Remove a Tub, Replace with a Shower – Step By Step

Remove a tub, install a shower featured image

Converting a tub to a shower is not too difficult but there are some important things to get right to avoid problems. 

Remove A Tub, Install A Shower

A very popular request we get from homeowners in Tallahssee is to remove a tub and install a shower in its place. This can help improve the accessibility of a bathroom as well as update the look.

There are several ways this can be done depending on your goals for the project and your budget. On the low end you could use a fiberglass shower or acrylic shower system, on the higher end you could build a tiled shower.

McManus Kitchen and Bath is a full service remodeling company with an in-house design team and showroom right here in Tallahassee, FL.

A quick Word About Cost and Timeline

Tub to shower conversion costs can range from $10,00 to $25,000 for design, materials and installation labor. Yes that is a big range but so are the options for design, quality of materials, and quality of install and service.

I would be wary of anyone who says they can do the project for less than $10,000 as that could indicate they either do not know what they are doing or are planing on using cheap materials or using other shortcuts that could affect the quality of the install.

Cost

Here is a general breakdown of costs for a professionally installed shower that meets all current building code and is design to last for decades:

Labor

  • Professional Design: $800 – $1500
  • Permits: $750 – $1200
  • Profesional Project Management: $1800 – $2500

Sub total: $4050 – $5200

  • Demo – $1000 – $1500
  • Framing & Blocking – $300 – $500
  • Plumbing: $1500 – $2500
  • Waterproofing – $1500 – $2000
  • Elec, roofing and HVAC (Bath fan, light, swtiches and roof vent) – $0 – $2700
  • Professional Tile install – $3500 – $5500
  • Custom Shower Glass – $1500 – $2200 (installed cost)

Sub total: $9300 – $14,500

Materials

  • Plumbing fixtures: $350 – $2500
  • Elec fixtures: $0 – $350 (bath fan, switches)
  • Tile – $1200 – $3500
  • Accessories: $0 – $1000

Sub-Total: $4700 – $7350

Grand total: $18,500 – $27,050

 

Timeline:

A tub to shower conversion can be completed in 2-4 weeks (not including planning and deisgn), although shower glass install may take a little longer.

A general summary of the timeline:

Design, planning, ordering materials: 3-6 weeks.

We highly recommend a detailed scope of work and materials list and at least 1 set of plans with tile and plumbign layouts.

We also strongly suggest having all materials on site before demo to avoid project delays.

Inspections: 3 Days. There are generally 3 inspections needed on a shower remodel.

Demo, rough carpentry, rough plumbing etc..: 3-4 days

Waterproofing: 2 days

Tile work: 5-7 days

Plumbing trim out, Accessories, touch up: 1 day

Shower glass lead time: 2 weeks

Shower glass can not be measured until tile work is done. It then takes about two weeks to fabricate before it can be installed.

Shower glass install: 1 day

Follow up: A good contractor will follow up with you 6 months after project completion to make sure things are working as expected and will provide a 3-5 year written warranty on all work.

Finding a contractor

A project like this needs a licensed plumber, and potentially licensed electrician and HVAC installer.

You likely also want a professional demo crew who can protect your home, control jobsite dust, haul away all the debris and leave your home clean and organized. You also may need a capenter.

Of course you need a professional tile installer and finally a glass company to install your shower glass.

With all those trades to coordinate (not to mention deisgn, material selection ordering and storage of materials) it can pay to work with a licensed contractor to coodinate the project, do quality control and make sure the project runs on schedule.

Another route is to hire a “handyman” or unlicenced contractor who will try to do everything themselves.

This will likely result in a poorer quality design but more importantly this could lead to a poorly constructed shower built from cheap materials from local big box stores, delays in project completion, future leaks or even damage to the home… It is also not code compliant …but it will be cheaper.

Choosing the right contractor is beyond the scope of this article but we do have more info on that here. 

Options To Consider

There are lots of options when remodeling a shower. Here are a few to consider. 

Shower Panels

Laminate or acrylic shower panels can lower the cost of the project and speed up the time to complete. 

Quartz, Granite or Tile shower panels will increase the cost but reduces the amount of grout and has a unique look. 

Shower Pans

A tiled shower pan is the most durable but also costs the most. Tile is not a waterproof material so a tiled shower floor also needs a waterproof pan underneath. 

Another option is a 1 piece shower pan. Acrylic shower pans are the least expensive but generall only come in white and in fixed sizes. 

