- Condo
Condo Renovation Cost in Vancouver (2026): Real Price Ranges
- By QUAY Construction
Planning a condo renovation in Vancouver? The first number most owners want is the total, and the honest answer is that it depends on how many rooms you touch and what your building allows. To see how we plan and manage these projects, visit our page on condo renovations in Vancouver. For a bathroom-only project, see condo bathroom renovation in Vancouver.
Here are the ranges we use for planning. A complete condo kitchen with QUAY commonly falls around $40,000 to $75,000+. A complete condo bathroom commonly falls around $25,000 to $45,000+. A full condo renovation that takes in the kitchen, bathrooms, flooring and finishes often runs $100,000 or more. See how we plan and price condo renovations in Vancouver, including strata approvals.
These are planning ranges, not quotes. Every QUAY project gets a detailed, fixed-price proposal once the scope is defined, and the rest of this guide explains what pushes a condo project toward the low or high end of each range.
What Factors Influence Condo Renovation Costs in Vancouver?
Building Rules and Access
Condos carry costs that houses don’t. Strata approvals, renovation deposits, elevator bookings, restricted work hours, plumbing shut-downs and loading-bay access all shape how a project is scheduled. None of these is expensive on its own, but a building with tight rules stretches the schedule, and schedule is money. Older buildings can also hide surprises behind the drywall, while newer concrete towers tend to have stricter bylaws about noise, flooring and access.
Project Scope and Complexity
Scope moves the number more than anything else:
- Single room: a complete condo bathroom ($25,000 to $45,000+) or a complete condo kitchen ($40,000 to $75,000+).
- Kitchen plus a bathroom: adding those two ranges together puts most projects at roughly $65,000 or more before flooring, paint and lighting elsewhere in the suite.
- Full condo renovation: kitchen, bathrooms, flooring and finishes throughout often run $100,000 or more.
Moving plumbing, relocating walls or changing the layout adds design, permit and trade time. Keeping the existing layout is the single biggest way to control cost in a condo.
Material Quality and Finishes
Within the same layout, finishes decide where you land in a range. Cabinet construction, countertop material, tile, plumbing fixtures and lighting all have clear price tiers. Our kitchen renovation cost guide breaks this down by specification level, from refined essentials to fully custom.
Contractor Approach and Contingency
Ask every contractor how their price is built. Allowance-based quotes look lower on paper but leave the final number open. A fixed-price proposal built from a detailed scope gives you a number you can plan around. Even with a fixed price, a contingency of 10% to 20% of the construction budget is a common planning allowance for items nobody can see before demolition, especially in older buildings.
Room-by-Room Condo Renovation Cost Breakdown
Kitchen Renovation Costs
The kitchen is usually the largest single line in a condo budget. Complete condo kitchens with QUAY commonly fall around $40,000 to $75,000+, depending on the design and the building. Where you land depends mostly on:
- Cabinet construction and finish (stock, semi-custom or fully custom)
- Countertop material and how much of it there is (quartz, porcelain, natural stone, waterfall ends)
- Appliance package and whether panel-ready appliances are part of the design
- Whether the sink, range or venting moves, which brings in plumbing, electrical and strata review
- Backsplash, lighting and how much electrical work the lighting plan needs
Once construction starts, most complete kitchens take about 15 working days on site. The waiting happens before demolition: design, strata approval and cabinet lead times. For more detail, see our kitchen renovation Vancouver services and the kitchen renovation cost guide.
Bathroom Renovation Costs
Complete condo bathrooms with QUAY commonly fall around $25,000 to $45,000+. By size, our planning ranges are:
- Small (up to about 45 sq. ft.): $25,000 to $35,000+
- Medium (about 45 to 75 sq. ft.): $30,000 to $45,000+
- Large (about 75 sq. ft. and up): $40,000 to $70,000+
Most condo bathrooms fall in the small and medium sizes, which is why the typical condo range tops out around $45,000. Larger ensuites and highly customized bathrooms sit above it.
Waterproofing, shower drainage and ventilation carry real weight in a condo, because a leak doesn’t stay in your suite. That work sits behind the tile, and it is where we never cut corners. See the full bathroom renovation cost guide, and for small layouts, our guide on bathroom renovation maximizing space in Vancouver condos.
Living Areas and Bedrooms
Flooring, paint, doors, trim and lighting in the rest of the suite are where scope creeps quietly. A few condo-specific points affect the price:
- Flooring: many strata bylaws set requirements for acoustic underlay under hard flooring. Check yours before choosing a product, because the underlay spec can rule some floors out.
- Lighting: concrete ceilings limit where new pot lights can go, which can push lighting toward surface or track fixtures.
- Doors and trim: replacing them throughout is often what makes a full renovation feel finished, and it adds up across a whole suite.
How Much Does a Complete Condo Renovation Cost?
A full condo renovation that covers the kitchen, bathrooms, flooring and finishes throughout often runs $100,000 or more with QUAY. The total is easiest to understand built up from the rooms:
- Kitchen: $40,000 to $75,000+
- Each bathroom: $25,000 to $45,000+
- Flooring, paint, doors, trim and lighting through the rest of the suite
- Any layout changes, which add design, permit and trade time
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with a new kitchen therefore starts around $90,000 before the rest of the suite is touched. Larger suites, custom millwork and layout changes take it well past that.
Vancouver Condo Renovation Permits and Regulations
When Do You Need a City Permit?
