Those are our typical costs to turn a bathtub into a shower: about $4,500 for a prefab stall set into the old tub space and about $9,300 for a custom tiled walk-in. Our full ranges run $1,900 – $7,100 for prefab and $4,900 – $13,600 for tiled. A tub cut-out, which keeps the tub and removes a section of its wall, costs much less.
Estimate Our ranges, based on sources [1][2]. Planning numbers, not quotes.
Tub-to-shower cost by type
Most conversions keep the shower in the old tub's 5 ft alcove, so walls and plumbing stay roughly where they are. The big choice is what goes in the opening: a one- or multi-piece acrylic or fiberglass unit, or a site-built tiled shower.
| Type | Our range Estimate | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Prefab shower stall or kit Acrylic or fiberglass base and walls set into the old tub alcove, with a new valve and drain. | $1,900 – $7,100 | $4,500 |
| Custom tiled walk-in shower A waterproofed, tiled pan and walls, usually with a glass door, niche and new valve. | $4,900 – $13,600 | $9,300 |
| Tub cut-out (step-through) A section of the tub wall is cut out and sealed so you can step in. The tub stays. | $800 – $1,800 Sourced | HomeGuide only |
Estimate Our range, based on sources [1][2]. For each tier we pooled the low, midpoint and high figure each source publishes for a comparable scope (a single benchmark figure counts once), then used the median as Typical and the middle half of the pooled figures as Low–High. HomeGuide and Angi publish the same headline ranges for both types, so our ranges are the middle half of those ranges. The tub cut-out row is quoted from HomeGuide alone. See How we build our ranges.
What the sources say Sourced
HomeGuide puts most tub-to-shower conversions at $2,000 – $12,000, with a national average of $7,000.[1] Angi's average is $3,000, within a range of $1,200 – $15,000, and it says labor makes up about 40% to 60% of the total.[2] The difference is mostly the mix of jobs behind each figure: simple stall swaps pull an average down, custom tile pulls it up.
Line-item breakdown: tiled walk-in conversion Estimate
Here's how we'd build a bid for replacing a 5 ft alcove tub with a tiled walk-in shower: a mortar or foam pan, waterproofing, tile on three walls, a new valve, a glass door, a niche and a grab bar. HomeGuide notes that a tub's 1½ in. drain usually has to be replaced with a 2 in. shower drain[1], which is why the plumbing line matters even when nothing moves.
| Line item | How we priced it | Amount Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Remove the tub and haul it away Installed price | Average of the HomeGuide and Angi tub-removal midpoints[1][2] | $330 |
| Framing and subfloor repairs, blocking for a grab bar and glass door Labor | 6 hrs × $29.12/hr median wage for carpenters[4] × 1.7 labor burden | $300 |
| Plumbing: swap the 1½ in. tub drain for a 2 in. shower drain, new valve Labor | 10 hrs × $30.67/hr median wage for plumbers[4] × 1.7 labor burden | $520 |
| Shower valve, trim, drain and supply parts Materials | Our allowance for a pressure-balanced valve and midrange trim | $450 |
| Pan, waterproofing membrane, backer board, tile and setting materials, about 92 sq ft Materials | Three walls to 7 ft plus the floor at $10/sq ft, our midrange allowance | $920 |
| Build the pan, waterproof and tile Labor | 36 hrs × $26.77/hr median wage for tile and stone setters[4] × 1.7 labor burden | $1,640 |
| Frameless or semi-frameless glass door, installed Installed price | Our blended typical from HomeGuide's and Angi's shower-door ranges[1][2] | $1,050 |
| Recessed niche Installed price | Midpoint of HomeGuide's niche or bench range[1] | $350 |
| Grab bar, installed Installed price | Midpoint of HomeGuide's installed grab-bar range[1] | $200 |
| Drywall patch and paint around the new shower Labor | 6 hrs × $23.75/hr median wage for painters[4] × 1.7 labor burden | $240 |
| Protection and cleanup Labor | 6 hrs × $22.66/hr median wage for construction laborers[4] × 1.7 labor burden | $230 |
| Disposal, protection and sundries Materials | Our allowance | $250 |
| Permit Fee | Our blended typical from HomeGuide's and Angi's permit ranges[1][2] | $300 |
| Overhead & profit Our assumption | 20% on the labor and materials lines above. Installed prices, supplier prices and fees already include the seller's margin, so we don't mark them up again. | $910 |
| Line-item total | Before contingency and regional adjustment | $7,700 |
Estimate Our line-item build comes to $7,700, about 17% below our blended typical of $9,300 for a tiled walk-in conversion. The build assumes a sound floor and walls, midrange tile and no layout change. Moving the drain, adding a bench, a curbless entry or premium tile push real bids higher. Method: How we build our ranges.
Contractor Bid Comparison Sheet
Line up two or three shower bids side by side: tear-out, plumbing, waterproofing, tile, glass and permit on the same rows, so a missing line stands out.
Get the templateWhat drives the cost up or down
Prefab vs. tile
A prefab unit replaces most of the tile labor and waterproofing detail with a factory-made shell, which is why it costs roughly half as much in our ranges. Tile costs more but fits any size and style.