There are also stone, quartz and solid surface options that are more expensive but come in more colors and can be ordered in custom sizes. 

MKB Express Hall Bath Update

That’s actually not tile, those are acrylic shower panels made to look like tile. 

Drain Types

Point drains are what most people are used to. Linear drains are long rectangles that are usually installed against the wall. They allow for large tiles to be used on the shower floor and are commonly used in barrier free showers. 

Linear drains look good but they do require weekly or monthly maintenance to keep them clean. 

You can use the standard drain cover that comes with your drain kit or spruce things up with a designer drain

Shower Valves & Diverters

The shower valve goes in the wall behind the tile and is what controls the on/off, hot/cold of you shower.

The shower diverter is what switches the water beween shower fixtures like a handheld or showerhead.

Shower valves can be bought with or without ‘service stops’. Valves with service stops are a little more expensive but they allow the shower to be worked on without cutting off the water to the house.

Shower valves  can also be pressure balanced or thermostatic. Both are ways of controlling temperature and pressure to avoid scalding.

Pressure balanced valves are cheaper but don’t control water flor as well. They have a single handle to control temperature and pressure.

Thermostatic valves have separate handles for temperature and pressure so they control water pressure better so they are a good choice if you have multiple fixtures on one valve.

Today you can also get electronic shower vales that have no handles at all. The valves are controlled by a remote mounted to the wall. 

Shower Pressure

Be careful about installing too many shower fixtures. Most homes plumbing can support two fixtures at once but you may lose pressure if trying to operate 3 or more. This is a common problem when installing body sprays. 

You can resolve this issue by installing larger supply lines (3/4 inch instead of 1/2 inch) but in extreme cases you may need multiple water heaters or even a larger service line from the street. 

The Basics Steps – Tiled Shower

Here are the basic steps to remove a tub and install a tiled shower as well as what to consider at each step.

Design & Planning

A lot of people overlook design for a small project like a tub to shower conversion. But design and planning are one of the most important parts of any project.

Most tub to shower conversions involve replacing a standard 32″x60″ tub. Note that a standard shower curb in 6″ wide so a tub to shower conversion will create a 26″ wide shower unless you have room to expand the shower. 

Design Elements To Consider:

    • Shower Construction
      • Shower size
      • Curbed shower
      • Curbless shower (barrier free)
      • 1/2 wall? 
      • Recessed niches size and location
      • Blocking for grab bars and shower glass
      • waterproofing system
      • Drain location and type
      • Lighting/ventillation
      • Shower head height, type
      • Shower valve height, type
      • Tile pattern
        • Shower floor tile color, type, pattern
        • Shower wall tile color, type, pattern
        • Accent tile color, type, pattern
      • Shower fixtures
        • Shower head type, color, style
        • Shower valve type, color, style
        • Handheld – combo or stand alone, with rail or not, color style
        • Rain head?
        • Body sprays
      • Drain Grate, style and color
        • Center drain
        • Offest drain
        • Linear drain
      • Accessories
        • Grab bars
        • Shower rail (for handheld)
        • Towel bars or hooks
        • Bench
        • Shower curtain
        • Shower glass (sliding or pivot)hower enclosure

    These are all design elements that need to be thought through and decided on before materials are ordered and before construction starts. 

    Construction Documents:

    These decisions should be outlined in a detailed Scope of Work document, materials list and selection sheet to avoid any confusion. 

    Working Drawings and Plans:

    Additionally you will want drawings or plans that show exactly where things need to be. A typical plan set would include a demo plan, plumbing plan, electric plan and tile pattern layout. A 3D color rendering of the design is also helpful. 

    Schedule and Logistics

    You should have a detailed project calendar so you can schedule the plumber, tile installer and other trades accurately and avoid delays.

    You should order all materials in advance, inpect them when they arrive and store them safely before construction starts.

    If you are working with a contractor or designer it should be clear who is reponsbile for ordering, pickup and storage. It should also be clear who coordinates the project, who is in charge and who is reponsible for errors or oversights.

    Permits & Inspections

    When you remove a tub and install a shower you should get a permit. You will need a plumbing permit, potentially an electric permit and HVAC permit depending on the scope of work.

    You will need an inspection at several stages:

    After demo and rough plumbing are complete (an rough electric/HVAC if those are included).

    After waterproofing the shower is complete. You will need to stop up the shower drain and fill the shower pan with water 24 hours before inspection. The inspector will need to see that the shower has not leaked.

    A final inspecation once the project is complete

     

    Remodeling without a permit?

