Bathrooms What waterproofing does after the tile goes on
Tile is the surface you choose. Waterproofing is the layer that decides whether the ceiling below the bathroom is still intact in ten years.
Ensuites, main baths and powder rooms across Vaughan and the GTA — waterproofed to code, tiled large-format, heated underfoot.
What it involves
Tile is the part you choose. The waterproofing under it, the slope of the shower floor and the fan above are what decide whether the room is still good in ten years — and you will never see any of them.
A bathroom remodel sounds small. It is the smallest room in the house and the most complicated — plumbing, electrical, tile, glass and ventilation all land in about forty square feet, and every one of them has to be finished before the next one can start.
Plumbing before tile, waterproofing before either, the glass measured only once the walls are finished and true. Break that order and the room takes twice as long — most of what goes wrong in a bathroom is a trade arriving on the wrong day. So we hold the sequence ourselves, and the wiring is filed with the ESA under our own Master Electrician's licence.
In an older house we usually find something behind the wall that nobody quoted for. A drain that is not to code, a joist notched for a pipe, tile laid straight onto board. You hear about it the same day, with a price, before we touch it.
The fan has to vent outside, not into the attic — the cheapest thing to get wrong in a bathroom and the most expensive to find out about, usually on the ceiling below.
And you see the room before we build it: drawn, and on most projects walked through in the simulator, with the slab you actually picked. That is where a wall is still cheap to move.
Floors protected, dust wall at the door, everything hauled away. The rest of the house stays livable.
Drains and supply moved where the layout needs them, not where the previous owner left them.
Circuits, pot lights, heated floor, mirror and niche lighting, exhaust sized for the room.
Membrane system on the shower walls and floor, sloped to the drain before any tile goes on.
Large-format porcelain, book-matched feature walls, cut so the pattern runs where you actually see it.
Cabinetry, counter, custom glass measured after tiling, and every fixture fitted and tested.
The surfaces
Picking stone from a sample the size of a book is a guess. We show you the whole slab, and where the veining will land on your wall before it is cut.
Panels up to 3200 mm mean a shower wall can be two pieces instead of forty. Porcelain does not stain, does not need sealing, and takes a book-matched pattern the same way marble does.
Marble and quartzite for vanity tops and feature walls, quartz where the room takes heavy daily use. We tell you which one is wrong for your bathroom before you fall in love with it.
An electric mat under the tile, on its own thermostat and its own circuit. It is a small line on the quote and the first thing people mention a winter later.
The lighting is drawn with the layout: a lit niche in the shower, backlight behind the mirror, and pot lights that are not simply spaced evenly across the ceiling.
How it runs
That is a main bathroom or an ensuite; a powder room is quicker, and a large ensuite with custom glass, cabinetry and/or stone slabs sits at the top of the range. Before any of it, four to six weeks for design, selections and the things with lead times — glass, vanity, slab. You get the dates in writing.
We come to the house, look at what is under the floor and behind the wall, and tell you what is realistic in that room and at that budget. If you are ready, we give you an initial quote based on what you are looking to do. Free, and there is no pitch at the end of it.
Layout drawn, materials in your hands, the room walked through in the simulator — then an updated quote and a schedule with dates. Long-lead items are ordered as soon as possible to minimise down-time.
Strip-out, then plumbing and electrical while the walls are open. This is the week where anything unpleasant turns up — old drains, aluminium wiring — and you hear about it the same day.
Membrane on the shower walls and floor, slope confirmed to the drain, and every transition detailed before a single tile is set. This is the step nobody sees and everything else depends on.
Floor mat, large-format tile and the feature wall cut so the pattern lands where you look first. Grout, then paint while the glass is being measured to the finished walls.
Vanity, glass, fixtures and lighting. Then we walk the room together, write the deficiency list, fix it, and hand over the warranty and the manuals for everything installed.
Bathrooms we have built
Every photograph on this page is a room we built, in a house within about an hour of Vaughan. If you want to see one in person, some of our clients will let you.
