Bathroom demolition in Toronto
Toronto's stock runs from 1890s brick semis downtown to 1950s bungalows at the edges, and almost none of it has a wide side yard. That tells us whether to expect mortar-bed tile and cast iron, or a 1990s acrylic surround that comes out in an hour. A bathroom is the heaviest room in the house per square foot, and all of it goes down the stairs by hand.
Toronto, on the ground.
In Toronto we mostly gut kitchens and basements ahead of a renovation, cut out load-bearing walls for open plans, and take down garages for laneway houses. Plumbing is capped by a licensed trade, the door is sealed, and tile, tub, vanity and fixtures leave through a protected hallway to a 10 yard bin.
Read more about demolition in Toronto or the full bathroom demolition service page.
On the ticket.
Water isolated and plumbing capped by a licensed plumber; circuits made safe
Dust containment at the door; hallway and stairs protected
Tile, tub or shower, vanity, toilet, fixtures and accessories out
Walls and ceiling to the studs where the design needs it
Floor tile and underlayment lifted; subfloor inspected and reported
Debris carried out, bin loaded, room swept; photos at handover
Paper first.
A bathroom strip-out usually needs no permit; the new plumbing and electrical do, under the plumber's and electrician's permits. Toronto Building issues the permit, and residential tear-downs go through the City's demolition control process, so having the replacement building permit ready shortens the wait.
- Stripping a bathroom is non-structural and usually needs no permit. The plumbing and electrical work in the new bathroom will need one.
- Moving a drain or a vent stack is plumbing work under permit; we cap in place and leave the rerouting to the plumber.
- Pre-1990 houses: floor tile, mastic and plaster can contain asbestos. A designated-substances survey comes first (O. Reg. 278/05).
The plates on every truck: WSIB, insurance, demolition permits, asbestos survey, utility locates, crew training.
| Driver | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Room size | Square footage and how many fixtures come out. |
| Finishes | Mortar-bed tile and a cast iron tub take longer than sheet goods and acrylic. |
| Bins and tipping | One 10 yard bin for most bathrooms. |
| Minimum charge | [Kam confirms a small-job minimum] |
The number comes from a site walk. Small rooms with mortar-bed tile and cast iron tubs take longer than the square footage suggests; a minimum charge applies. [Kam confirms.]
One day for most bathrooms. Mortar-bed tile and a cast iron tub can push it into a second morning.
Not for the strip-out. The new plumbing and electrical work will need one from the City of Toronto (Toronto Building); we cap the lines and leave the rerouting to the plumber.
The party wall stays. We cut the roof and framing back to it, brace it, and leave the wall weather-tight for the builder. Photos of the wall before and after go in the closeout.