Cost breakdown
Tub-to-shower conversion cost: a real line-item breakdown
What the job involves, what each part of it costs, and what pushes the number up. Written for people who want the arithmetic, not a brochure.
Converting a tub to a walk-in shower is the most requested bathroom project in the country, and the most misquoted. Here is the arithmetic.
What the job actually is
A conversion means removing the bathtub entirely, reworking the drain and valve for a shower, building and waterproofing the cavity, installing a shower pan and wall system, and finishing with a door or panel. In a standard five-foot alcove with no surprises, that is two to three days of work for two installers.
| Line item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Tub removal, demolition, haul-away and disposal | $900–$1,800 |
| Substrate repair and waterproofing the cavity | $1,200–$2,600 |
| Shower pan, set and sloped correctly | $1,100–$2,400 |
| Wall system, materials and installation | $3,200–$5,500 |
| Valve conversion, trim and drain work | $900–$2,000 |
| Door or glass panel | $900–$2,400 |
| Licensed labor, 2 installers × 2–3 days | $2,800–$4,500 |
| Permit, insurance, warranty registration | $400–$900 |
| Typical all-in | $12,000–$18,000 |
These overlap, and no company bills them exactly this way. The point isn’t the precision of any one line — it’s that there are eight real categories of work here, and a quote that comes in at $5,000 has to be leaving several of them out.
The four things that actually move the price
1. Moving the plumbing
Keeping the drain and valve where they are is the single biggest cost control you have. Relocating them means opening the floor or an additional wall, and typically adds $1,200–$2,500. Many companies won’t do it at all. If your goal is a bigger, more open shower, there are usually ways to get the feeling you want — a larger pan, a glass panel instead of a curtain, better storage — without touching the footprint.
2. Size beyond standard
A standard alcove is about five feet. Anything longer, or an irregular space, adds material and labor: figure $800–$1,600.
3. What’s behind the wall
This is the one nobody can price from a photo. Soft spots, old leaks, failed substrate, or mold have to be corrected before anything new goes in. A good company gives you the repair cost in writing before they proceed rather than presenting it mid-job.
4. Glass
A framed door is the economical choice. Frameless glass is a genuine upgrade in look and a genuine $900–$2,400 in cost.
If a quote doesn’t mention waterproofing at all, ask directly what goes behind the wall system and how the cavity is sealed. It’s the least visible part of the job and the most expensive one to redo.
See what your bathroom would actually cost
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What a fair quote looks like
For a standard conversion, keeping the layout, with a quality wall system and a real warranty, fair market is $12,000 to $18,000. Add an oversized space, moved plumbing, or frameless glass and $20,000–$22,000 is still a fair number.
Below $9,000, something is missing — usually the waterproofing, the warranty, or the licensing. Above $25,000 for standard scope, you are paying for the company’s advertising, not your bathroom.
How long it takes
One to three days for a standard conversion, assuming the wall opens clean. Full bathroom remodels — new vanity, flooring, toilet, lighting — run three to five days and start around $19,000 for the same reason: more trades, more materials, more days.
