Moving a fixture can change concealed services, openings, clearances and wet-area transitions. Compare a keep-layout option with each proposed move before pricing the design.
KEEP
Draw existing and proposed plans separately
Record room dimensions, doors, windows, ceiling changes, fixtures, cabinetry and visible service points on an existing plan. Create a separate proposed plan rather than drawing over the original. Add dimension strings for circulation, door swings, fixture clearances and storage. Mark every concealed path as unknown unless supported by reliable records or property-specific investigation. This keeps an attractive layout from quietly depending on an unverified drain route, structural opening or service location.
Keep the existing plan intact
Dimension circulation and clearances
Label concealed routes unknown
REMOVE
Build a fixture decision matrix
For the toilet, tub, shower, vanity, sink, fan, lighting, receptacles and heating, compare keep, replace-in-place and move options. For each option, record the expected benefit, affected systems, evidence needed and conditions that could change feasibility. Include removal and restoration of adjacent walls, floors and ceilings. Do not select a preferred option solely from fixture price because service relocation, access and assembly transitions may control the overall scope.
Compare in-place and moved options
List affected systems
Include adjacent restoration
COORDINATE
Trace drainage, venting and water supply questions
A moved toilet, shower or sink can affect drainage slope, venting, pipe routes, shutoffs and access to shared or concealed services. Record known pipe locations from plans or investigation and keep reported information distinct from verified evidence. The BC Plumbing Code is a technical authority, but its application and the design of a specific alteration require qualified review. The proposal should state who confirms the route, sizing, connections, testing and permit requirements before concealment.
Separate records from verified field evidence
Assign plumbing design questions
Document testing before closure
DETAIL
Identify structure and opening constraints
Mark proposed floor, wall or ceiling openings and ask what framing, slab, fire-separation or acoustic information is needed. Do not assume a wall is non-structural or that a floor can accept a new penetration from surface appearance. In a strata building, coordinate ownership and common-property questions as well as technical review. Keep a fallback layout that avoids the uncertain opening until evidence supports the preferred change.
Locate every proposed opening
Keep fire and acoustic interfaces visible
Maintain a lower-impact alternative
SELECT
Coordinate electrical, lighting and ventilation
List new or moved lights, switches, receptacles, fans, controls, heated floors and permanently connected equipment. Record wet-location, circuit, service and ventilation questions without prescribing a solution remotely. Technical Safety BC explains that permits are often required for electrical alterations and that strata owners cannot use the homeowner permit route described on its page. Confirm the issuing authority and permit holder for the actual Burnaby property before work begins.
Schedule every electrical change
Identify ventilation discharge questions
Confirm permit jurisdiction and holder
VERIFY
Check accessibility and daily use
Test door operation, turning space, approach to fixtures, storage reach, shower entry, grab-bar backing questions and cleaning access against the occupants' needs. Current code contains accessibility provisions, but a general guide cannot determine which requirements apply to an existing room or alteration. Record the desired outcomes and obtain project-specific advice. A layout can be technically possible yet frustrating to use if doors, drawers, towels, controls and mobility aids compete for the same space. If you plan to seek BC RAHA assistance for accessibility work, check the current BC Housing requirements before committing to the renovation. Ask which adaptations address the household member's needs, whether a professional home assessment or contractor estimates are required, and when written approval is needed. Keep potential rebate work separate from decorative upgrades and separately confirm strata, landlord and permit permissions. Eligibility, available funding and payment remain BC Housing decisions.
Test door and drawer conflicts
Record user-specific needs
Coordinate backing and future adaptability
FILE
Compare options with the same evidence
Price the keep-layout baseline and each move option with the same fixture quality, demolition limits, trade assumptions, protection, permit responsibility and closeout evidence. List unresolved items as allowances or decision gates rather than burying them in a lump sum. Record the date and source of every critical assumption. The final choice should show what additional value the move creates and what verified work, risk and restoration it adds. Keep rejected options in the comparison record so later revisions do not reintroduce an unsupported route.