Condo Kitchen & Full Renovation West End, Vancouver
A whole-suite renovation with a custom white kitchen, quartz waterfall island and panel-ready Bosch appliances, two walk-in showers, an expanded laundry room and new hardwood throughout.
- Custom kitchen
- Two bathrooms
- Laundry expansion
- Hardwood throughout
Project story
A full West End condo renovation built around a new kitchen
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom West End condo had good bones and big city views, but dated finishes throughout: dark cabinets and a raised breakfast bar in the kitchen, a tub and a corner stall shower in the bathrooms, cherry-toned floors, a tiled fireplace and a stacked washer and dryer squeezed into a closet.
QUAY renovated the whole suite, about 890 sq. ft., in one project. The kitchen was rebuilt with custom flat-panel cabinetry, an appliance garage, hidden drawers, quartz counters and a full-height quartz backsplash, a waterfall island and panel-ready Bosch appliances.
Both bathrooms were taken back to the studs and rebuilt with custom tiled walk-in showers. The laundry room was expanded into the old entry closet for a side-by-side washer and dryer, the fireplace got a new insert and a clean drywall surround, and new engineered hardwood, pot lights, switches, heaters and paint run throughout.
The signed contract was about $188,000 before GST, or about $199,000 before GST with the approved changes. Construction ran from March to early May 2024.
What we did
- Strata alteration application and hazmat testing
- Custom kitchen cabinetry with an appliance garage
- Twelve hidden drawers inside the cabinets
- Quartz counters, full-height backsplash and waterfall island
- Panel-ready Bosch kitchen appliances
- Ensuite tub replaced with a walk-in shower
- Main bathroom stall replaced with a walk-in shower
- Laundry room expanded for a side-by-side washer and dryer
- New fireplace insert and drywall surround
- Custom built-in wardrobe in the primary bedroom
- Engineered hardwood and baseboards throughout
- About 30 pot lights, new switches, heaters and paint
Before and after
From dark and closed to bright and open
Kitchen budget: about $60K + GST
Before, the kitchen had dark upper cabinets, a white fridge and a raised breakfast bar that blocked the view from the living room. The counters were short and there was nowhere to hide small appliances.
The new kitchen is all white flat-panel cabinetry with brushed gold pulls, a quartz waterfall island with the sink facing the room, and a full-height quartz backsplash. The fridge and dishwasher are panel-ready so they disappear into the cabinetry, and an appliance garage with a lift-up door keeps the counter clear.
- Raised bar replaced with a waterfall island
- White flat-panel cabinets to the ceiling
- Full-height quartz backsplash
- Panel-ready fridge and dishwasher
- Light engineered hardwood throughout
The kitchen
BeforeAfterThe fireplace wall
Before
AfterThe new kitchen
Custom cabinetry, quartz and panel-ready Bosch appliances
The custom cabinets run to the ceiling and hide twelve internal drawers, so pots, utensils and pantry items each have a place. Beside the cooktop, an appliance garage with a lift-up door holds the kettle and coffee maker.
Quartz covers the counters and the full backsplash, and wraps down both ends of the island as a waterfall. Glass globe pendants in gold, silver and copper hang over the island, with puck lights under the upper cabinets.
The owners chose a full Bosch package: a panel-ready fridge and dishwasher, a wall oven, a cooktop and a built-in hood fan.
- Custom flat-panel cabinetry to the ceiling
- Appliance garage and twelve hidden drawers
- Quartz counters and full-height backsplash
- Waterfall island with undermount sink
- Brushed gold faucet and pulls
- Panel-ready Bosch fridge and dishwasher
- Bosch wall oven, cooktop and hood fan
- Pendants, pot lights and under-cabinet lights
The bathrooms
Two walk-in showers with brushed gold fixtures
In the ensuite, the old tub came out for a walk-in shower on a custom tiled base with a square drain. The walls are built with Dense-Shield and a waterproofing membrane, finished in large-format tile with a white herringbone feature wall, Riobel brushed gold fixtures and a frameless sliding glass door. A custom vanity with a tall pantry cabinet and a crystal chandelier complete the room.
The main bathroom's corner stall shower was replaced with a larger walk-in shower, also on a custom tiled base, with a frameless glass door, a rain shower and a hand shower in brushed gold. Both rooms got new toilets, fans, pot lights and accessories.
