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Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Houston, TX
Is your bathtub taking up space you never use, or has climbing over the tub wall become a daily risk? Brito Remodel & Construction converts bathtubs into walk-in showers for Houston homeowners. Options range from low-threshold showers to fully curbless, zero-threshold showers with grab bars and a built-in bench. We handle tub removal, plumbing and slab work, waterproofing, tile, glass, and permits.
Since 2014, we’ve focused on bathroom remodeling in Houston, and owner Nelson Lopez supervises every project personally. You’ll get a detailed, itemized estimate before we start. No vague numbers, and no surprises once the tub comes out.
✔ Licensed & Insured ✔ Owner-Supervised Projects ✔ Free In-Home Estimates
✔ Curbless & Accessible Shower Options ✔ Serving Houston & Nearby Communities
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Is a Tub-to-Shower Conversion a Good Idea?
For most Houston homeowners, yes, especially if the tub sits unused. These are the reasons we hear most:
You never use the tub: A 60-inch alcove tub takes up a lot of floor space. Turning it into a walk-in shower gives you more standing room, a cleaner look, and a bathroom that feels bigger.
Safety and aging in place: Stepping over a 14- to 20-inch tub wall is one of the most common causes of bathroom falls. A low-threshold or curbless shower with grab bars and a bench lets someone bathe safely and independently.
Easier cleaning: A frameless glass enclosure and large-format tile mean fewer grout lines and less scrubbing than an old tub with a curtain.
Will it hurt resale value? Not if the home keeps at least one tub. Buyers with young children usually want a tub somewhere, so the common approach is a walk-in shower in the primary bathroom and a tub-shower combo in a hall or guest bath. If you’re removing the only tub in the house, we’ll talk through that trade-off with you honestly.
Should you keep the tub instead? If the tub works and just looks dated, a tub remodeling project may be the better choice.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Options
The right shower depends on your space, how you’ll use it, and your budget. We’ll bring measurements and options to your in-home visit. Here’s how the main types compare:
Prefab Shower Kit (Acrylic or Fiberglass)
A molded shower base with acrylic or solid-surface wall panels installed in the existing tub footprint. It’s the fastest and lowest-cost way to convert a tub to a shower, with fewer seams and less grout to maintain.
Custom Tile Walk-In Shower
A mortar-bed or foam shower pan, a waterproof membrane, and porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, or mosaic tile. You can add a recessed shower niche, a bench, a rain showerhead, and frameless glass. This is the most popular choice for primary bathrooms.
Curbless / Zero-Threshold Shower
No step at all. You can walk in or roll in. The floor is sloped toward a linear drain, which makes this the best option for aging in place, wheelchairs, and ADA-style accessibility. It takes the most planning, especially on a Houston slab foundation (see below).
Want a fully custom design with body sprays or a larger footprint? See our shower remodeling services.
What's Involved in a Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Converting a tub to a shower starts with removing the old tub and checking the plumbing and subfloor underneath for damage that’s often been hidden for years, since standing water around an old tub causes issues you usually can’t see from the surface.
What’s included:
Tub removal & inspection
We remove the bathtub, tub surround, and tub apron, then inspect the subfloor, framing, and plumbing underneath. Standing water around old tubs often causes hidden damage, and we find and fix it before building.
Plumbing & Drain Work
Showers and tubs drain differently. We relocate or upsize the drain as needed, move the shower valve to the right height, and install a new pressure-balancing or thermostatic mixing valve for steady water temperature.
Waterproofed Shower Pan
We build the shower pan with a proper slope toward the drain, using either a low curb or a curbless entry. Then we flood-test it before any tile goes down.
Walls & Waterproofing
Cement backer board, a continuous waterproof membrane, and sealed seams go behind every wall. This is critical in Houston's humidity to prevent leaks, mold, and mildew.
Tile, Niche & Glass
Wall and floor tile, a recessed niche for storage, and a frameless or framed glass enclosure in fixed-panel, hinged, or sliding styles. If the rest of the floor needs updating, we can install matching bathroom tile flooring at the same time.
Accessibility & Fixtures
Grab bars anchored into wall blocking, a built-in bench or fold-down shower seat, a handheld showerhead on a slide bar, and slip-resistant floor tile. We design these to look like part of the bathroom, not a hospital.
How Much Does a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in Houston?
Most tub-to-shower conversions cost between $2,000 and $12,000, depending on the type of shower and how much plumbing has to change. Here’s how the main options compare:
| Conversion type | Typical cost range |
|---|---|
| Prefab shower kit (acrylic/fiberglass) | $2,000 – $6,000 |
| Custom tile walk-in shower | $6,000 – $12,000 |
| Curbless / zero-threshold shower | $8,000 – $15,000 |
Typical market pricing, not a quote. Brito gives exact numbers after an in-home inspection.
What adds to the cost:
- Plumbing changes: Moving the drain, replacing old galvanized pipes, or relocating fixtures can add $800 to $2,500.
- Hidden damage: Mold, rot, or water damage under the old tub can add $300 to $1,000 to fix.
- Upgrades: Frameless glass, a curbless entry, large-format or natural stone tile, and a bench or niche each add to the total.
- Permits: These are usually required when plumbing is modified.
What is the cheapest way to convert a tub to a shower? A prefab acrylic base and wall panels in the same footprint, using the existing drain location. It costs the least and installs the fastest.
How much does it cost to remove a bathtub and install a walk-in shower? Replacing a tub with a walk-in shower generally costs $5,000 to $12,000, depending on size, materials, and plumbing or structural changes.
