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AfterHow Much Does Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in West Palm Beach?
A tub-to-shower conversion in West Palm Beach typically runs between $3,500 and $10,000 in 2026, with most mid-range jobs landing around $6,000 to $8,000. That range covers demolition of the old tub, plumbing modifications, waterproofing, and installation of a new shower base and surround. The final number depends on material choices, whether walls need structural work, and how much you move the existing plumbing.
For a straight answer that does not dodge the question: an acrylic one-piece surround with a basic valve swap will sit near the bottom of that range. A tiled shower with a custom glass door, recessed niches, and a thermostatic valve will push toward the top. We put the price in writing before we start, so the number you approve is the number you pay.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here is how a typical West Palm Beach tub-to-shower conversion breaks down. These are the line items we quote on every job, and they are the same numbers we give homeowners in Flamingo Park, El Cid, Roosevelt Estates, and out toward Ibis and Wellington.
| Line Item | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Demolition and haul-away of existing tub | $350 – $700 |
| Plumbing modifications (drain relocation, valve replacement) | $800 – $2,400 |
| Shower base (acrylic, fiberglass, or cast iron) | $300 – $1,100 |
| Wall surround (fiberglass or acrylic panels) | $700 – $1,800 |
| Tile wall surround (labor and materials) | $1,500 – $4,000 |
| Waterproofing and substrate repair | $400 – $1,200 |
| Shower door (frameless glass vs. curtain) | $200 – $1,500 |
| Permits and inspection | $150 – $500 |
| Finishing work (trim, caulking, threshold, cleanup) | $250 – $600 |
On jobs where the original tub drain is a left-hand drain and you want a center-drain shower, the plumbing moves more, which adds labor. Older West Palm Beach homes built before 1980, especially in neighborhoods south of Southern Boulevard, often have cast-iron drain lines that need more work than newer PVC. A 1950s Florida ranch on a slab may require concrete cutting to move the drain. That is not a guess; it is the kind of thing we check before we write your price. The Garrison Standard means those checks happen up front, in writing, not as a surprise invoice on day three.
What Affects Tub-to-Shower Conversion Pricing in West Palm Beach
- The age of your plumbing. Homes built before 1990 in West Palm Beach frequently have older copper supply lines and cast-iron drains. Replacing a tub valve on a galvanized line costs more in labor than working with newer PEX or copper, and we will not bury a new valve behind a wall without addressing the supply line feeding it. A new Moen or Kohler valve assembly typically adds $250 to $600 in parts, depending on the trim package.
- Tile vs. acrylic surround. A fiberglass or acrylic surround installs in a day. Tile takes three to five days because each layer needs cure time before the next goes on. In a humid coastal climate like West Palm Beach, that cure time matters; you cannot rush a waterproof substrate in 90% humidity and expect it to hold. Tile adds $1,500 to $4,000 over a basic acrylic wall kit.
- Glass door vs. shower curtain. A frameless glass door starts around $800 installed and can exceed $1,500 for a thick, custom-cut panel. A rod and curtain is under $100. If the shower is in a guest bath that gets used four times a year, the door may not earn its cost.
- Second-story bathrooms. If your tub sits on a second floor, debris has to come down stairs or through a window. That adds labor. In town and older neighborhoods like Grandview Heights, narrow stairwells make the walk longer.
- Waterproofing requirements. Florida Building Code requires a waterproof membrane behind the wall surface in wet areas. A proper substrate, whether cement board or a foam backer, costs $400 to $1,200 depending on wall square footage and any existing water damage we find when the old tub comes out. We do not skip this step. The 365-Day Done Right Promise only works if the walls behind the tile are done correctly the first time.
- Access and parking. It sounds small, but a downtown West Palm Beach street with no driveway access means the crew walks tools and materials further. That time is real and it shows up in the labor line. If you are in a condo building, there are usually additional building access hours to work around.
What a Typical Tub-to-Shower Conversion Includes
When we quote a tub-to-shower conversion in West Palm Beach, here is exactly what the written scope covers. If you get a bid that does not list these items, ask why.
- Removal of the existing tub and disposal at a registered site.
- Shut-off valves replaced or added where code requires.
- Shower base set in a mortar bed where the manufacturer specifies.
- Waterproof membrane applied to all wet-area walls, corner seams, and the floor connection.
- New valve and trim, with a documented brand such as Moen or Kohler.
- Surround installation: acrylic, fiberglass, or tile per the written scope.
- Shower door or curtain rod installation.
- Final caulking at all transitions, including the threshold and any wall intersections.
- A swept site and a walk-through before the crew leaves.
