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Accessibility Renovations

Barrier-Free Shower in Ontario

Curbless showers earn their place twice: they remove the step that causes most bathroom falls, and they happen to be the look high-end bathrooms have moved to anyway. Building one properly is structural work, not a surface job. The floor under the shower is recessed or sloped into the joists so the finished entry sits truly flush, a waterproofing membrane runs across the entire wet zone and up the walls, and a linear drain handles the water a curb would otherwise hold back. Skip any of those steps and the result leaks or ponds.

We design each barrier-free shower for the person using it and the house it sits in. Glass panels or an open entry keep sight lines clean, a slide-bar handheld serves both standing and seated users, and a thermostatic valve holds temperature steady. Behind the tile we screw plywood backing across the walls, so grab bars and a fold-down seat can be added exactly where needed without hunting for studs. If the shower is part of a broader accessibility project, home accessibility credits may apply — your accountant confirms eligibility.

What this covers

  • Removal of the existing tub or shower and assessment of the floor structure
  • Recessed or re-sloped subfloor so the entry is genuinely zero-threshold
  • Full waterproofing membrane over the floor and walls of the wet zone
  • Linear or centre drain tied into existing plumbing by licensed plumbers
  • Continuous plywood backing behind walls for grab bars and a folding seat
  • Thermostatic anti-scald valve with handheld shower on a slide bar
  • Porcelain or slip-rated tile finish with matching bathroom floor transition
  • Glass panel, half-wall or open layout depending on space and splash control

What affects the price

  • Joist direction and depth, which determine whether the base can recess or the room floor builds up
  • Distance from the new drain location to the existing stack
  • Size of the wet zone — larger curbless areas need more membrane, slope work and tile
  • Tile and glass selections, the widest price swing in the project
  • Whether the rest of the bathroom is renovated at the same time, which lowers cost per item
  • Slab-on-grade or condo floors, where drain moves are constrained and grinding may be required

Every home is different, so we don’t publish flat prices — the quote is free and based on your actual job.

Barrier-Free Shower near you

We take quote requests across Ontario. Local pages:

TorontoOttawaMississaugaBramptonCaledonHamiltonVaughanMarkhamRichmond HillAuroraNewmarketGeorginaWhitchurch-StouffvilleKingOakvilleBurlingtonMiltonHalton HillsOshawaWhitbyAjaxPickeringClaringtonKitchenerWaterlooCambridgeLondonBarrieInnisfilBradford West GwillimburyCollingwoodSt. CatharinesNiagara FallsWellandGrimsbyFort ErieGuelphWindsorKingstonGreater SudburyPeterboroughThunder BayBrantfordBellevilleSarniaWoodstockStratfordOrangevilleCornwallNorth BaySault Ste. MarieChatham-KentOrilliaWasaga BeachMidlandNew TecumsethSt. ThomasKawartha LakesCobourgPort HopePrince Edward CountyQuinte WestLeamingtonOwen SoundBracebridgeHuntsvilleNiagara-on-the-LakeTimminsBrockville

Common questions

Will water escape without a curb?
Not in a properly built one. Containment comes from floor slope, drain capacity and layout rather than a dam. We slope the wet zone toward a linear drain sized for the shower head's flow, extend waterproofing beyond the spray area, and position glass or a half-wall where splash actually lands. The curb on a traditional shower mostly compensates for floors that were never sloped correctly.
Can a barrier-free shower go where my bathtub is now?
Usually, yes — a standard tub alcove converts well because the drain and supply lines are already there. The main variable is the floor: we open it to check joist direction and depth, then either recess the shower base between joists or re-slope with the drain shifted to suit. Tub-to-curbless conversions are one of the most common projects we build.
Is a curbless shower cold or draughty compared to an enclosed one?
It does not have to be. A half-wall or full glass panel holds warmth in the shower zone, and many clients add an in-floor heating mat under the bathroom tile, wired by a Licensed Electrical Contractor. Placing the shower away from exterior walls and adding proper ventilation matters more for comfort than whether there is a curb.
Do I need a permit for a curbless shower conversion?
If the drain moves or the floor structure is altered — which most genuine curbless builds involve — a plumbing permit and inspection are standard, and structural changes to joists are inspected too. A like-for-like swap with no plumbing changes may not need one. We confirm with your municipality and include permit handling in the quote when required.

Ready to sort out your barrier-free shower?

Tell us what you're planning — one room or the whole home — and get a free quote.

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