Do I need a permit to renovate a bathroom in Cambridge?

Adding or moving plumbing fixtures needs a City of Cambridge building permit, as does adding or removing walls or creating a new or wider window opening. Cupboards without plumbing and painting do not. Replacing a fixture in the same place is not on the city's published list, so ask first. Electrical work needs a separate ESA permit.

Do you renovate bathrooms in Galt, Preston and Hespeler?

Yes, along with Blair and the newer neighbourhoods. Cambridge is about half an hour from our Waterloo shop, and the same crew starts and finishes each project.

Can you renovate a bathroom in a heritage home?

Yes. We plan drains and venting around thick walls and original floors rather than cutting into them. Exterior changes, such as a new or enlarged window, may need heritage approval for a designated property or a home in the Blair Village, Dickson Hill or Main Street districts, and we check before we plan.

How long does a bathroom renovation take?

A full ensuite or family bathroom usually takes a few weeks on site, with tile setting and curing being the pacing items. Powder rooms are faster. You receive a written schedule before we start.

Can you add a bathroom in my basement?

Usually, yes. With a rough-in, the drains are already there; without one, the slab is opened for new drainage, which we plan and price up front. Adding fixtures needs a permit in Cambridge either way.

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Bathroom renovations

Bathroom renovations in Cambridge

From stone homes in Galt to newer houses in Hespeler and River Mill, we renovate bathrooms across Cambridge: ensuites, family bathrooms, powder rooms and basement bathrooms. Our Waterloo shop is about half an hour away, and the same crew starts and finishes your project.

Start a project Call (519) 897-1561

About 30 minutes from our Waterloo shop. Part of our bathroom renovations service, and one of our Cambridge renovation services.

Powder room with a white oak cane-front vanity and patterned wallpaper

Freestanding tub beneath a crystal chandelier with vertical wood-look tile

Bathrooms in Cambridge homes

Cambridge has some of the most characterful housing in the region. Each type brings its own bathroom brief.

Bathrooms in heritage homes

West Galt, East Galt, Dickson Hill, the downtown core

Thick stone and brick walls and original floors mean new plumbing has to be planned around what is there. We route drains and venting cleanly rather than cutting into details worth keeping.

Older homes in the villages

Preston, Hespeler, Blair

A mix of older homes and mid-century builds, where a first ensuite or a full update of a tired family bathroom is the common request.

Dated family-home ensuites

Clemens Mill, Fiddlesticks, Southwood, Westgate

Solid 1980s to 2000s two-storeys with small, dated ensuites that become a proper primary bathroom with a walk-in shower and better storage.

Basement bathrooms

River Mill, Hespeler North, East Side

Newer homes with unfinished basements, often with a rough-in. Adding plumbing fixtures needs a permit in Cambridge, which we handle.

Do you need a permit for a bathroom in Cambridge?

Cambridge publishes a shorter list than its neighbours, so some items need a quick check with the city.

Here is what the City of Cambridge's published permit list says about the work a bathroom renovation usually involves:

Do you need a permit for a bathroom in Cambridge?
Work	City of Cambridge
Cabinets, countertops, tile, paint and flooring in the same layout	Not listedCupboards without plumbing and painting need none; countertops, tile and flooring are not mentioned
Replacing a toilet, sink or tub in the same location	Not listed
Adding or moving plumbing fixtures, including a new bathroom	Permit
Removing a non-load-bearing wall	PermitAdding or removing walls
Re-insulating walls, ceilings or floors	Not listed
A new window or door, or a wider opening	Permit
Electrical work: new circuits, lighting, a panel upgrade	ESA permit

Cambridge requires a permit to add or remove any wall and for a new or wider window opening, but not for cupboards without plumbing or for painting.
Replacing a fixture in the same place and re-insulating are not on Cambridge's published list, so we confirm with the city before work starts.

From the City of Cambridge's published permit list, checked October 2026. "Not listed" means the city's list does not address that work either way, so ask before you start. We confirm the requirements for every project. The three-city comparison, with fees and timelines, is in our permit guide.

Permits and inspections in Cambridge

We prepare the drawings, file the applications and book every inspection. Here is what is involved.

Building permit

Applications go through the City of Cambridge's City Application Portal, and its Application Navigator builds a checklist for your property. Cambridge does not publish a review timeline, but Ontario's 10-day timeframe for a complete house application applies. Interior renovation permits are $0.50 per square foot with a $143 minimum, plus a $25 zoning review.

Inspections

Cambridge asks for at least 24 hours' notice to the inspector named on the permit, and warns that work covered before it is inspected may have to be opened up.

Electrical

Lighting, heated floors and new circuits are permitted and inspected by the Electrical Safety Authority, not the city. Our licensed electrical partners file for their scope.

Bathrooms in a basement unit

Cambridge allows up to three units on a lot with a detached, semi-detached or townhouse. A bathroom in an additional residential unit is part of that unit's building permit, and the city lists a one-time ARU grant of up to $10,000.

More detail on permits in all three cities is in our permit guide.

How a Cambridge bathroom comes together

One project manager from the first visit to the final walkthrough. The first four steps of our process cost nothing.

Site visit
We look at the room, how the plumbing runs through the house and what the walls and floors are made of. The visit and a written preliminary proposal are free.
A plan for the house you have
In older homes, drains and venting are routed around original structure; in newer ones, we make the most of the rough-ins. Layout, tile and fixtures are settled before anything is ordered.
Plumbing, waterproofing and inspections
New drains and supply, a full waterproofing membrane and a sloped shower pan, with 24 hours' notice to the inspector before anything is covered.
Tile and finishing
Tile set to a planned layout, then glass, vanity, lighting and paint, with materials ordered ahead so the room is never waiting on a delivery.

Recent bathrooms

Ensuites, family bathrooms and powder rooms from RTC projects across Waterloo Region.

Open the full gallery

Freestanding soaker tub between two windows in a renovated ensuite

Glass walk-in shower with vertical wood-look tile and brass fixtures

Detail of floral wallpaper above a quartz counter

Staircase with black metal spindles beside a white sofa

Photographed in a completed RTC kitchen

From a client

I recently reached out for a project that I wasn’t sure how to complete, and was put in touch with Chad from RTC. He was so communicative, friendly, and helpful. He followed through on everything he said he would do, at the time he said he would do it. His crew was equally as professional on site. The quote for the work was fair and the quality of the work was great. Exactly what I had asked for.

Emily PeatHomeowner