labour$12–25/sq ft (+ material $5–35/sq ft)
- Demolition$1,200–2,000
- Licensed plumber/electrician$90–150/hr
Sample bathroom renovation estimate
Mid-range, existing layout (illustrative — build your version from your real rates and the homeowner's actual selections)
| Demolition & disposal | $1,600 |
| Plumbing (existing rough-in) | $2,000 |
| Electrical (fan, GFCI, pot lights) | $1,400 |
| Waterproofing (standard shower) | $2,200 |
| Tile — material | $1,800 |
| Tile — labour | $2,600 |
| Vanity, countertop & fixtures | $3,200 |
| Finishing (drywall, paint, trim) | $1,800 |
| Subtotal | $16,600 |
| Contingency (12%) | $1,992 |
| Subtotal before HST | $18,592 |
| HST (13%) | $2,417 |
| Total | $21,009 |
Don't forget HST
In Ontario, HST (13%) applies to both labour and materials. On a $12,000 renovation that's about $1,560 — enough that leaving it ambiguous causes real disputes. State clearly whether your prices include or exclude HST, and show it as its own line. Confirm filing and any substantial-renovation rebate questions with your accountant or CRA.
Common mistakes that cost you the job — or the margin
- ×Quoting waterproofing vaguely (or skipping it) — remedial fixes later cost 5–10× more, and it's a callback magnet.
- ×Not flagging plumbing relocation as the big cost driver, then surprising the homeowner.
- ×No contingency on an old home, then eating the knob-and-tube discovery.
- ×One tile-labour number that ignores large-format/pattern differences.
- ×Ambiguous HST, then arguing at invoice time.
Skip the blank page — get this estimate in 60 seconds
Describe the bathroom job and we'll send you a clean, itemized estimate PDF, free — demo, plumbing, waterproofing, tile, fixtures, HST, all laid out and ready to send.
Get a free custom estimate →FAQ
What's the biggest cost driver in a bathroom estimate?
Moving plumbing fixtures. Keeping the existing layout is the single most effective way to lower the quote.
Do I need a permit line?
For plumbing relocations or new electrical circuits, yes (plus ESA notification for the electrical). Cosmetic same-location swaps usually don't.
How much contingency?
10–15%, and lean high for homes built before 1985.
Cost figures are planning references, not fixed quotes. Prices shown by the tool are editable starting points, never authoritative quotes. Contractors must confirm their own current material and labour rates. Region entries with validated:false need that province's correct sales-tax treatment (HST vs GST+PST/QST) written before generating pages — do not assume 13% everywhere.