All projects
Semi Bathroom ShineAurora
New Build UpgradeVaughan
Master Bath GemVaughan
Grey Wave Master BathVaughan
Gold & Grey BathroomsVaughan
Glen Shields FlowerVaughan
Common Bathroom SplitVaughan
About the TownMarkham
Bathrooms built in Vaughan, Woodbridge, Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Markham, Bradford and Innisfil.
Get a free estimateWritten on the job
Bathrooms Tile is the surface you choose. Waterproofing is the layer that decides whether the ceiling below the bathroom is still intact in ten years.
Materials Two sheets cut from the same block mirror each other only if the seam lands where the pattern says it should. So the wall gets built first in AutoCAD, before a single sheet goes up.
Planning & budget Almost nobody expects the calendar to be set by a factory rather than by a crew. What is ordered first, what can still be changed after it is ordered, and where the weeks actually go before demolition.
Our other services
A bathroom often turns into a second room before the first one is finished. If that is likely, say so at the measure — drawings and wiring are cheaper to plan once than to open twice.
Reviews
Most people in the GTA get four or five quotes before they commit. The ones who chose us left a review — and so far every single one is five stars.
Leave a reviewWe recently contracted SBD to work us on a cottage renovation project. It was a pleasure to work with Danielle on the design and the job. She understood our needs and worked with us to finalize the perfect arrangement of the furniture, adding a new door to our room. On the construction side, we worked closely with Vlad and Denise and several of their contractors to complete the project and record time. We were under a very tight timeline, and Vlad and Alex came through for us. We had to remove walls, rebuild framing, do new drywall painting, install new doors and lights and cabinetry. All was done to our complete satisfaction. We Would highly recommend working with Danielle and Vlad and Alex on any projects. We plan to work with them again next year on an additional renovation at our cottage. A great team really enjoyed working with them
Great company to work with as a subcontractor .Vlad is professional, organized, and easy to communicate with throughout the project. He values quality workmanship and treats his trades with respect. Thank you, Vlad, for the opportunity to work together. I look forward to future projects and highly recommend Surfaces By Design Ontario.
The team did an absolutely amazing job! After dealing with a bad tenant, the SBD team really helped put me at ease with their quality work and professionalism. Would use again in a heartbeat, more than happy to recommend to anyone!
Surfaces by Design has been absolutely amazing. When we first viewed our rental home, they were still putting the finishing touches on the renovations. We were already impressed, but when we arrived on move-in day, we were genuinely shocked by how perfect everything looked.
Every person we've dealt with has been friendly, professional, and a pleasure to work with. Their craftsmanship is beautiful, and it really shows in the quality of their work. We couldn't be happier with our experience!
This is our 3rd renovation project with Surfaces By Design Ontario. The last 2 projects were so successful that we did not think twice to ask Vlad to work with us on renovating our unfinished basement. The transformation from start to finish was seamless and exceeded our expectations. The project flowed smoothly and efficiently thanks to the expertise, dedication and commitment of the team. Despite some changes and adjustments we made along the way, Vlad and his team were very patient and flexible to make the requested changes in support of our vision for this project to ensure we were happy with the end results. There was consistent clear communication and organization throughout the project. More importantly, everyone who entered our home were trustworthy and respectful which was extremely reassuring. Vlad is a perfectionist and takes pride in his work, he cares about the finished project as much as his clients. I would highly recommend Surfaces By Design and I’m looking forward to another future renovation project with Vlad and his team!
Vlad's work is excellent, right on budget, and right on time. Easy to work with, everything left nice and clean! Done a few projects, looking forward to the next !
Our dream kitchen came true!
This is my second renovation project with Surfaces By Design Ontario. The first project was so seamless that I was confident in Vlad and his team to work with us on the second project in our home for our kitchen renovation. My kitchen was transformed into my dream kitchen with the dedication and expertise from Vlad and his team. The kitchen was completely demolished and the transformation from start to finish was seamless which exceeded our expectations. We were living in our home during the renovation and throughout the project the team was continuously cleaning and keeping the working area safe. It was completed within the timeframe specified and very efficiently with minimal disruption to our family and home. There was consistent clear communication and organization throughout the project. I was always informed of when and who would be coming to my home to complete the work. Vlad and his team provided a high level of service, quality, expertise and dedication. More importantly, Vlad and his team were always responsive, trustworthy and respectful which was very reassuring. We went on a one week vacation during our renovation and we had peace of mind that our home renovation continued to run smoothly and Vlad personally ensured it did. The end result of my dream kitchen was due to the expertise of teamwork and primarily because of Vlad’s patience, pride and perfection! I would highly recommend Surfaces By Design and I’m looking forward to another future renovation project with Vlad and his team!
