In short
- HomeStars' Ottawa guide puts a new shower installation at $4,500–$8,000; one Ottawa firm's list starts a shower remodel at $13,000.
- A traditional shower has a curb of 4 to 6 inches. A curbless one is flush with the floor and needs the floor sloped to the drain.
- Adding a shower where none existed extends the plumbing, which the City lists as a permit project; the plumbing-only fee is $117.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New shower installation | $4,500–$8,000 | HomeStars Ottawa guide; high-end tile higher |
| Custom (Schluter) shower, labour and rough materials | from $9,591 + HST | One Ottawa firm’s list; all-inclusive from $11,891 |
| Shower remodel or installation | from $13,000 | Another firm’s 2026 list |
| Curbless or barrier-free design | quoted separately | The first firm prices it on top of the base shower |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: HomeStars, Bathroom Renovation Cost Guide for Ottawa; Miracle Dream Homes, Bathroom Renovation Cost; Bytown Bath, Bathroom Remodeling Cost Ottawa; Bytown Bath, Curbless vs Traditional Shower; City of Ottawa, Building permit projects and Building Code Fee Schedule.
Three places a walk-in shower goes
Most walk-in showers replace a tub. The alcove already has a drain and a supply wall, so this is the simplest case; the tub page covers the swap itself. Some owners take a closet or part of a bedroom. A few convert a powder room into a shower space, which HomeStars mentions as an option in Ottawa townhouses and condos.
Where no shower existed, the plumbing is extended, and the City of Ottawa lists that as a permit project. HomeStars allows $1,500–$5,000 for the pipe work alone.
Curb or no curb
A traditional shower has a curb of 4 to 6 inches at the entry, according to Bytown Bath’s comparison. It holds water in and gives the glass something to sit on. A curbless shower sets the floor flush with the bathroom, or slightly below it, and drains water through a sloped floor. That removes the step, which helps people who use a cane or walker or who sit to shower.
The cost of that comfort is work. The floor needs a precise slope, and the waterproofing has to run across the whole shower area. One Ottawa firm quotes curbless and barrier-free designs separately from its standard shower. Ask for the slope, the drain type and the waterproofing system in writing.
Glass, tile and waterproofing
A walk-in shower often uses one fixed glass panel and no door. Frameless glass costs more than a rod and curtain. Tile is a big line: HomeStars’ Ottawa table shows installed ceramic at $9–$20 per square foot and marble or glass tile at $25–$50.
Waterproofing sits under all of it. Miracle Dream Homes lists a custom Schluter shower at $9,591 for labour and rough materials and $11,891 all-inclusive, plus HST. HomeStars counts $4,500–$8,000 for a typical new shower. Bytown starts its shower remodel at $13,000. Treat each number as one firm’s scope.
What a shower costs and what moves it
- The drain. A drain in the same spot keeps the work inside the alcove.
- The floor. A curbless base needs a slope the existing floor may not give, so the company checks the floor structure on the visit.
- The extras. Niche, bench, grab bars, a second head.
- The room below. A shower over a finished ceiling is worth a photo.
Fit for the person using it
Bathroom falls drive many of these jobs. Bytown, citing Parachute Canada, calls bathroom falls the main cause of injury-related hospitalizations for Canadian seniors. A bench, a hand-held head and wall blocking for grab bars are easiest to add while the walls are open. The accessible bathroom page lists the programs that pay part of the cost. Space-tight rooms are covered on the small bathroom page.
Time on site and the permit
Bytown advertises tub-to-shower conversions in one to three days. A tiled shower on a membrane takes longer, because each layer goes in after the one before. The permit, when one is needed, adds time ahead of the work. Begin before it issues and the City adds half the fee again, up to $10,000. A plain swap of existing fixtures sits outside the permit rules. Ask the company which case yours is, and who applies.
Who builds the shower
The Desk sends the request on to one independent renovation company. It calls, checks the floor and the drain, and writes a price you can hold up against the figures above.
Questions to ask the company
- Is the shower curbed or curbless, and what slope does the floor need?
- What waterproofing system sits under the tile, and who stands behind it?
- How wide is the glass panel, and where does the shower head point?
- Does the price include the niche, bench and glass?
- Does the drain move, and who files the permit if it does?
Have this ready for the call
- Room dimensions and where the shower is meant to go.
- Photos of the floor, the nearest wall and the drain.
- Whether anyone uses a walker, cane or wheelchair.
- Tile samples or links, with the tile size.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a walk-in shower and a walk-in tub?
A walk-in shower is a shower with an open or low entry. A walk-in tub is a bath with a watertight door in its side. Bytown Bath’s 2026 list starts the tub-door conversion at $2,400 and puts a made-to-order therapeutic tub between $27,000 and $30,000 before tax, so the two sit in different price classes.
Will a doorless walk-in shower spray the bathroom floor?
It depends on the glass width, the shower head position and the room. Ask the company how wide the panel is and where the head points. A narrower room with a fixed glass panel behaves differently from a wide room with an open entry.
Can a very small bathroom take a curbless shower?
One Ottawa firm says in bathrooms under 35 square feet a curbed shower may be more practical, since the curb helps hold water in a tight space. The company that visits can measure the room and tell you which suits it.
What does Schluter mean on a quote?
It is a brand of waterproofing and shower-floor systems used under tile. One Ottawa firm uses the name for its custom tiled shower line. Ask any quote to name the waterproofing system, the pan and the drain.
Does glass raise the price?
Yes. One Ottawa firm lists glass showers and built-in shelving among the choices that raise cost. A frameless panel, a niche or a bench each adds a line to the quote.
