The short answer: it depends on about a dozen things, and the size of the room is only one of them. Tile format, slab vs tile, how much demo and prep your room needs, the waterproofing, whether the shower is curbless or steam, the layout, niches, a heated floor, and the plumbing and electrical behind the walls all move the number. I don’t publish a price list, and I’d be suspicious of anyone who quotes your bathroom over the phone without seeing it. What I can do is show you exactly what drives the price, so you can read any quote like a pro.
Why I don’t post prices
Two bathrooms with the same square footage can be completely different jobs. One has flat walls, a centre drain and a 12x24 tile. The other has a sagging floor, out-of-plumb walls, a curbless linear-drain shower and 10-foot porcelain panels that take a crew to carry up the stairs. Any number I post would be wrong for one of them, and it would train you to compare the wrong thing.
Instead, here’s the honest list.
The 11 things that drive the cost
1. Size, but measured the right way
Square footage matters, but tile is measured by surface, not floor space. A small ensuite with a floor-to-ceiling tiled shower can have more tile than a big main bath with a tub surround. Count walls, ceilings, niches and bench tops too. Our tile calculator helps you add it up.
2. Tile format and material
Small, standard tile is the quickest to set. Prices change with:
- Large-format tile (an edge 15 inches or longer): needs flatter substrates, more mortar, back-buttering, leveling systems, and often two people per piece. See What Is Large-Format Tile?
- Mosaics and patterns: herringbone, chevron, water-jet designs and murals take far more cutting and layout time.
- Natural stone: sealing, careful handling and more waste.
3. Porcelain slab vs tile
Slabs mean almost no grout lines, and a very different job. They need precise templating, special cutting, vacuum lifters, extra hands, and a plan to get them into your house. Fewer pieces doesn’t mean fewer hours. Read Porcelain Slab Showers.
4. Demolition and prep
What’s behind your old tile is the great unknown. Demo, disposal, rotten subfloor, a floor that bounces, walls that aren’t flat or plumb: fixing these is where honest quotes include an allowance and cheap quotes stay silent. Flat walls and floors are not optional for large tile. Thinset isn’t a floor leveller.
5. Waterproofing
In every shower I build, the waterproofing is a Laticrete Hydro Ban membrane over a custom-sloped cement mortar bed, never a foam pre-slope or tray, with no traditional liner pan, installed per Laticrete’s current installation instructions and flood-tested overnight before tile. Building it right takes real time and materials, and it’s the part you’ll never see again. If a quote doesn’t name a waterproofing system at all, ask why. Our Waterproofing Showdown explains the options.
6. Curbless or steam
A curbless shower usually means lowering the floor in the shower zone, a linear drain and waterproofing that extends into the room. That can involve framing changes and sometimes a permit. A steam shower adds a sealed enclosure, a sloped ceiling, a generator and extra vapour detailing. Both are worth it. Both cost more than a standard shower. See the Curbless Shower Guide and Steam Shower Planning Guide.
7. Layout complexity
Diagonal layouts, herringbone, matching veining across walls (book-matching), wrapping one slab pattern around a corner, mitred edges instead of trim: each one adds time. These are the details that make a bathroom look custom. They’re also the details a rushed installer skips.
8. Niches, benches and details
Every niche is a little waterproofed box with its own corners, slopes and mitres. Benches, curved ceilings, lit niches and tile-wrapped vents all add hours.
9. Heated floor
A heated floor adds the mat, cable or membrane, a thermostat, testing at each stage and the electrical connection by a qualified electrician under an ESA permit. See Heated Bathroom Floors.
10. Plumbing and electrical
Keeping your toilet, vanity and shower valve where they are is the simple path. Moving a drain, adding a rain head or body sprays, new lighting, or a dedicated circuit for a steam generator adds trades, inspections and time.
11. Permits, access and timing
Structural changes, moved plumbing and new walls may need a permit (see Do I Need a Permit in Burlington?). Condo rules, parking, stairs, and how quickly you need the room back all play a part.
The quotes that worry me aren’t the high ones. They’re the ones that are one line long: “Supply and install tile, bathroom.” No waterproofing named, no prep, no flood test, nothing about who moves the plumbing. That’s not a quote, it’s a guess. I get calls to fix exactly that kind of job. Paul F.’s Google review says I “rescue[d] a bathroom tile project that was botched from previous tiler.” I’d much rather you hire me first.
How to compare two quotes line by line
Put the quotes side by side and check each of these. If a line is missing, ask. A good installer will answer happily.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Scope | Exactly which walls, floors, ceilings, niches and benches are tiled |
| Demo and disposal | Included, and who hauls it away |
| Substrate and prep | Backer type, floor flattening, and an allowance for surprises |
| Waterproofing | The system by name, and whether it’s flood-tested before tile |
| Setting materials | Thinset brand and type for your tile (I use Laticrete), grout type |
| Tile handling | Large-format or slab method, leveling, back-buttering |
| Details | Mitres or trim, niche count, bench, grout colour |
| Other trades | Who does plumbing, electrical and glass, and who coordinates them |
| Permits | Who applies, if one is needed |
| Materials | Who supplies the tile, and who’s on the hook for overage and breakage |
| Schedule | Start date, rough phases, and cure times built in |
| Warranty | In writing, and what it covers. Mine is a 25-year warranty on tile-setting workmanship |
Then do the boring but important part: look at in-progress photos of their past jobs, not just the “after” shots (why that matters), and read their Google reviews like a pro. Our printable checklist has the full list of questions.
Ways to keep costs sensible (without cutting corners)
- Keep plumbing where it is if the layout works.
- Pick tile before the quote so the price reflects the real format.
- Put the wow in one place: a slab feature wall or a mosaic niche, with simpler tile elsewhere.
- Decide early. Changes mid-job cost more than changes on paper.
- Never skimp on what’s behind the wall. Waterproofing and coverage are the cheapest parts to do right and the most expensive to redo.
Frequently asked questions
Can you give me a price per square foot?
Not honestly. Price per square foot ignores prep, waterproofing, layout and the shower type, which are often the biggest parts of the job. I’d rather see the room, or photos and measurements, and give you a real quote.
Why are tile quotes so different from each other?
Usually because they don’t cover the same work. One may include demo, flattening, a named waterproofing system and a flood test; another may not. Line the quotes up using the table above before comparing totals.
Is a curbless shower much more expensive than a regular one?
It usually costs more because of the floor recessing, linear drain and extended waterproofing. How much more depends on your framing, floor and layout, which is why it needs a site visit.
Does a heated floor add a lot to a bathroom?
It adds the system, a thermostat and an electrician’s time. On a full renovation where the floor is already open, it’s one of the best-value comfort upgrades you can make.
Is the cheapest tile quote ever the right one?
Sometimes, if it covers the same scope and the installer shows proof of their process. If it’s cheaper because steps are missing, you’ll pay for the difference later.
Tile is one part of a bathroom renovation; see the full scope.
Talk to Mike
Want a real number for your bathroom in Burlington, Oakville or Halton? Send me photos and rough measurements, or have me come by. Call Mike at 289-337-1578 or book a consult. Not sure what you want yet? Try the free Bathroom Reno Visualizer first.
Sources
- City of Burlington, Do I Need a Building Permit? burlington.ca/en/building-and-renovating/do-i-need-a-buildin (verified Oct 17, 2026)
- Fixr methodology (structure reference only, no numbers): fixr.com/info/methodology