Professional, detail oriented, organized, and an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish!
We recently worked with Surfaces by Design on a complete overhaul of two bathrooms and had a fantastic experience throughout the entire process.
Vlad was extremely professional the whole way through. He is detail oriented, organized, resourceful and always on time. He communicated clearly, stayed on top of everything, and made this renovation feel smooth and well managed. (which anyone with experience knows can be very rate!)
He brought in a great team that delivered high quality work, on time and on budget. The craftsmanship and attention to detail really show in the final result.
We truly enjoyed working with Vlad and would highly recommend Surfaces by Design to anyone looking for a reliable and professional renovation company. We are already looking forward to working with him again on our next project!
I highly recommend Surfaces by Design, they recently renovated a couple of bathrooms and did a great job
Vlad is reliable, patient and a pleasure to work with!
I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Vlad on a client project. As an interior decorator, I want contractors to be attentive to my requests and work with me to meet the design objectives, and I feel that he and his team did just that. Whenever issues arose on-site, Vlad was quick to reach out, ensuring that we could address and resolve any concerns promptly and efficiently. It was a pleasure working together.
We hired Surfaces by Design team to do our reno and can't say enough about how positive the design consultation experience has been so far. Danielle patiently listened to all our disperate ideas and then distilled all that into a beautiful 2d/3d design of the kitchen, family room and 2 bathrooms. 2d/3d designs really helped us visualized what the new space could look like and allowed us to make further tweaks to finalize the design. Danielle also provided in-store consultation helping us pick the right materials for the design we settled on. Danielle is great at incorporating the latest trends into the needs of the client, providing a high level of confidence that the design choices we're making doesnt end up being out of date. Overall we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Danielle's design expertise to anybody looking to upgrade their home!
I had the pleasure of working with Surface By Design.
The project was while leaving in the house and they came a day before starting, to prep the house and cover other areas to minimize dust and damage. Vlad is very detailed oriented and pays attention to everything.
Alex is the best!! electrician. Does amazing job, attentive and pleasure to work with.
I highly recommend Surfaces by Design. Vlad did for us a full renovation project for our new house. The level of work and dedication was extra ordinary. Vlad is perfectionist and it is very important for him that the outcome is highest quality. We didn't need to supervise anything, as we could totally count on him and the most professional contractors he works with. We are so happy with our new master bathroom, living room design, bathrooms vanities and many more things that Vlad and his team did for us!!
We recently completed our two bathrooms and front entryway with Surface By Design Ontario Group, and its experience was transformative. The beginning and until the end process was seamless. A designer with great expertise and knowledge of the product, its availability on the market and good taste helped us shape our bathroom and front entryway styles based on our preferences and budget. She listened to us and had great suggestions of important points for the design to be more practical and useful. We, a family of three, had no problem sharing the space during the renovation, as the renovation team was punctual, and kept distraction to a minimum. The team was very flexible to adapt if any new issues arose. The quality of work is at the highest level- clean, all touches are finished, no mess. The most outstanding aspect was the excellent customer service and communication between us and the construction team. As for budget, our family agreed- money well spent. Therefore, the finished quality is exceptional.
We would recommend Service By Design Ontario to anyone who is planning to update their homes to make it a more enjoyable place to live.
Mike, Mark and Olga.
Surfaces by Design has been my greatest experience with a contractor for home improvement renovations ever. I hired Vlad from Surfaces by Design for couple of bathroom redoes. From initial consultation the pricing process the advise, and the execution was professional with a lot of care. In each stage the project manager was there to double check the work and help me navigate throughout the entire process with ease and peace of mind with a clear schedule and great laboured workers to execute my vision.
