Vanier's dense, older housing stock means original bathrooms are common – we know what to expect behind that tile.
Original grout and waterproofing methods often no longer meet current standards – we rebuild wet areas properly during a retile.
When the underlying structure is sound, we can often repair or regrout rather than replace everything.
Vanier is an older, historic, and dense urban neighbourhood close to the core of Ottawa, and a lot of its housing stock predates modern waterproofing membranes and today’s tile installation standards. It’s common for us to open up a Vanier bathroom and find original tile with aged, cracked grout and waterproofing that was never designed to last this long – which is exactly the kind of renovation work we focus on here.
Vanier is one of Ottawa's older, historic, and more densely built neighbourhoods, sitting close to the downtown core.
Housing here tends to predate the waterproofing membranes and installation standards used today, so original bathrooms with decades-old grout are a routine part of the work we see.
Our Vanier projects are almost always about correcting what time has done to an older bathroom or kitchen: removing failing tile, addressing water damage or subfloor issues where waterproofing has let moisture through, and rebuilding the wet area with cementitious backer board and proper membrane waterproofing before new tile goes in.
For smaller issues, a cracked tile, a failing grout line, we look at whether a targeted repair makes more sense than a full tear-out.
Working in an older, dense neighbourhood means dealing with narrower bathrooms, older plumbing configurations, and building conditions that don't always match a standard template.
We take the time to assess each Vanier home properly before quoting, so the scope we give you reflects what the house actually needs, not a generic estimate.
These general price ranges reflect the renovation and repair work typical of Vanier's older housing stock; the exact cost depends on what we find behind the existing tile, confirmed in a free written quote.
$10 – $18 per sq ft installed
Includes tile, thin-set, and labour
Common for kitchens, basements, and hallways
Price varies with tile size and subfloor prep
$15 – $30 per sq ft installed
Includes cementitious backer board
Membrane waterproofing in every wet area
Shower pan and niche work included where applicable
$20 – $40 per sq ft installed
Priced higher due to detail work and cuts
Includes outlet and cabinet edge trimming
Mosaic and feature tile available
Quoted per project
Cracked tile and failed grout repair
Caulk and sealant renewal
Scope depends on the extent of the damage
Call (343) 314-4353 or reach out about the older tile you'd like addressed in your Vanier home.
Because Vanier's housing predates today's waterproofing standards, we check for water damage and subfloor issues behind the existing tile before providing a clear written quote.
We remove failing tile, rebuild the wet area with cementitious backer board and proper membrane waterproofing, and install new tile suited to the narrower layouts common in older Vanier homes.
We review the finished tile with you and go over grout and sealant care.
Tiles Experts provides professional tile installation, repair, and waterproofing to homeowners and businesses across Vanier, Ontario.
Yes, almost entirely. Vanier's housing stock is older and dense, so our work here is overwhelmingly renovation and repair of existing bathrooms and kitchens.
Original bathrooms in older Vanier homes often have aged grout and waterproofing that no longer performs well. We typically remove the existing tile down to the substrate and rebuild the wet area with proper membrane waterproofing before retiling.
Cosmetic, like-for-like retiling doesn't require a permit as long as plumbing, electrical, and walls stay in place. If we need to relocate plumbing, a permit would apply.
Sometimes, if the surrounding tile and waterproofing are still sound and we can source a reasonable match. We'll assess this honestly during your quote rather than pushing for a bigger job than needed.
Call (343) 314-4353 or reach out through our contact page and we'll arrange a time to look at the project.