BATHROOM REMODELING
Bathroom Remodeling Contractor in
Ontario, CA
With more than 10 years of experience, ARD Remodeling remodels bathrooms for homeowners in Ontario, CA, from a new vanity and faucet to a rebuilt shower. Three things shape the plan here: the checklist the city's plan reviewers use, a state rule on old fixtures, and the water in your pipes. The free estimate starts with the age of the room and what you want to change, and the scope is written down before any tile is ordered.
- Free estimates
- Showers, tubs, vanities
- Waterproofing first
- Written scope
Fixtures
The numbers on Ontario's list: toilets, showerheads, faucets
Ontario's Residential Correction List sets the maximums for fixtures in residential buildings: toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush, showerheads at 1.8 gallons per minute and residential lavatory faucets at 1.2. Separately, California Civil Code 1101.4, in its 2009 chaptered text, says that since January 1, 2014 the applicant on a single-family alteration replaces noncompliant fixtures before final approval. The statute calls a toilet noncompliant above 1.6 gallons per flush, a showerhead above 2.5 gallons per minute and a faucet above 2.2.
Read the labels first
At the estimate we note the age and rating of each toilet, showerhead and faucet you have.
Swaps go into the scope
If old fixtures have to change, the new ones are written in from the start, so the last week holds no surprises.
Condo or townhome
The statute treats multifamily property separately, so for an attached home we check how it reads for your unit.
ONTARIO BATHROOM CHECKS
What to tell the counter, and what the city's list covers
A planning guide, not a ruling. The reviewer decides, and these are lines from the city's own checklist.
Have ready when you call
- Your address, and whether it is a house, a townhome or a condo
- Which fixtures stay in place and which move
- Whether the tub or shower changes size or shape
- Whether any gas line is involved
- The build year and any earlier permits you know of
The city's list also looks at
- A humidity-controlled exhaust fan
- Nonabsorbent surfaces in the shower
- Safety glass near tubs and showers
- GFCI protection on bathroom outlets
Ventilation
Bathrooms with a tub or shower get a fan of at least 50 cfm intermittent or 20 cfm continuous, on a humidity control.
Shower surfaces
Shower floors and walls above a tub get a nonabsorbent finish to at least 6 feet above the floor.
Outlets and glass
GFCI protection on bathroom receptacles, and safety glazing for glass less than 60 inches above a tub or shower floor.
We walk through this list with you at the estimate, before tile is chosen.
Water
Where Ontario's tap water comes from, and why we ask
The Water Quality page of Ontario Municipal Utilities Company says roughly 80 percent of the city's drinking water comes from groundwater in the Chino Basin and the remaining 20 percent is imported from the State Water Project and treated locally. The page does not state a hardness figure, so we do not guess how much spotting you will see. We ask how much wiping you want to do, then choose glass, grout and faucet finishes to suit.
Glass and metal
Clear glass and polished chrome show every drop. Brushed finishes and a squeegee are more forgiving.
Fewer grout lines
Larger tile and narrow joints leave less to scrub, where the wall allows it.
LAYOUT CHOICES
Three ways to set up the bathing area
Settle this before anything is ordered. It changes the framing, the glass and the floor.
Curbless walk-in shower
Best for: A floor that runs into the shower without a step
- No ledge to step over
- Tile can continue from the room into the shower
Keep in mind: The city's list treats the floor space of a shower without a threshold as a wet location, so the surrounding floor and walls are planned for water.
Alcove tub with a shower
Best for: A home that needs one tub for bathing
- One valve and one drain to serve
- Tile or a solid surround on three walls
Keep in mind: Glass near a tub falls under the list's safety-glazing line, so we confirm the pane before ordering.
Corner shower with a curb
Best for: A small bath where the tub is no longer used
- A compact footprint with a quarter-round or square door
- Room for a bench or a corner shelf
Keep in mind: A small shower leaves little slack, so we tape the layout on the floor before tile is ordered.
THE SHOWER BASE
Where the water meets the floor
The base of a shower is where the planning shows. Slope to the drain, a curb or none, the glass edge and the threshold are each settled on paper with you before tile is ordered.
- Slope toward the drainThe floor is pitched evenly so water has one place to go.
- A membrane under the tileWaterproofing goes on before any tile is set.
- A threshold you can step overCurb height and glass edge are chosen together.
Order of work
Why tile waits for the inspector
In its Building Permit FAQs the city says inspections verify that the work matches the approved plans and codes, the work is called in when it is ready, and nothing continues beyond the point named in each successive inspection. We schedule a bathroom so that nothing the inspector needs to see is covered before the visit, and a final inspection closes the project.
Rough-in first
Pipes, drains and the fan duct are set and, where the permit calls for it, looked at before waterproofing and tile.
A clear last step
We leave the finished room ready for the final inspection and walk it with you.
BEFORE WE COME
What to know before a bathroom estimate
Rough answers are fine.
- 1Roughly when the home was built
- 2Whether it is a house, a townhome or a condo, and your association's contact if there is one
- 3Whether you want to keep a tub somewhere in the home
- 4Which fixtures you would swap and which you would move
- 5Where the exhaust fan vents, if you know
- 6Any leaks, soft spots or stains you have noticed
- 7Photos of every wall, the floor and the ceiling
Not sure of an answer? Leave it blank and we will find out at the visit.
