Shopping Guide: Bathroom Renovation in the GTA | Renovation Quotes

As one of the most frequented rooms in the home, the bathroom needs a little bit of TLC every once and a while. As a result, it's necessary to offer up a bit of modern love as well as tend to the rougher edges that face wear and tear over the years.

If you're looking to give your bathroom an update but aren't exactly sure where to start, RenoQuotes.com will break down the various aspects of bathroom renovation, including what to look out for as well as how to plan and what to buy!

Shopping Guide for Bathroom Materials and Accessories Toronto and the GTA:

source: Flickr, awans

Although big-box hardware stores cover all your bases, you won't get the same type of interaction and experience as smaller specialty stores and showrooms. Offering knowledgeable employees and an intimate experience, it's worth your while to check out these suppliers when you're ready to begin your bathroom renovation project In Toronto:

General Bathroom Renovations:

Atlantis Bath Center: this store carries all the popular bathroom brands but specializes in the well-known brand Kohler. They have all the necessary items, carrying everything from sinks to doors, to fans and accessories.

Gingers: as part of the ELTE empire, Ginger's Bath and Summerhill Hardware is great for attractive bathroom accessories and supplies. They have an excellent selection of faucets and kitchen sinks for the homeowner looking to do a little bit of a deeper renovation.

Amati: In operation for over 20 years, Amati specializes in both bathroom and kitchen materials for home as well as commercial renovations. They carry a wide range of products and accessories for the homeowner and business alike.

Bathroom Floors:

Antica: Antica has been around for over 25 years and imports from overseas, specializing in natural stone and custom products. They have their own production facility on-site, meaning that if you're looking for an intricate design for your bathroom tiles, this is the place to go!

The Tile Store:  Specializing in tiles, as their name aptly suggests, The Tile Store carries style-driven tiles for countertops and bathrooms. They pride themselves on affordable pricing and excellent customer service.

Creekside: Hailing from Vancouver, Creekside opened its doors in Toronto just a few years ago to great reviews and warm hearts. They specialize in rustic concrete tiles and carry hand-glazed tiles that have been imported from the UK.

Stone Tile: Not for the homeowner on a budget, Stone Tile self-describes as the Mercedes Benz of tiling. They are the first company in Canada to bring large-format, thin porcelain tile sheets called laminam. If you're looking for something cutting edge, this is the place to visit. It might be more of a window-shopping experience if you don't have the big bucks to follow through with the purchase.

Plumbing (bath, shower, sink, toilet, and taps):

Roman Bath: Roman Bath is a 25-year family-run showroom with bathroom items and accessories that vary from mid to high range, the majority of which has been imported from Europe. They are known for their excellent customer service and have a knowledgeable sales staff who can help you with any difficult questions.

H2o: H2o Bath and Plumbing is family-run and offers a large selection of wholesale plumbing items, as well as medium to high-end faucets and shower kits for those looking.

Tubs:  As the name would suggest, Tubs has a wide range of bathtub and shower options for any interested homeowner. However, the store carries countertops and tiles alongside them, just in case you need those things too!

Bathroom Vanities, cabinets and counters:

New Canadians Lumber: This joint has been owned and operated by the same family for over 40 years, and carries many of the popular brands for bathroom renovations. This is a great start point in the search for bath supplies. They have even created their own line of vanities for an affordable price.

Taps and Stone:  Known for their custom cabinetry and millwork, Taps and Stone caters to the budget-conscious home renovator, so if you're working within means, this place can't be beaten!

Vinpow: Vinpow cares deeply about its customers, and offers bathroom vanities of quality at affordable prices. 

Vanity Source: Serving both Brampton and the GTA, Vanity Source has been around for 5 decades and they pride themselves on excellent customer service, as well as carrying the leading brands in bathroom vanities and accessories.

Ceramic Tiles:

Deco-Tile: Operating as a family business for over 20 years, most of Deco Tiles' imports are from Italy and Spain, also focusing on hand-cut glass. Working primarily in the commercial industry, they're also suited for the more extravagant homeowner.

Centura Tile:  This beautiful showroom provides a wide range of tiles to both commercial businesses and households. Centura even has a department in the back of their showroom for contractors that sells tools needed for installing the materials correctly.

Bathroom Paint:

Steeles Paint: This is Canada's largest independent paint store, and carries the largest selection of environmentally friendly paint products. With helpful staff and thousands of paint accessories, you should be able to find the right paint for your bathroom renovation.

Pro Glo Paints: Open for 25 years, this family-run and operated paint store is one of Toronto's largest dealers of Benjamin Moore Paint. However, they carry several other brands as well. Ask one of the helpful and knowledgeable staff if you're searching for something specific.

Maple Paints and Wallpaper: A locally run shop that carries mainstream as well as less known brands. The friendly staff will offer up all the advice they can to make you feel comfortable purchasing the right colour or style of paint from them.

Paint Depot: This Leslieville located store is popular among tradespeople and contractors and has been in operation at the same location for over 20 years. Opening a second location in Toronto's east end, they carry brands that cover both quality and value. 

RenoQuotes.com bathroom renovation tips 

Our bathroom comes into contact with both heat and moisture on a daily basis. These elements are very hard on surfaces and materials, and thus, bathrooms need to be constantly updated and renovated so that visible damage doesn't appear. Renovating your bathroom is not only necessary but will aid in the overall comfort of your home and family. Before moving forward with bathroom renovations, it's important to check multiple aspects of the bathroom, and follow this by setting a plan and budgeting for the renovations you're hoping to carry out.

Paint: Luckily, paints have been adapted to suit the harsh conditions of the bathroom, made especially for coming up against heat and moisture. If you're finding your bathroom paint is peeling, it is likely due to the type of paint that was originally used. It's important to make sure that you choose the right type of paint for the right room.

Floor: Is your bathroom floor creaky, cracking or uneven? Look closely by the bathtub or shower. If you find any cracks, it is important to repair them as quickly as possible! Water trapped inside these cracks will lead to further damage. 

Cabinets: Are you running out of storage space in your bathroom? Since this is generally the smallest room of the home, it is common for there to be a serious lack of storage and a definite reason to consider renovating. Additional shelves or cabinets in the water closet always come in handy.

Bath, shower, toilet, and plumbing: When it comes to other aspects of the bathroom, keep an eye out for mould or mildew build-up, as well as any cracks that may have formed in the enamel plumbing. Make sure that water is flowing in good working order. Any issues with water flow may point to deeper problems with bathroom plumbing. Although this is an expensive fix, it is important to keep in mind that updating your bathroom can greatly improve the resale value of your home, as well as the comfort of yourself and your family.

Paying a little bit extra for materials and products that are durable and properly suited for the bathroom will save you money in the long run!  If you're not into the idea of a bathroom DIY job, consider hiring a trusted contractor to follow through with the renovations. 

To see examples of bathroom renovation projects completed by RenoQuotes.com contractors, check out "10 examples of beautiful bathroom renovation projects".