- A signed written guarantee for the work under the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
That last item is the one that matters most. A job is not done when the caulk dries. It is done when you hold the guarantee in your hand and know exactly who to call if something fails.
Tub-to-Shower vs. Walk-In Shower: Is There a Difference in Cost?
Yes, there is, but it is smaller than most homeowners expect. A tub-to-shower conversion in West Palm Beach means we are removing an existing tub and using that same footprint for the shower. A true walk-in shower installation with no existing tub often means expanding the footprint, which brings framing, drywall, and flooring into the labor. A conversion typically runs $3,500 to $10,000; a walk-in shower install without a tub to remove runs $4,500 to $12,000. The variable is the drain location and the condition of the subfloor under the old tub. We have opened up tub decks in West Palm Beach homes and found rotted plywood from decades of slow leaks around old cracked grout. Repairing that is not optional, and it is not something a bargain bid will mention until after the tile is off.
How to Save on a Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Here are the honest ways to bring the number down without cutting corners that will cost you later.
- Choose an acrylic or fiberglass surround instead of tile. It cuts $1,500 to $4,000 from the total and installs in one day. Modern acrylic panels from reputable manufacturers do not look like the plastic tub surrounds from the 1980s.
- Keep the existing valve location. Moving the valve six inches to center the new shower is nice, but it adds plumbing labor. Keeping the drain and valve in the same position can save $500 to $1,000.
- Use a shower curtain instead of a glass door. That saves $600 to $1,400 up front. You can always add a door later.
- Skip the recessed niche. A corner shelf or a simple ledge does the same job for less framing, less waterproofing, and less tile cutting. A niche adds around $300 to $800 depending on size and tile.
- Do the teardown yourself only if you know what you are doing. We do not recommend it. Fiberglass splinters, old drain assemblies break, and the subfloor underneath is sometimes hiding damage. If you insist, we will still inspect everything before we build.
If you want a real number for your specific bathroom, call (728) 203-9809. The estimate is free, it takes under an hour, and you will get the written price before any work starts. No follow-up calls that lower the price. Our number is our number.
What the 365-Day Done Right Promise Covers
Every tub-to-shower conversion Bradford Remodeling completes carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise, in writing, signed by the project lead and handed to you at job close. If any part of the work we did fails within 365 days of completion, we return and correct it at no charge. That includes leaks behind the surround, grout failure, a shower base that settles or cracks, a door that comes out of alignment, or a valve that fails under normal use. It does not cover damage caused by abuse, neglect, or modifications made by another contractor after we leave. The terms are attached to your written estimate before demolition begins, not hidden in a follow-up email after you have paid.
This promise exists because we are part of the Garrison Partners family, established in 2004, and every independent location is held to The Garrison Standard. The Garrison Code is the operating document behind it: a written price before work starts, a clean site at the end of every day, background-checked and uniformed technicians on the job, and a live person answering the phone 24/7. Curtis Lane, who leads our West Palm Beach operation, enforces that standard on every job. If something on your conversion fails inside the guarantee window, the call goes to a person, not a voicemail queue.
Why West Palm Beach Homes Need Proper Waterproofing
West Palm Beach is not a dry place. It is a salt-air, high-humidity, afternoon-rainstorm place, and a poorly waterproofed shower in this climate fails in months, not years. The moisture load on an interior bathroom wall in a West Palm Beach home is constant, especially in older concrete-block homes in neighborhoods like Northwood or Sunshine Park, where limited interior air movement lets humidity sit. We see failures in conversions done by cut-rate crews: no membrane at the curb, silicone instead of a proper waterproofing system, tile set directly on drywall. When that fails, you are into a $2,000 to $5,000 repair, and that is after mold remediation which can exceed $3,000 if the leak ran long enough.
The Garrison Standard does not allow skip work. A waterproof membrane goes on every wet wall, including the bottom 12 inches around the drain and the threshold transition. The materials are documented, the brand is on the estimate, and the manufacturer’s own spec sheet backs the install method. That is what “by the book” means when we say it.
How Long Does a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Take in West Palm Beach?
An acrylic surround conversion with no plumbing surprises takes two to three working days, including demolition, valve replacement, install, and finish work. A tiled shower takes five to seven working days, driven by mortar cure times and grout drying in West Palm Beach humidity, which can stretch dry times by a full day during the summer rainy season. Material lead times for custom tile or custom glass doors can add a week or two before we even start, so if you are planning a conversion before a holiday or a family visit, start the conversation three to four weeks out. Our schedule is committed in writing, and we do not double-book crews to chase deposit checks.
