What we do in a conversion
We take the tub out, rebuild the floor as a shower pan and close the room with tiled walls that run all the way up. The work goes in this order:
- We cover the floor and the hallway, cut out the tub with the tile around it and open the walls down to the studs.
- A licensed plumber moves the drain from the tub end to the spot the new pan needs and roughs in a new valve. Relocating a drain is a plumbing change, so it goes under permit with an inspection before anything gets covered.
- We set the shower floor with a slope toward the drain, between ¼ and ½ in per foot.
- We hang cement board on the walls, then waterproof the pan and the walls with a bonded membrane. The pan gets flood-tested before tile, and our shower waterproofing guide walks through each layer.
- We set the tile from the floor to the ceiling and cut a niche into the wall between two studs, sized for shampoo bottles.
- We install the valve trim, the shower head and a standard glass door, then grout and seal before we clean up.
The new valve is anti-scald and capped at 120 °F, as the Florida code asks for every new shower.
Low curb or no curb at all
A conversion usually keeps a short curb where the tub apron used to be, because it holds water in without lowering the floor. A curbless entry is possible in many houses, but the subfloor has to be recessed or rebuilt so the pan still drains, and that adds labor. In a condo tower nobody should cut the slab for it without the association's written approval, an engineer's review and a concrete scan. You can compare both entries on our page about curbless and walk-in showers, which also covers the minimum shower size the code sets.
Real tile instead of an acrylic insert
We convert with tile set over a waterproofed backer; we don't slide acrylic liners over the old tub or reglaze it. The trade-offs between the two systems are laid out in tile against acrylic for a shower.
Price for the conversion and the glass upgrade
The conversion price covers everything in steps 1 to 6 for the shower area. A frameless door in place of the standard one is its own line:
| Job | What it includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tub-to-shower conversion | Remove the tub, move the drain, sloped shower pan with waterproofing, tiled walls to the ceiling, anti-scald valve, niche and a standard glass door. | $11,500 per conversion |
| Frameless glass shower door | A frameless tempered glass door or panel, measured after the tile is set. | $1,650 installed |
Labor and materials included, in US dollars, October 2026. Each bathroom job has one fixed price for the scope written next to it. A new vanity and frameless glass are added at a fixed price each. Plumbing and electrical work is done by licensed trades and permits are pulled when the job needs them. Rot, mold or old pipes found behind the walls are priced before we fix them.
Two things sit outside that number. Rotted framing or a cracked cast iron drain only shows up once the tub is out, so we photograph it and price the repair before we touch it. Extra tile on the bathroom floor or the other walls is billed per square foot. The full list of what moves a bathroom budget is on our bathroom remodel pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you convert the only bathtub in the house?
Yes, and plenty of owners do it. We ask about it at the visit anyway, since a tub is handy for bathing small kids and some families want one somewhere in the house. The decision stays with you, and the price is the same.
How many days will we be without that shower?
The work itself usually takes three to seven days. After the grout goes in, plan on a few more days before the first shower, because grout and setting materials need time to cure and Miami humidity slows them down. A second bathroom in the house makes those days easy.
Is moving the drain part of the price?
Yes. Shifting the drain from the tub end to the shower position is included, and so is the new anti-scald valve. What is not included is replacing old pipe beyond that connection, which we show you and quote first.
What if the floor under the tub is soft or rotten?
We stop, take photos and give you a written price for the repair before going further. On a wood subfloor we cut out the soft sections and sheath them again before the pan goes down.
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