MORE IN THIS CITY
More Remodeling in Ontario
Service overviewKitchen RemodelingBeautiful kitchens that bring together thoughtful design, quality materials and expert craftsmanship.See the service 
Service overviewFlooring & TileStylish, durable, and professionally installed flooring and tile for every room in your home.See the service 
Service overviewTile InstallationFloor, shower, backsplash and patio tile installed on a properly prepared surface, with clean layouts and neat grout lines.See the service 
Service overviewWhole-Home RenovationsDesign, construction and finishing details brought together into one carefully coordinated project.See the service 
Service overviewLighting InstallationRecessed lights, pendants, chandeliers, under-cabinet and outdoor lighting, wired safely and placed where it matters.See the service 
Service overviewPaintingFlawless finishes, lasting beauty, and attention to detail in every interior and exterior painting project.See the service
All remodeling in OntarioEverything we do in this city, on one page.NOT SURE WHERE TO START?
Is it a refresh or a rebuild?
Tell us what bothers you about the room. We will say whether the work looks small or large and what we would check first.
HOW IT WORKS
How a bathroom remodeling project runs
Step 1
Walk the bathroom
We look at the room, the visible plumbing, the fan and any signs of past leaks.
Step 2
Choose and write it down
Layout, tile, glass and fixtures are selected together and written into the scope.
Step 3
Check against the city's list
We go through ventilation, shower surfaces, glass, outlets and fixture ratings.
Step 4
Build and walk through
Plumbing, waterproofing, tile and fixtures go in order, and we review the finished room with you.
Good to know
Before you start in Ontario
Every point below comes from the source shown on its card, with the date we last checked it. Rules change, so confirm anything that affects your project directly with the source.
- Official source
What the plan reviewer checks
The Residential Correction List (2022 California Residential Code, revision 9-25-25) says a bathroom with a bathtub, shower or tub/shower combination is mechanically ventilated by an exhaust fan of at least 50 cfm intermittent or 20 cfm continuous, controlled by a humidity control. Safety glazing is listed for glazing less than 60 inches above a shower or tub floor. GFCI protection is listed for bathroom receptacles. Maximums for residential buildings: water closets 1.28 gallons per flush, showerheads 1.8 gpm at 80 psi, residential lavatory faucets 1.2 gpm at 60 psi.
City of Ontario Building Department, Residential Correction List Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Where the city's water comes from
The utility's page says: approximately 80 percent of Ontario's drinking water comes from groundwater in the Chino Basin, and the remaining 20 percent is imported from the State Water Project and treated locally. It says Ontario Municipal Utilities Company publishes a Water Quality Report each year, which lists regulated contaminants detected during the year, and links 2025 editions in English, Spanish and Simplified Chinese. The page does not mention hardness.
City of Ontario, Municipal Utilities Company, Water Quality Checked 2026-10-30 - Official source
Inspections between steps
The FAQ says inspections verify compliance with the approved plans and codes, that the owner notifies the inspector when work is ready, and that no work may continue beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without the inspector's approval. A final inspection takes place when the project is complete. It also says changes to approved plans must be approved by the plan check engineer who issued the permit.
City of Ontario, Building Permit FAQs Checked 2026-10-30 - California law
The 2014 state fixture rule, as chaptered
As chaptered, SB 407 (Statutes of 2009, chapter 587) defines a noncompliant plumbing fixture as a toilet manufactured to use more than 1.6 gallons per flush, a showerhead with a flow capacity of more than 2.5 gallons per minute, or an interior faucet that emits more than 2.2 gallons per minute. Section 1101.4(a) says that on and after January 1, 2014, for all building alterations or improvements to single-family residential real property, the permit applicant shall replace all noncompliant plumbing fixtures as a condition for final permit approval. Multifamily and commercial property follow separate provisions.
California Legislature, Senate Bill 407 (2009), chaptered text Checked 2026-10-30
FAQ
Bathroom Remodeling questions in Ontario
Direct answers to what homeowners ask us most. If your question is not here, call or send a request.
- Ontario
- Permits
- Clear scope
What fan does the city's list expect in a bathroom with a shower?
For a bathroom with a bathtub, shower or tub-shower, the list names an exhaust fan of at least 50 cfm intermittent or 20 cfm continuous, controlled by a humidity control. We check the existing fan and its duct at the estimate.
Do old toilets and showerheads have to be replaced during a remodel?
For a single-family home, the 2009 state law as chaptered says the permit applicant replaces noncompliant fixtures (toilets above 1.6 gallons per flush, showerheads above 2.5 gallons per minute, faucets above 2.2) before final approval. We list what you have at the estimate.
Can I have a curbless shower?
Often, depending on the floor framing and the drain position. Ontario's list treats the floor space of a shower without a threshold as a wet location, so we plan the surrounding floor, walls and outlets for water.
What do you know about the water in Ontario?
The utility says about 80 percent comes from Chino Basin groundwater and about 20 percent is imported and treated locally. Its page gives no hardness figure, so we choose finishes by how much upkeep you want.
When does the inspector come during a bathroom remodel?
That depends on the permit. The city's FAQ says no work continues past an inspection point until it is cleared, so we sequence the work around the visits and tell you the stages.
Service area
Bathroom Remodeling near Ontario
We work across Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Call or send a request and we will confirm your address.
Prefer the full overview?
Bathroom Remodeling: main service page
READY TO GET STARTED?
Planning a bathroom remodeling project in Ontario?
Tell us about your home and your plans. We will confirm the details and set up your free estimate.