Start with the bathroom you actually have. Many North Vancouver homes, especially older places in Lynn Valley, Grand Boulevard, and the flats near Lower Lonsdale, were built with compact bathrooms and standard tub alcoves. A good installer will measure the space, check where the water lines and drain sit, and tell you honestly whether your existing tub footprint works or whether the room needs adjusting. In condos and townhomes along the waterfront and up the slopes, drainage and access can be trickier, so ask early how they plan to route the plumbing.
Prioritize senior and accessibility experience over a low bid. Someone who installs walk-in tubs for seniors in North Vancouver regularly will get the details right: a low or zero-threshold step-in, a comfortable seat height, a quick-drain system so your parent isn't sitting in cooling water, and anti-scald valves plus built-in grab bars. Confirm the company is licensed and insured in BC, ask who handles warranty service and how fast they respond, and get the whole scope in writing. On the North Shore's cool, wet coast, a warranty that covers the door seal and the pump matters, because a leak here won't dry out on its own.
Our advice: hire a specialist installer rather than treating this as a general reno or a DIY weekend. Walk-in tubs involve a watertight door, electrical for the pump and heater, and precise levelling. Get that wrong and you have water where you don't want it. The honest trade-off is that a specialist usually costs more up front than a handyman, and lead times can stretch. We think that premium is worth it for a fixture your parent uses every day, and installed accessibility work like this can qualify for the federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit, which softens the difference.