Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost: What You'll Actually Pay

Updated October 2026 · 7 min read

A tub-to-shower conversion costs roughly $3,000–$8,000 with a prefab shower kit and $8,000–$20,000 for a custom tiled shower with glass. Where you land depends less on the tile you pick than on what's behind the old tub — and on one decision most people make too late.

These are national ranges for 2026, for a standard 60-inch alcove tub with the drain staying roughly where it is. Labor rates shift them by region; see bathroom remodel costs in your city for local numbers.

Prefab or tiled: the decision that sets the range

Includes demolition, plumbing, the shower system, valve and trim, and a door or panel. Excludes the rest of the bathroom.

A prefab kit is not a lesser choice — it has no grout to seal and almost nothing to leak, and it goes in over a couple of days. A tiled shower wins on looks, size flexibility and niches, but it is only as good as the waterproofing behind it, and it takes a week or more of trade time.

Where the money goes

• Demolition and disposal: $500–$1,500. Cast-iron tubs are heavy and often have to be broken up in place.
• Plumbing: $1,000–$3,500. A new shower valve, moving the shower head up, and converting the tub drain to a shower drain. More if the drain moves.
• Shower base or pan: $300–$1,500 for a prefab base; a built pan with membrane costs more in labor.
• Walls: $1,000–$2,500 for a kit installed; $3,000–$8,000 for backer board, waterproofing and tile.
• Glass: $500–$1,200 framed, $1,200–$3,000+ frameless.
• Permit: usually required, because drain work and a new pan are plumbing, not a cosmetic swap. See do you need a permit.

The hidden costs behind the tub

The old tub has been hiding the floor and the bottom of the walls for decades. Once it's out, these are the common surprises:

• Rotted subfloor under the tub's front edge, where water got past the caulk. $500–$2,000 to cut out and replace.
• An old valve that can't take a modern trim, or galvanized supply lines worth replacing while the wall is open.
• A drain in the wrong place. Tub drains sit at one end; a shower drain wants the middle of the base, or a base made for an end drain.
• Walls out of plumb, which a prefab kit won't hide and a tiler has to correct before tiling.

This is what the 15% contingency is for. On a $12,000 tiled conversion, keep $1,800 aside and don't spend it on an upgrade until the walls are closed.

Should you keep one bathtub?

If this is the only tub in the house, think before removing it. Families with young children, and some buyers, want at least one. Many agents suggest keeping a tub somewhere in the home for resale. If there's a second bathroom with a tub, convert this one freely.

How to keep the cost down

• Keep the drain where it is. Choose a base made for an end drain rather than moving the pipe.
• Use a 60 × 30 base. It fits the old tub's footprint exactly, so the walls and floor around it stay.
• Tile the wet walls only. Paint the rest with a bathroom-rated paint.
• Pick a framed or sliding door. Frameless glass is the easiest single line to cut.
• Do the demo yourself only if you can dispose of a cast-iron tub safely, and agree it in writing with the contractor first.

Frequently asked questions