I am extremely happy with the renovation of my bathrooms. This added great value to the property. Would absolutely recommend Surfaces by Design for any Reno.
We worked with Surfaces By Design on a bathroom and laundry room renovation. I was dreading this renovation project but Surfaces By Design made the experience a seamless and a very positive one. We are extremely happy with the end result and it exceeded our expectations. The project was completed in a timely manner with the highest of quality and workmanship, ensuring all safety and regulation codes were adhered to. At different stages we were consulted to make decisions and given expert advice with different options to meet our needs and budget. Vlad and his team are very respectful, patient and trustworthy. We would confidently and highly recommend Surfaces By Design and we are looking forward to our next renovation project with them!
reliable, on-time, very detailed in their work. Thank you Surfaces team.
Over the past 2 years, Vlad and Danielle with their team completed three projects for our family:
1. The first project was a basement renovation including drywall, flooring and finishing. The project was completed on time and on budget. The crew was especially aware of the elderly person residing on the premises and took all precautions to limit the amount of dust by cleaning the workplace daily and reporting on progress and next steps.
2. This summer after a torrential rainfall we noticed a leak on the ceiling of the kitchen. Hoping to minimize the damages we called Surfaces By Design who responded the same day to assess the situation. The roof was inspected and loose tiles repaired, the wet section of the ceiling was removed and left open for a few days to confirm that the roof leak had been fixed. They managed the many trades and the work was completed at a very reasonable price. They also followed up a few months later to confirm that everything was still fine.
3. The most recent project involved the design of our family room. The family room and kitchen are one open space so consideration had to be given to both spaces in the selection of furniture, fireplace and accent wall. Our idea was to have the fireplace as the main focal point, a place to gather with family and friends. We knew the feeling we wanted to experience in this new space but had no idea what that looked like. Danielle and Vlad were so patient with us. They took time to get to know us and understand our vision for the space. They offered both practical and design considerations including trends. By the end of our first meeting we were confident that they would be able to translate our vision into the dream space we wanted. They designed it and Vlad worked with the various trades to ensure the installation of the project was seamless. They met timelines and made site visits to make sure all the measurements taken in the design phase actually fit the space. Their recommendations were excellent and they provided solutions when adjustments had to be made. All our calls were returned in a timely manner and they kept us informed about the progress including unexpected challenges. We found them and their team professional, hardworking, flexible, conscientious and did outstanding workmanship always leaving the space clean and tidy. Danielle was instrumental in our furniture, and decorative choices. She has a keen eye for colour and design.
All in all – this was a great experience and we highly recommend Surfaces By Design if you want a team with great work ethic, who are very personable, knowledgeable, creative and professional. They care about their work and customer satisfaction. The team is responsive, creative and has access to a number of well experienced trades and suppliers carrying the same values.
We look forward to working with them again for our next project.
Very pleased with the overall job. Great to work with, clean and reasonably priced. Couldn’t have asked for a better team. My ceiling looks wonderful. Can’t wait to do the next Reno with Surfaces by Design.
Beautiful tile design and installation for our new bathroom. You know you can rely on the best pricing and quality of work. This team is amazing - worth the contact!!
Such a delight walking into our new kitchen and bathroom thanx to this wonderful team!
It was our first time remodeling and we weren't really sure of what can be achieved, and so the team took us through all the options, layouts and designs possible for our budget.
They absolutely brought a breath of fresh air to our home and we couldn't recommend their work more.
Thank you Surfaces By Design Ontario!
Amazing design and reno services. Highly recommend!
An excellent group to work with. Their design team is fabulous. We really liked that they took the time to understand our needs and provided great ideas on how we could make our bathrooms really pop. We also thought that the quality of their workmanship was great. We'd definitely use them again and have already recommended them to friends.
Reviews come straight from our Google Business Profile.
Read all 23 on GoogleQuestions
What comes up on nearly every bathroom measure. If yours is not here, ask — you will get a straight answer.
Ask us anything 647-518-6459One of us picks up, seven days a week Or send us a message on WhatsAppStart here
One of the owners comes to the house, measures, and tells you what your bathroom realistically takes — in time and in money. No deposit, no pressure, and no one chases you afterwards.