Converting your tub to a walk-in shower? A curb is the cost-effective choice; curbless means cutting into the floor. Eric explains the extra work and what it adds.
Read what Eric says Transcript
So you're converting your tub to a walk-in shower. Should you do curb or curbless?
The first option is a curb. Now the curb is the most cost-effective option. The reason being is because your curb and your waterproofing sits on the original substrate. There's no additional prep needed unless you're moving the drain.
For curbless, there is costly additional steps required, especially if you're on a concrete floor. You're going to have to chip the concrete in order to create a slope that is flush with the pre-existing floor. Now, on a second story, like we are here, you have to cut the ply. You have to place the plywood in between the floor joists. It is a lot of work.
So now let's talk about the price. For a curbless shower with all the additional prep and install, you're looking at roughly around $3,000 to $5,000 additionally compared to a shower with a curb.
If you're on a budget, I think a curb option is best for you. If you want that aesthetic look, have a little bit more to play with, I think the curbless is a fantastic option.
Once the tub is coming out, the next decision is whether the new shower has a curb, the low step you walk over, or no curb at all. It's the choice that moves the price the most, and the reason is what has to happen to the floor.
Why a curb is the cost-effective option
With a curb, the curb and the waterproofing sit on the original substrate, the floor that's already there. There's no additional prep needed unless you're moving the drain.
What curbless takes
A curbless shower still has to slope to the drain, but the slope has to finish flush with the bathroom floor. That means lowering the floor inside the shower, and how that's done depends on the house.
- On a concrete slab, which is most Tampa homes: the concrete is chipped out to create the slope.
- On a second story: the plywood subfloor is cut and new plywood is set down between the floor joists. It's a lot of work.
What curbless adds to the price
For a curbless shower with all the additional prep and install, Eric puts it at roughly $3,000 to $5,000 more than the same shower with a curb. Our estimator prices both, so you can see the difference for your own bathroom.
The other choices inside the shower
A few more decisions show up on almost every tub-out job, and each is priced separately in the estimator:
- Linear drain instead of a square one: $1,500 to $2,500. The floor pitches one way instead of four, so you can use bigger tiles with fewer cuts.
- Shower glass: standard framed $1,000 to $2,000, semi-frameless $2,000 to $3,000, frameless $3,500 to $5,000.
- A niche: $600 to $1,000. See 3 ways to finish a shower niche.
For the whole room, see how much a bathroom remodel costs in Tampa.
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Questions people also ask
Why does a curbless shower cost more?
The floor has to be lowered so the shower slopes to the drain flush with the bathroom floor: chipping the concrete on a slab, or cutting and dropping the plywood between the joists on a second story. A curbed shower sits on the existing floor.
How much more is a curbless shower?
Roughly $3,000 to $5,000 more than a shower with a curb, for the additional prep and install.
Do I need a permit to convert a tub to a shower in Tampa?
Yes when the drain is rebuilt, because that's plumbing work. We pull the permit and schedule the inspections.