Converting a tub to a walk-in shower runs $3,000 to $12,000, and returns about 60% at resale — noticeably worse than the 70% a full bathroom remodel gives back.
On the numbers alone, it loses. Most people should do it anyway, and the reason has nothing to do with resale.
What drives the price
| Scope | Cost | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Direct swap, prefab base | $3,000 – $5,000 | Tub out, acrylic base in, same footprint, same drain. One to two days. |
| Tiled shower, same footprint | $5,000 – $9,000 | New waterproofing, tiled walls and floor, glass panel. Drain stays. |
| Custom, drain relocated | $9,000 – $12,000+ | Linear drain, bench, niche, frameless enclosure. Floor opened. |
The jump between tier one and tier two is tile labour. The jump to tier three is the drain.
The drain is the whole decision
A tub drain sits at one end of the tub. A shower drain usually wants to be centred, or along one wall if you are using a linear drain.
If your new shower can live with the drain exactly where the tub’s was, you are in the $3,000–$9,000 range. If it cannot, the floor has to come up — and on a concrete slab that means cutting and re-pouring, on a joisted floor it means working between joists you are not allowed to notch. Either way, add $1,500 to $3,000 and several days.
Ask any contractor quoting this job one question first: does this design reuse the existing drain? Their answer explains most of the price difference between bids.
Line items
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tub removal and disposal | $300 – $1,000 |
| Prefab shower base | $300 – $1,500 |
| Tiled shower pan and waterproofing | $1,200 – $3,000 |
| Wall tile | $10 – $50 per sq ft |
| Shower valve and trim | $300 – $1,200 |
| Glass: curtain rod | under $100 |
| Glass: semi-frameless door | $700 – $1,500 |
| Glass: frameless enclosure | $1,500 – $4,000 |
| Drain relocation | $1,500 – $3,000 |
| Permit | $100 – $1,000 |
When you should not do it
One situation only: it is the only bathtub in the house, and you might sell within about five years.
Families with small children filter listings on having at least one tub. Removing the last one narrows your buyer pool, and a narrower pool costs more than the shower is worth. If you have a second tub anywhere, this concern disappears entirely.
Everything else people worry about — resale value, “buyers prefer tubs” — is largely overstated. In a primary bathroom, buyers overwhelmingly prefer a good shower.
When you should
If you have not taken a bath in over a year, that tub is roughly 30 square feet of floor doing nothing but collecting soap. In a small bathroom that is the difference between cramped and comfortable.
The accessibility case is stronger still. Stepping over a 15-inch tub wall gets harder with age, and a curbless shower is the single most useful ageing-in-place change you can make to a house. Doing it before you need it is far cheaper than doing it urgently.
Where people overspend
Frameless glass. Beautiful, and $1,500–$4,000 against $700–$1,500 for semi-frameless. It also gets measured only after tiling is finished, then fabricated — adding two to three weeks at the very end.
Mosaic floor tile. Small tiles mean far more grout lines, which means more labour and more cleaning forever. Large-format tile with a linear drain looks better and costs less to install.
Body jets. They need a larger valve, higher flow, and often a bigger water heater. Most people use them twice.
Where not to save
Waterproofing behind the tile, and the shower valve. Both are buried. Replacing either later means demolishing finished work, so the cheap version costs you twice. This is where a suspiciously low bid usually cut its corners — ask what waterproofing system is being used, by name.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take?
A prefab swap is one to two days. A tiled shower is five to eight working days, with a curing pause after waterproofing. Add two to three weeks if you order frameless glass, because it is measured after tiling.
Do I need a permit?
If you are only swapping fixtures in place, often not. If the drain moves or plumbing is altered, yes. $100 to $1,000 depending on jurisdiction.
Will this hurt my home’s value?
Not if another tub exists. If it is the last one, it can narrow your buyer pool in family neighbourhoods. In a home with two or more bathrooms it is generally value-neutral to positive.
Curbless or with a curb?
Curbless looks better and is genuinely more accessible, but needs the floor recessed for drainage — easy on a joisted floor during renovation, expensive on a slab. Ask before assuming.
Can I do it myself?
Demolition, yes. Waterproofing and the valve, no. A waterproofing mistake stays hidden for two years and then costs five figures in rot.
Deciding
If the drain can stay where it is and you have another tub in the house, this is one of the better-value bathroom changes available. If the drain must move and it is your only tub, price it carefully and think about your next five years first.
Figures reflect national US data as of August 2026. See our full bathroom cost guide and small bathroom costs.
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