KEEPMeasure and photograph the existing room
Draw the room to scale as closely as practical and record wall lengths, ceiling height, doors, windows, fixtures, bulkheads, access panels and visible vents. Photograph each wall and the floor from repeatable positions. Note damaged finishes, staining or movement as observations, not diagnoses. Record the building type and whether the bathroom borders another unit, corridor or exterior wall. Existing plans and prior alteration records can help form questions, but they do not prove the location or condition of concealed piping, wiring, structure or membranes.
- Label photographs by wall and date
- Keep concealed conditions marked unknown
- Record adjacent rooms and building interfaces
REMOVESeparate demolition from discovery
List the finishes, fixtures, cabinetry and accessories intended for removal, together with protection and disposal expectations. Then create a separate allowance or decision process for conditions that cannot be seen before opening. A proposal should state who documents substrate damage, unexpected piping, unsafe wiring or other concealed findings and who authorizes changed work. Do not let broad language such as complete demolition hide the limits of removal, temporary protection, hazardous-material review, drying or repair of adjacent surfaces.
- Name removal limits
- Define protection and disposal
- Create a written concealed-condition process
COORDINATECreate a keep, replace and move schedule
Give every toilet, tub, shower, vanity, sink, fan, light, receptacle, heater, door and storage element one status: keep, replace, move, add or remove. For each move, identify the plumbing, electrical, ventilation, structural, clearance and wet-area questions it creates. Record owner-supplied items separately from contractor-supplied items and include model information only when selected. This schedule prevents a fixture allowance from being mistaken for installation, rough-in changes, wall repair, delivery, storage or compatibility work.
- Assign one status to each element
- Link every move to affected systems
- Separate supply from installation
DETAILDescribe trade work by location and outcome
Avoid a single plumbing or electrical line item. Identify which fixture connections, drains, vents, supplies, circuits, switches, receptacles, lighting and exhaust components are retained or changed. State the evidence expected before concealment and at completion, including applicable inspection records. Burnaby and provincial sources provide starting points, but the permit path depends on property type and actual work. The scope should assign responsibility for confirming requirements without promising that a permit or inspection is unnecessary.
- Locate each trade change
- List inspection and testing records
- Confirm requirements from the actual scope
SELECTWrite the wet-area assembly as a system
Identify the intended shower or tub wet zone, substrate, preparation, waterproofing or water-resistant components, drains, curbs, niches, benches, transitions and penetrations. Ask for current manufacturer documents for the proposed products and an installation sequence that keeps compatibility questions visible. Include photographs at meaningful stages before tile conceals the work. Do not treat a product name, coloured coating or single flood-test statement as proof that the entire assembly, transitions and penetrations were selected and installed appropriately.
- Define wet-zone boundaries
- Document transitions and penetrations
- Retain product and installation records
VERIFYSchedule finishes, owner items and allowances
List tile locations, patterns, edge treatments, grout, paint, millwork, counters, glass, mirrors, accessories and hardware. For every unselected item, state the allowance basis and what labour, freight, tax, waste, delivery, storage and installation are included or excluded. Check dimensions, rough-ins and lead times before ordering. A design preference should not silently change structure, waterproofing, plumbing or electrical work. Record alternates separately so the base proposal remains comparable across bidders.
- Use measurable allowance bases
- Confirm compatibility before purchase
- Keep alternates outside the base total
FILEDefine protection, testing and closeout
For an occupied home or strata building, describe the access route, elevator or loading arrangements, floor and wall protection, dust control, work hours, water shutdown coordination, daily cleanup and waste movement. Closeout should identify the expected inspection confirmations, product information, photographs, care instructions, deficiency list and restoration acceptance. Match each document to the relevant room element or trade. This turns the final file into a useful record rather than a loose bundle of invoices and photos.
- Map the protected access route
- List required completion evidence
- Close deficiencies in writing