How Much It'll Cost To Convert Your Bathtub Into A Shower

So what is the cost to replace your bathtub with a shower? On average, it can range anywhere from $5,000-$12,000. Bathtubs are falling out of style and being converted into luxury showers. Specifically whirlpool tubs are way out, as they are particularly high maintenance. But maintenance aside, a lot of homeowners now simply see these large bathtubs as wastes of space that could be used for something else like spa showers, additional high-end finishes, and sitting benches. What gives the project a wider range of pricing is the complex work and various factors involved. Labor costs, material costs, and room configuration all play major roles in coming up with a project's given total, and we are going to look at each one and its specific nuances.

Labor costs associated with remodeling a bathroom vary by location, but can generally start at about $1,000 and climb far beyond that. If you are trying to be economical, it is advised to start with the shower area first. Cosmetic touch-ups should be the last priority, so by starting with the shower, you are focusing on removing the tub and adding a shower. The project will take roughly two weeks and includes tasks such as removing debris and taking the bathtub out of the house. Removing debris will typically cost a couple hundred dollars. However, a bathtub removal can cost anywhere from $500 to nearly $2,100. This cost accounts for retrieval, throwing out, and tidying up any major damages.

With worker costs taking up roughly half of the budget, it is important to think about materials and finishes for the shower conversion. There are a number of options to choose from, depending on your goals and budget. If you are looking at the budget-friendly version of this project, an acrylic or fiberglass shower surround is on the lower end of the materials utilized here. That said, although acrylic is slightly more expensive, it lasts much longer and is less prone to damage and regular maintenance. This type of shower selection runs an average price of around $1,200. 

Considering a more luxurious bathroom aesthetic can cause these costs to increase tremendously. Higher-end finishes like quartz, cultured granite, and marble can go for anywhere from $50 to nearly $100 a square foot. The width of the material will also have an impact on the price per square foot, as thinner slabs are always less expensive than thicker ones. This means that the materials alone could cost several thousand dollars, not including installation costs. And if you want to add individual tile placement thinking it will reduce material cost, just remember that will likely require a higher installation cost. It's a good idea to take into consideration the existing materials and finishes. If there is a way to organically complement or build your shower replacement around what is already in the bathroom, this is a middle ground for finding new materials while not breaking the bank.

If possible, it is ideal to base a shower replacement around the original configuration of the bathtub. Why is this? When you work with the existing bones, you are minimizing and avoiding plumbing costs that can significantly increase the budget of a project. This before and after, pictured, is a great example of an extensive bathroom remodel. The bathtub was eliminated, the shower was put on a different wall, the toilet was reconfigured, and the sink was moved to the opposite side. So how much do these kinds of decisions cost?

When a project requires a piece of plumbing equipment to be moved within a yard or so of its original position, this can run anywhere from $600 to close to $1,100 depending on what it is. Typically, the sink is the least costly piece to relocate, as long as it does not move to a different wall, while moving the toilet is the most high-priced due to the complexity of the work. However, if a given piece of equipment needs to be moved more than a few feet or drastically relocated, the associated costs could be closer to $3,000. It is also important to remember that there might be additional electrical work that can come with some of these changes. And if your bathtub-to-shower remodel involves expanding the square footage and structural labor, be prepared to have a considerably higher remodel budget. Those types of expansions can drive up the cost of a project by several thousand dollars.