    While it’s true a lot of tile installers, handyman and even licensed contractors will remodel a shower without a permit it is a good idea to get one as it protect you against unlicensed work, ensures that minumum standards are met and it can have a positve affect on your home value. 

     

    Tub to shower conversion - corner shower

    Believe it or not there used to be a tub where this corner shower and toilet are. 

    Construction:

    Here is the general order and timeline of construction:

    Jobsite Set Up, Demo & framing : 1 day

    Jobsite set up involves where the crew should park, where the dump trailer should be parked, where the porta potty goes (or which bathroom they can use). It also involves protecting the rest of the home from dust and coming and going of the demo crew.

    Protection for the exterior, entry door, and floors are commonly needed. You also will want to consider furniture covers, dust walls, negative air fans and HEPA filters are all used to protect your home and keep construction dust out of your home.

    Dust barrier walls are not only good for controlling dust but they also help prevent mold and mildew spores from spreading througout the home. This is also a good reason to use a negetive air fan. Keeping the work are under negetive pressure means air does not escape and dust ro other particles stay in the work area.

    Any air returns near the work area should be covered with a protective filter to prevent dust being pulled into your HVAC system and spread throughout the home. The air return filter and main HVAC filter should be replaced after the project.

    Shower framing can involve a few things. A half wall between the toilet and shower is nice. You will also want to frame and recessed niches yo want.

    Most showers will also need blocking for a glass shower door – the door hardware must mount into solid blocking.

    Another good addition is blocking for grab bars. You may not want grab bars now, but if you install the blocking they can be added easily in the future.

    Be sure and take progress pictures each day and note the location of the blocking for future reference.

    Rough Plumbing, Rough Electric, Rough HVAC: 1-2 days, 1 day for inspection

    The plumber will need to relocate the drain (tub drains are a different size and in a different location than shower drains). If your home is on a slab that might mean removing some concrete. The plumber will also relocate the shower valve, shower head and any other fixtures you want.

    If you need a bath fan, Fan/light or just a light over the shower you will need an electrician to rough in those fixtures as well. You will need the fixture and possible a new switch.

    If you do want a bath fan added you will need a roofer to install a roof cap and an HVAC tech to connect the fan to the roof cap. Building code required that bath fans are vented to the outside, not into the attic.

     

    Waterproofing The Shower: 1-2 days, 1 day for inspection

    Waterproofing is one of the most important steps when removing a tub to install a shower. I recommend you use the waterproofing system you can and be sure to water test the shower before tiling and after.

    Our go to waterproofing method uses the Schluter Systems Kerdi Shower Kit. We’ve been using Schluter systems for 18 years and it has never failed us. They also provide a lifetime warranty if installed properly by a certified installer.

    Tile Install: 5-7 days

    Finally, after all the planning and prep work the shower is ready to be tiled. Start by re-measuringn the shower and checking to make sure you have enough tile on hand… better to find out now while you have time to get more tile without delaying progress.

    It’s a good idea to review the tile layout with the installer on day 1. Discuss where the tile will start and end at the top, bottom and in the corner. Review how it meet at the recessed niches or at the halfwall or bench.

    If tile is layed out carefully the install goes much smoother and you will avoid little ‘slivers’ of tile at the ceiling or other areas.

    Day 1 is also a good time to review the grout color, even consider mixing a little grout so you can confirm the color matches the swatch and looks good with the tile.

    When it comes to grouting the shower make sure no grout is used in the the corners. Anywhere two planes meet a grout caulk should be used as grout in the corners will crack over time. 

    After the shower is grouted it can take a couple of days to completely remove all the grout haze. 

    Measure for Shower Glass and Install Accessories – 1 day

     After the shower tile is complete the glass company can measure for a glass enclosure. You can buy glass shower kits at the local ‘big box’ store but I don’t recommend them. Custom glass is not much more expensive but will be much higher quality and comes with professional install and warranty. 

    It can take 2 or 3 weeks from the time they measure to when the glass is installed so consider installing a temporary shower curtain so you can use the shower in the meantime. 

    This is also when your shower accessories can be installed. Things like grab bars, robe hooks, shower rails etc… need to be installed using the proper tools and following the correct steps. 

    Final Touch ups

    Its a good idea to plan on painting the bathroom after the shower is complete but at the very least plan to touch up the walls and ceiling paint. Some baseboard may have been removed when building the shower so it will have to be reinstalled, caulked and painted. 

    Want Some Inspiration In Your Inbox?