The City of Vancouver says that replacing fixtures, cabinets or flooring, and painting, do not need a permit. A permit is needed when a renovation moves interior walls or existing plumbing, electrical or gas lines, and for structural repairs. In multi-unit buildings, drywall repairs to fire separations also need a permit. When a project is close to the line, the City’s advice is to check with its Development and Building Services Centre before starting.
In practice, a condo kitchen or bathroom that keeps everything in place often needs no City permit, while one that relocates a sink, toilet, shower or wall usually does. We confirm this during planning, before anything is ordered.
Strata Approval Process
Strata approval is separate from City permits, and most strata corporations require written approval before work starts. Under the Standard Bylaws of the BC Strata Property Act, an owner needs written approval before altering a strata lot in ways that involve the building’s structure or exterior, doors or windows on the exterior or facing common property, common property within the strata lot, or parts of the lot the strata corporation must insure. The strata can’t unreasonably withhold approval, but it can require the owner to take responsibility for related expenses. Many buildings have their own bylaws on top of these, so always read yours.
A typical approval package includes the scope of work, drawings, insurance documents, contractor information, material specifications and proposed working dates. Expect to arrange a renovation deposit, confirm permitted work hours, book the elevator and loading access, and agree how common areas will be protected.
Approval Timing
Strata councils often review applications at scheduled meetings, so approval time varies from building to building. Start the application as soon as the scope and drawings are settled. Building it into the schedule is far cheaper than a crew waiting on a signature.
What Affects Condo Renovation Costs the Most?
Age and Condition of Your Condo
Older buildings tend to bring more unknowns:
- Electrical that needs updating once walls are open
- Older plumbing, shut-off valves and drains
- Materials that need hazardous-materials testing before they are disturbed
- Uneven subfloors that need levelling before new flooring
Hidden Costs to Budget For
- Water damage or rot found during demolition
- Electrical or plumbing corrections that weren’t visible before
- Strata-required protection, deposits or after-hours work
- Design changes after work starts, which is why we approve every change in writing
Scheduling and Lead Times
In condos, the calendar is set by the building as much as by the contractor. Elevator availability, quiet hours and strata meeting dates all affect when work can happen, and long-lead items like custom cabinets and stone set the earliest start date. Ordering early protects both the schedule and the budget.
How to Budget for Your Vancouver Condo Renovation
Creating a Realistic Budget
- Start from the room ranges above and add them up for your scope.
- Decide early whether the layout stays or changes.
- Set aside a contingency of 10% to 20%, toward the high end for older buildings.
- Include strata deposits, temporary living costs if you move out, and storage.
Financing Options for Condo Renovations
Common options include savings, a home equity line of credit, refinancing, or a renovation-specific mortgage product. Rates and limits change, so talk to your lender or mortgage broker before you commit to a scope.
Getting Accurate Quotes
Compare quotes on the same scope. A useful quote spells out:
- Material specifications, not just allowances
- What is included and what is excluded
- Strata coordination and any permits
- The schedule and how changes are approved
- The warranty
QUAY provides a detailed, fixed-price proposal before construction starts, and every change is approved in writing.
Cost-Saving Tips for Vancouver Condo Renovations
Keep the Layout
Leaving plumbing and walls where they are avoids permits, structural questions and extra strata review. You can change almost everything you see without moving what’s behind it.
Renovate in One Go Rather Than in Phases
In a house, phasing can spread cost. In a condo, every phase means another strata application, another deposit, more elevator bookings and more set-up. Doing the work in one planned project is usually cheaper overall.
Material Selection Strategies
Where to spend: waterproofing and shower systems, cabinets and hardware you touch every day, and countertops.
Where to save: decorative lighting, closet systems and accessories, which are easy to upgrade later without a contractor.
How Much Value Does a Condo Renovation Add?
Renovating to Sell vs Renovating to Stay
If you plan to sell soon, focus on broad appeal: neutral, durable finishes in the kitchen and bathrooms. If you are staying, invest in what you use every day. For rental units, prioritize durability and low maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Condo Renovation Costs
How Long Does a Condo Renovation Take?
Most complete kitchens take about 15 working days on site once construction starts. Bathrooms and full condo renovations depend on scope, building rules, strata approval and material lead times, so we set the schedule once scope, design and ordering are settled.
Can I Live in My Condo During Renovation?
For a single bathroom in a two-bathroom suite, often yes. A kitchen renovation is manageable with a temporary kitchen set-up. For full renovations, most owners move out for the duration.
Do I Need a City Permit for a Condo Renovation?
Not for replacing fixtures, cabinets or flooring, or for painting. You do if you move interior walls or existing plumbing, electrical or gas lines. Strata approval is a separate requirement.
How Do I Choose the Right Contractor?
- Proof of liability insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage
- Experience with strata applications in buildings like yours
- A detailed, fixed-price proposal rather than open allowances
- A written workmanship warranty. QUAY projects carry a 12-month (365-day) workmanship warranty.
- Clear communication about the schedule and changes
For larger projects beyond condos, see our home renovation Vancouver expertise.
Conclusion: Planning Your Vancouver Condo Renovation Budget
For planning, start with these ranges: about $40,000 to $75,000+ for a complete condo kitchen, $25,000 to $45,000+ for each complete bathroom, and often $100,000 or more for a full condo renovation. Then adjust for layout changes, finishes and your building’s rules.
- Read your strata bylaws and start the approval early
- Decide whether the layout stays or changes
- Compare quotes on the same, fully specified scope
- Hold a contingency for what’s behind the walls
Ready to start planning your condo renovation? Book a discovery call with QUAY Construction and we’ll walk through your scope, your building’s requirements and a realistic budget.
