What's the total cost to tile a Calgary ensuite including demolition, waterproofing, and installation?

A fully tiled Calgary ensuite — including demolition, waterproofing, and installation — typically runs $6,000 to $15,000, with most mid-range projects landing between $8,000 and $11,000. The wide range reflects real variables: the size of your shower, whether you have a freestanding tub or a tub surround to tile, your tile selection, and the condition of the substrate once the old tile comes off.

Here's how the costs break down in the Calgary market for a typical ensuite with a walk-in shower, tiled floor, and either a tub surround or a freestanding tub with a tiled feature wall.

Demolition

Old tile removal runs $2 to $5 per square foot in Calgary, and it's genuinely hard work — tile comes off in shards, cement board often needs to go with it, and disposal adds to the cost. A standard ensuite with 80 sqft of shower tile, 60 sqft of floor, and a tub surround could have 200+ sqft of demo, putting demolition alone at $400 to $1,000. Budget toward the higher end if your existing tile is set in a thick mortar bed (common in homes built before the 1990s) — mortar bed removal is significantly more labour-intensive than cement board removal.

Waterproofing

This is the most important line item in any shower project and the one homeowners most often try to cut. A continuous waterproof membrane — Schluter Kerdi, Laticrete Hydro Ban, or RedGard — applied to all shower walls, the pan, and any niches runs $300 to $800 for a standard walk-in shower. Larger showers with multiple niches, a bench, or a linear drain will be at the higher end. Do not skip this or accept a quote that omits it — cement board alone is not waterproofing, and a failed shower membrane means $10,000 to $30,000 in structural remediation when water gets into the wall cavity.

Tile Installation

This is where the range opens up the most, driven by tile selection and layout complexity.

Shower walls and pan: $6 to $18 per square foot installed, depending on tile size and pattern. A 80 sqft shower in standard 12x24 porcelain at $10/sqft installed is $800 in tile labour and materials. The same shower in large-format 24x48 porcelain with a herringbone feature wall and a mosaic floor pan could be $1,800 to $2,500 for that space alone.

Ensuite floor: A 50 to 70 sqft ensuite floor in large-format porcelain runs $500 to $1,400 installed, plus an anti-crack uncoupling membrane ($2 to $4/sqft) which is non-negotiable over a Calgary slab or wood subfloor. Chinook-driven temperature swings and frost heave in basement slabs will crack tile installed without a membrane — this is one of the most common and expensive mistakes in Calgary tile work.

Tub surround (if applicable): A standard three-wall tub surround in ceramic or porcelain adds $800 to $2,000 to the project.

Full Project Budget Summary

| Scope | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Demolition (200 sqft) | $400 – $1,000 |
| Waterproofing membrane (shower) | $300 – $800 |
| Anti-crack membrane (floor) | $150 – $350 |
| Shower tile installed (80 sqft) | $800 – $2,500 |
| Ensuite floor tile installed (60 sqft) | $500 – $1,400 |
| Tub surround tile installed (60 sqft) | $800 – $2,000 |
| Trim, niches, transitions | $300 – $800 |
| Total | $3,250 – $8,850 |

Add your tile material cost on top of labour — budget $3 to $15 per square foot for the tile itself depending on whether you're choosing builder-grade ceramic or imported large-format porcelain. A realistic mid-range ensuite with quality porcelain tile lands at $8,000 to $11,000 all-in.

Alberta-Specific Considerations

If your ensuite is in a basement, the slab movement from Calgary's frost heave cycles makes the uncoupling membrane even more critical — budget it in without question. If you're adding a heated tile floor (a popular upgrade for cold Alberta mornings), the electric mat runs $8 to $15/sqft and requires a licensed electrician and an electrical permit through the City of Calgary — this adds $1,500 to $3,000 to the project depending on the floor area and thermostat complexity.

Get quotes from at least two or three tile contractors and make sure each quote explicitly lists waterproofing membrane, substrate prep, and disposal — these are the line items most commonly omitted from lowball quotes that come back as expensive surprises mid-project.

Calgary Tiling can match you with local tile contractors for free — browse installers through the Calgary Construction Network directory at calgaryconstructionnetwork.com/directory?trade=tiling.