Bathtub Replacement in Aurora

When replacing the bathtub and surround is the right move

When it comes to updating a worn family bathroom or primary ensuite in Aurora, replacing an old bathtub and its surrounding tile can improve the appearance, comfort and value of your home. Homeowners usually reach out about replacing a bathtub for one of four reasons: a shallow 1960s or 1970s enamelled steel or cast-iron tub in Regency Acres, Aurora Village or Aurora Highlands is chipped and cold; grout and drywall along the tub deck have turned soft from years of shower spray; the waste-and-overflow shoe is dripping onto the ceiling below; or a bulky 1990s corner whirlpool platform in Bayview Northeast, Bayview Southeast or Aurora Grove is taking over half the primary ensuite.

While a spray-on epoxy coating or a glue-over plastic liner can mask a worn surface temporarily, neither repairs loose wall tile, an aging mixing valve or damp studs behind the surround. Because the integral tiling flange of an alcove bathtub sits behind the lower edge of the wall board and tile, replacing a tub properly means taking the alcove down to the studs, checking the subfloor, bonding a continuous waterproof membrane up the walls, and setting fresh porcelain tile to the ceiling. (If your tub has already left a brown water mark on the ceiling downstairs, visit our bathroom repairs in Aurora page.)

Three bathtub upgrades we build across Aurora

1. Deep 60-inch alcove soaking tubs with tiled surrounds

For 5 x 8 ft and 7 x 9 ft main bathrooms in Regency Acres, Aurora Heights, Aurora Grove and Bayview Wellington, a skirted acrylic or cast-polymer alcove soaker tub fits into the standard 60-inch three-wall pocket while giving you several extra inches of soaking depth compared with builder steel tubs. We bed the tub dead level in mortar so the floor never flexes, waterproof all three alcove walls, tile to the ceiling with a recessed shampoo niche, and install a hinged frameless glass splash panel or sliding glass door.

2. Removing 1990s drop-in and corner whirlpool tubs

Primary ensuites built between 1990 and 2008 across Bayview Northeast, Bayview Wellington, Bayview Southeast, Aurora Highlands and Hills of St. Andrew frequently include a huge corner jetted tub framed into a wide tiled deck under the window. Those old air and water jets are noisy and hard to keep clean, and the wooden platform eats up 20 to 25 square feet of floor space. We disconnect and cap the dedicated pump circuit, demolish the lumber deck, and either set a sculptural freestanding soaking tub under the window or use the reclaimed footprint to build a much larger walk-in shower; read our article on upgrading a builder-grade ensuite in Aurora.

3. Freestanding oval and slipper soaking tubs

In wider primary bathrooms across Hills of St. Andrew, Aurora Estates and Bayview Southeast—like our freestanding tub and pebble-floor primary bathroom case study—a freestanding soaking tub creates a calm centrepiece. Installing a freestanding tub cleanly requires three checks before ordering the tub: leaving enough open floor space around the rim to reach with a mop, verifying solid joist framing underneath, and roughing in the drain and floor-mounted or wall-mounted filler at the exact centreline.

What our bathtub replacement scope covers

• Padded floor protection from your front door to the bathroom, followed by removal and disposal of the old cast-iron, steel or acrylic tub and wall tile.
• Inspection of the plywood subfloor, joists, P-trap, waste-and-overflow assembly and shower valve, with any moisture damage repaired before closing the wall.
• Setting the new tub level in a mortar bed or manufacturer support frame, with acoustic insulation tucked behind an alcove apron.
• Waterproof backer board and a continuous bonded waterproofing membrane across all alcove shower walls, plus a custom recessed niche.
• Large-format wall porcelain, a new pressure-balanced or thermostatic shower valve and 3-way shower bar (or freestanding tub filler), and a tempered glass tub screen or bypass door.

What bathtub replacement costs in Aurora

Because taking out a built-in bathtub opens the lower wall tile and floor transition, most homeowners remodel the full 3-piece room at the same time. Our published labour package for a 7 x 9 ft main bathroom covers the complete installation scope:

The bathtub, porcelain tile, vanity cabinet, quartz counter, faucet and toilet are finish materials selected by you, so you control whether the room uses a practical alcove soaker tub or a freestanding stone-resin tub with a floor-mounted filler. Compare all-in ranges and individual trade line items on our Aurora bathroom renovation cost page.

Town of Aurora permits and on-site timeline

Repairing or replacing a bathtub in the exact same position using the existing drain and vent connection does not require a Town of Aurora building permit. Source: Town of Aurora: Applications, Permits and Inspections (When are Permits Not Required?) (accessed November 7, 2026) When we relocate the drain across the floor—such as shifting from a corner deck drain to a centred freestanding tub drain and running new supply lines for a floor-mounted filler—the Town of Aurora Building Division requires a building and plumbing permit. Read our article on Aurora bathroom renovation permits.

A straightforward alcove tub and tiled surround replacement takes about one week on site, while a full room remodel follows our three-to-five-week full bathroom renovation timeline.

Let us check the spec sheet before you order a tub

Before buying a bathtub online, send us the manufacturer specification sheet alongside your room measurements. The three most common ordering mistakes are picking a left-hand drain when your plumbing stack sits on the right, ordering a freestanding tub that leaves only two inches of clearance to the side walls, and buying a floor-mounted filler whose rough-in box lands directly on a floor joist. Send us photos of your current tub for a free itemized quote covered by our written labour warranty.