Permits for Tub-to-Shower Conversion in West Palm Beach
If a tub-to-shower conversion involves relocating the drain or changing the valve, the City of West Palm Beach Building Department typically requires a plumbing permit. A straight tub-for-shower swap in the same footprint with the same drain location may qualify as a repair and not trigger full permitting, but we pull the permit when the code calls for it. Permit fees in West Palm Beach for a residential plumbing modification of this scope generally land between $150 and $500, including inspection. We handle the paperwork and schedule the inspection. It is not an upsell; it is part of the written estimate. Any contractor who tells you to skip the permit is telling you to carry the risk alone.
Key Takeaways
- West Palm Beach tub-to-shower conversion costs run $3,500 to $10,000 in 2026.
- Mid-range jobs with an acrylic surround and new valve run $6,000 to $8,000.
- Tile surrounds, frameless glass doors, and drain relocations push toward the high end.
- Older homes in West Palm Beach with cast-iron drains and slab foundations tend to run higher because plumbing modifications take longer.
- Bradford Remodeling writes the full price before any work starts, with no door-knock renegotiation.
- Every conversion carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
FAQs – Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost
How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost in West Palm Beach?
A tub-to-shower conversion in West Palm Beach costs $3,500 to $10,000 in 2026, with most jobs falling between $6,000 and $8,000. The spread comes down to materials – acrylic runs lower, tile and custom glass run higher – and how much plumbing has to move. Call (728) 203-9809 for a written quote on your specific bathroom. The estimate is free and it will not change on you at the door.
Is it cheaper to convert a tub to a shower than to replace a tub?
A tub-to-shower conversion typically costs $3,500 to $10,000, while a straight tub replacement usually runs $1,500 to $4,000 because the plumbing stays in place and the job is mostly swap-and-set. The conversion costs more up front because a shower has different waterproofing and drainage requirements. If you rarely use the tub and the bathroom is your primary shower, the conversion usually delivers more value per square foot. We can price both options and show you the written difference. Call (728) 203-9809.
Can you do a tub-to-shower conversion in one day?
An acrylic or fiberglass surround conversion with the drain and valve in their existing positions can be completed in a single day, though we typically schedule two days to allow caulk and sealants to cure fully in West Palm Beach humidity before water hits the pan. Tile work cannot be done in one day, no matter what anyone tells you, and a contractor who promises a tile shower in a day is cutting waterproofing corners. If you need a specific timeline, call (728) 203-9809 and we will commit to a date in writing.
How much does a walk-in shower conversion cost compared to a tub-to-shower conversion?
A walk-in shower installation without an existing tub runs $4,500 to $12,000, against $3,500 to $10,000 for a tub-to-shower conversion. The walk-in is higher because there is framing and flooring work where the tub footprint gets reconfigured. Both ranges are West Palm Beach market numbers for 2026, and both include waterproofing, permits, and finish work. For a property-specific number, call (728) 203-9809 and we will put it in writing.
Does a tub-to-shower conversion add value to a West Palm Beach home?
A tub-to-shower conversion can add $6,000 to $12,000 in resale value for a West Palm Beach home, depending on the condition of the original bathroom and whether the home retains at least one tub elsewhere. Buyers in this market generally want a walk-in shower in the primary bath but often expect a tub somewhere in the house for resale. If yours is a one-bathroom home, removing the only tub can narrow the buyer pool. We will tell you straight if the conversion makes sense for your house. Call (728) 203-9809 for an honest read.
Get a Written Price Before the Work Starts
You have been through the no-show contractor routine. You have seen the bid that was “just a ballpark” turn into something else when the crew showed up. That is not how Bradford Remodeling operates, and it is not how Curtis Lane runs a job. Every tub-to-shower conversion in West Palm Beach starts with an in-home walkthrough, a written estimate with line-item pricing, a documented material list with brand names like Kohler and Moen, and a completion date on the schedule. You approve the number, we do the work, and when it is done you get a signed 365-Day Done Right Promise before the crew packs the truck.
Call (728) 203-9809 for a free estimate on your tub-to-shower conversion. A live person answers. We will set a walkthrough time, measure your bathroom, check your plumbing, and give you a number that will not move.
Pricing reflects the West Palm Beach market as of 2026. Bradford Remodeling Co West Palm Beach offers free estimates – call (728) 203-9809.
Written by Curtis Lane, Owner at Bradford Remodeling Co West Palm Beach, serving West Palm Beach since 2004.
What Our Customers Say
"Solid job. Small punch list items were done within a few days of the walkthrough."
- Beth K."Painting and drywall repair were flawless. They patched the drywall seams and the paint matches the old wall."
- Cal P."Home remodel with a new floor plan. Handled structural work and permits without drama."
- Gus R.