How much should a walk-in shower cost for seniors? Accessible showers usually fall in the curbless range above. Grab bars, a bench, a handheld showerhead, and a low or zero threshold add a modest amount compared to the safety they provide. We’ll help you prioritize the features that matter most for your situation.
Home Depot and Lowe’s: Big-box stores sell tub-to-shower conversions through local installers, mostly prefab systems. Get an itemized quote and confirm what it excludes, such as niches, drain relocation, or repairs to hidden damage. Brito quotes everything up front, and the owner supervises the work start to finish.
Tub-to-Shower Conversions in Houston Homes
Slab foundations and curbless showers: Most Houston homes sit on a concrete slab. A curbless shower needs its floor recessed below the bathroom floor so water drains properly without a curb, which usually means cutting into the slab. In pier-and-beam homes, like many in the Heights and Timbergrove, we lower the framing instead. Either way, we check this during your estimate so the price reflects your actual floor.
Drain size: Bathtubs usually drain through 1½-inch pipe. Showers generally need a larger 2-inch drain under local plumbing code, because a shower doesn’t hold water the way a tub does. Upsizing the drain is often part of the job.
Humidity and moisture: Houston’s heat and humidity are hard on bathrooms. We use continuous waterproofing, proper pan slope, and sealed transitions, and we check that your exhaust fan actually removes moisture. That’s what keeps mold and mildew out of the walls.
Permits and inspections: Inside city limits, plumbing changes are permitted through the Houston Permitting Center. Cities like Bellaire, West University Place, and the Memorial Villages have their own building departments. We pull the permit and schedule inspections for you.
Our Process
Our Tub-to-Shower Conversion Process
You Reach Out
Tell us about your current tub and what you’re hoping the new shower looks and functions like, including any accessibility needs.
Phone Screening
We’ll ask whether this is a master or guest bath, and whether the layout or plumbing needs to change to fit the new shower.
Budget Check
We’ll ask for a ballpark budget early on to confirm honestly whether it lines up with the scope before scheduling a visit.
In-Home Visit
We inspect the tub area, check the plumbing, drain size, and subfloor or slab, and measure for the shower type that fits, whether that’s a prefab kit, custom tile, or curbless.
Written Estimate
You’ll receive a detailed estimate by email the following day, covering demolition, waterproofing, tile, glass, and fixtures.
Contract & Scheduling
Once approved, we draft a contract with a payment schedule, lock in a start date, and collect a downpayment on day one, with additional payments tied to project milestones.
Construction & Final Walkthrough
We remove the tub, address anything found underneath, and build the new shower with proper waterproofing, tile, and fixtures. We test the finished shower with you, check water flow and drainage, and confirm every detail, including any grab bars or accessibility features, before calling the job complete.
How Long Does a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Take?
A prefab shower kit using the existing drain can be finished in a few days. Most custom tile conversions take about a week to a week and a half, including pan curing, the flood test, tile, and glass. Curbless showers and slab drain work take longer because of the concrete cutting and inspections. What we find under the old tub also affects the schedule, and we’ll tell you right away if hidden damage changes it.
Services Areas
Proudly Serving Houston & Nearby Communities
Brito Remodel & Construction is proud to serve homeowners throughout Houston and the surrounding communities. Wherever you’re located, our team brings the same owner-supervised, detail-focused approach to every project.
Don’t see your neighborhood listed? Contact us – we likely still serve your area.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion FAQs
How much does it cost to convert a bathtub to a shower in Houston?
Most conversions cost $2,000 to $12,000. A prefab kit sits at the low end, and custom tile or curbless showers with plumbing changes sit at the high end. We give you an exact, itemized price after an in-home inspection.
Do you have to move the drain in a tub-to-shower conversion?
Not always. A shower that fits the old tub’s footprint can often use the same drain location. The drain may still need upsizing, and curbless showers or layout changes usually require moving it.
How long does a tub-to-shower conversion take?
A few days for a prefab kit, about a week to a week and a half for custom tile, and longer for curbless showers or slab drain relocation.
Can I replace my bathtub with a walk-in shower kit?
Yes. Prefab shower kits are a fast, budget-friendly option if they fit the space and the existing plumbing. Proper installation matters most, especially the base leveling, drain connection, and wall seams.
Can you build a curbless, zero-entry shower on a slab?
Yes. We recess the slab at the shower area and slope the floor to a linear drain, so the entry is step-free and water stays inside.
Does Lowe's or Home Depot do tub-to-shower conversions?
Both sell conversions through local installers, mostly prefab systems. Compare itemized quotes, check what each one excludes, and ask who will actually do the plumbing and waterproofing.
Is it cheaper to replace a tub or put in a shower?
Replacing a tub in the same spot is usually cheaper, since the plumbing stays the same. A prefab shower conversion can cost about the same as a tub replacement, while custom tile and curbless showers cost more.
Will removing my tub hurt my home's resale value?
Usually not, as long as another bathroom in the home has a tub. Many buyers prefer a large walk-in shower in the primary bath.
Can you add grab bars without making the bathroom look like a hospital?
Yes. We install blocking in the walls and choose grab bars that match your fixtures. Some double as towel bars or shelving.
Can I convert my shower back to a tub later?
Yes. See our shower-to-tub conversion service.
Ready to Convert Your Tub to a Walk-In Shower?
Whether you want a more open, modern bathroom or a safer shower for someone in your household, a tub-to-shower conversion is one of the most impactful updates you can make. Request your free in-home estimate. We’ll check your plumbing and slab, show you your options, and give you real numbers.