- Ensuite tub converted to a walk-in shower
- Custom tiled shower bases with square drains
- Dense-Shield and waterproofing membrane
- Large-format tile and herringbone feature wall
- Riobel brushed gold fixtures in the ensuite
- Frameless sliding and swing glass doors
- Custom ensuite vanity with pantry cabinet
- New toilets, fans, pot lights and accessories
The ensuite
Before
AfterThe main bathroom
Before
After
The rest of the suite
A bigger laundry room, built-in storage and new floors throughout
The stacked washer and dryer used to sit in a narrow closet. We took out the entry closet beside it, framed a new wall and built a proper laundry room with a side-by-side Bosch washer and dryer, a counter for folding and white upper cabinets.
At the entry, a black accent wall with built-in drawers and new lighting gives the suite a landing spot for keys and mail. In the primary bedroom, the old closet was replaced with a custom built-in wardrobe with drawers, and a chandelier was added overhead.
Light engineered hardwood now runs through the whole suite over an acoustic underlay, with new baseboards, about 30 pot lights, dimmers, baseboard heaters and fresh paint.
- Laundry expanded into the entry closet
- Side-by-side Bosch washer and dryer
- Entry accent wall with built-in drawers
- Primary bedroom built-in wardrobe
- Engineered hardwood with acoustic underlay
- New baseboards, heaters and paint
The laundry room
Before
After
Strata and schedule
A full condo renovation in about seven weeks on site
Before construction, QUAY prepared the strata's alteration application with our insurance certificate, posted a notice of project for the neighbours, and submitted the acoustic underlay specification for the new hardwood floors. Hazmat testing was completed before demolition.
Demolition started in mid-March 2024, followed by electrical, plumbing, drywall, tile, millwork, flooring, paint, glass, stone and appliances, with handover in early May, about seven weeks on site. The cabinets and closets were measured early so they could be built while the rough-in work was underway.
The owners upgraded several finishes along the way, including tile in both bathrooms, the ensuite fixtures, the hardwood and a second waterfall on the island. A few site items, such as new water shut-offs, floor levelling and lighting at the entry, were added too. Each change was priced and approved in writing first.
How the build went
- Design, specifications and strata application
- Hazmat testing and demolition
- Electrical and plumbing rough-in
- Drywall, Dense-Shield and waterproofing
- Tile and millwork installation
- Engineered hardwood and baseboards
- Paint, appliances, glass and quartz
- Finishing, cleaning and handover
Planning one? See our condo kitchen renovations and condo renovations in Vancouver.
The neighbourhood
Condo renovations in the West End
Many West End high-rises date from the 1990s and early 2000s, with great views and solid layouts but original kitchens, bathrooms and flooring. Renovating everything in one project means one round of strata paperwork, one demolition and one schedule.
Near Nelson Park
This suite is a short walk from Nelson Park, between Robson Street and Davie Street.
Two West End bathrooms
See our West End condo bathrooms with a linear-drain shower.
Another West End condo
Renovating in the West End
Learn more about our renovation work in the West End.
Planning your own? See our kitchen renovation contractors in Vancouver, our condo bathroom renovations and our guide to kitchen renovation costs.
FAQ
Full condo renovation questions
Common questions from Vancouver condo owners planning a whole-suite renovation.
How much does a full condo renovation cost in Vancouver?
This 890 sq. ft. West End condo was about $188,000 before GST under the signed contract, or about $199,000 before GST with the approved changes. That covered a new kitchen with Bosch appliances, two bathrooms with walk-in showers, an expanded laundry room with a new washer and dryer, a fireplace insert, a built-in wardrobe, engineered hardwood, pot lights, heaters and paint throughout.
How much did the kitchen cost?
The kitchen portion was about $60,000 before GST under the contract, including about $17,000 for panel-ready Bosch appliances, custom cabinetry with an appliance garage and hidden drawers, quartz counters and backsplash, a waterfall island, lighting and finishing. Complete kitchens with QUAY typically run $40,000 to $80,000 or more.
How long does a full condo renovation take?
This one took about seven weeks on site, from demolition in mid-March 2024 to handover in early May. Design, specifications and strata approval came first, and the custom millwork was built while the rough-in work was underway.
Can you replace a condo bathtub with a walk-in shower?
Usually, yes. In this ensuite we removed the tub and built a custom tiled shower base with a square drain, then waterproofed the walls with Dense-Shield and a membrane before tiling. We confirm drain locations and slopes, and any strata requirements, before work starts.
Do I need strata approval for a full condo renovation?
Yes. Most Vancouver stratas require an alteration application, proof of insurance and details on flooring and noise before work starts. For this project QUAY prepared the application, the insurance certificate, a notice for neighbours and the acoustic underlay specification for the hardwood.
Is the work warrantied?
Yes. Every QUAY renovation is backed by a 365-day workmanship warranty, and manufacturer warranties are passed on to you.
Planning a full condo renovation in the West End?
We handle the design, strata paperwork, millwork and every trade, managed start to finish by one QUAY team.