Drain and valve work
HomeGuide lists a plumber at $45–$150 an hour and new plumbing at $500–$1,100.[1] Sourced Keeping the drain in the same spot keeps this line small; moving it to the center of a larger shower adds floor work.
Accessibility features
Grab bars, a fold-down seat or a low or curbless entry make a shower safer for aging in place. Angi puts basic accessibility features at about $600.[2] Sourced A fully curbless shower needs the floor recessed, which costs much more.
Contingency Estimate
Because the old tub can hide damage, we suggest 15% on a tub-to-shower job, and 20% in a house more than 30 years old. That's our guidance; see our contingency guide.
Should you remove your only bathtub?
It depends on who will buy your house. Angi says a conversion can recoup about 60% of its cost if the home still has another tub[2], and its return-on-investment guide puts the return at 45% to 74%.[2] Sourced Our view: in a house likely to sell to a family, keep at least one tub. If the bathroom you're converting is the only one with a tub, weigh resale against daily use, especially if you plan to stay put.
Regional cost differences
About half the cost of a conversion is local labor, so regional wages matter. Our interior cost index is applied here to our typical tiled walk-in.
| Region (Census division) | Our cost index Estimate | Typical tiled walk-in conversion Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| New England CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT | 1.04 4% above U.S. | $9,700 |
| Middle Atlantic NJ, NY, PA | 1.13 13% above U.S. | $10,500 |
| South Atlantic DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV | 0.98 2% below U.S. | $9,100 |
| U.S. average | 1.00 | $9,300 |
| East North Central IL, IN, MI, OH, WI | 0.96 4% below U.S. | $8,900 |
| East South Central AL, KY, MS, TN | 0.90 10% below U.S. | $8,400 |
| West North Central IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD | 1.02 2% above U.S. | $9,500 |
| West South Central AR, LA, OK, TX | 0.89 11% below U.S. | $8,300 |
| Mountain AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY | 0.96 4% below U.S. | $8,900 |
| Pacific AK, CA, HI, OR, WA | 1.07 7% above U.S. | $10,000 |
Estimate Derived, not published. Our interior index divides each division's 2025 Cost vs. Value average for four interior projects (three bathroom remodels and a basement remodel) by the national average and averages the four ratios.[3] The typical column multiplies our national typical by the index. See How we build our ranges.
Want more local detail? On our local cost pages, the same tiled walk-in conversion runs from about $8,200 in Oklahoma City, OK to about $10,900 in New York, NY, typical.
Costs in your city
Our local cost pages adjust these national ranges for 25 metro areas using local construction wages, and add each area's housing age, climate zone and permit office: Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Kansas City, Louisville, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Tampa, Washington. See all local costs →
Tub-to-shower conversion FAQ
How much does it cost to convert a tub to a walk-in shower?
By our ranges, about $1,900 – $7,100 with a prefab stall (typical $4,500) and $4,900 – $13,600 for a custom tiled walk-in (typical $9,300).[1][2]
What's the minimum shower size?
HomeGuide notes the building code minimum for a shower is 30 by 30 inches.[1] A standard 5 ft tub alcove leaves plenty of room for a 60 by 30 inch shower.
Do I need a permit to change a tub to a shower?
Usually, because the drain and valve change. HomeGuide lists permits at $30–$400 and Angi at $200–$2,000; our blended typical is about $300.[1][2] Check with your local building department.
Is a tub-to-shower conversion cheaper than a full bathroom remodel?
Yes, because only the tub area changes. Our typical full same-layout bathroom remodel is about $25,000 (see our bathroom remodel cost guide), compared with about $9,300 for a tiled walk-in conversion.
How much do bath-and-shower liner companies charge?
HomeGuide puts a Bath Fitter conversion at $1,200 – $9,500.[1] Liner systems install fast, but compare the warranty, the wall material and what happens to the old drain and valve.
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Related cost guides
Sources
- HomeGuide, “How much does a tub to shower conversion cost?” (updated Jul 30, 2025). homeguide.com/costs/tub-to-shower-conversion-cost (accessed Oct 8, 2026).
- Angi, tub-to-shower conversion cost guide (updated Jul 8, 2026), angi.com/articles/convert-tub-to-shower-cost.htm, and its return-on-investment article on tub-to-shower conversions (updated Jul 9, 2026), angi.com/articles/converting-tub-to-shower-roi.htm (accessed Oct 8, 2026).
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report: national averages and regional pages (New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East North Central, East South Central, West North Central, West South Central, Mountain, Pacific) (accessed Oct 8, 2026). © 2025 Zonda Media. We quote a few national figures and use the regional figures only to derive our own cost index. States per division from the U.S. Census Bureau, Census Regions and Divisions.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 national median hourly wages by occupation, retrieved through the BLS Public Data API. bls.gov/oes (accessed Oct 8, 2026).
Quoted figures are labeled Sourced. Everything labeled Estimate is our own arithmetic on these sources, explained in How we build our ranges. Planning numbers only, not quotes. Get itemized local bids before you commit.