Complete Vanity Sets vs. Buying Separately: The Real Cost Breakdown

Most bathroom renovation budgets blow up not at the vanity cabinet, but three purchases later — when the countertop arrives and you realize the sink, drain, and backsplash are each a separate line item. Buying a bathroom vanity sounds straightforward until you're standing in a big-box store holding a slab of quartz and a ceramic sink that may or may not be compatible with the cabinet you already ordered online. This guide breaks down exactly what you're getting into with both approaches, so you can make a decision based on real numbers instead of optimism.

The Real Cost of Building a Vanity From Scratch

Let's run the numbers on a mid-range 36-inch vanity assembled from individual components in the GTA:

• Cabinet (36