Tub to Walk-In Shower Cost in Central Florida
Most tub to walk-in shower conversions we price in Central Florida land between $13,000 and $16,000, all in. A basic conversion with no glass starts around $9,000 to $12,000. A large shower that replaces a big garden tub, with a bench, a linear drain, a handheld system and new lighting, can reach $20,000 to $28,000. If the conversion grows into the toilet and vanity space, it stops being a shower project and becomes a full bathroom remodel.
Those numbers come from our own estimates, not a national average. They include the tile itself, not just the labor to set it. Here is where the money goes.
What you are paying for, line by line
Every conversion touches the same trades. These are the ranges from our recent tub to shower estimates.
Demolition: $800 to $1,400. Tearing out the tub, the surround tile and the backer board, and hauling it away.
Concrete work: $350 to $600. Most homes here sit on a slab. The tub drain sits at one end against the wall, and a shower drain belongs in the center or along a wall as a linear drain, so we cut a trench in the slab, move the line and pour it back. When soil is exposed, we also treat it for termites before the new concrete goes in.
Plumbing: $1,600 to $2,500. Moving the drain, installing the shower liner and a new valve and trim. A double valve with a rain head and a handheld wand runs $3,100 to $4,800.
Framing: $350 to $1,500. The curb, a niche, and a bench or half wall if you want one. Each one adds framing, waterproofing and tile work.
Tile installation: $3,400 to $5,600. This is the biggest line. A typical conversion is 85 to 130 square feet of wall tile plus 15 to 23 square feet of sloped mud-bed shower floor.
Tile material: $1,000 to $2,500. The tile itself is its own line. Standard porcelain sits at the low end. Large format, mosaics and natural stone push it up.
Shower glass: $900 to $2,500. A single fixed panel sits at the low end. A frameless door with a fixed panel and a return panel sits at the top.
Permit: $2,100 to $2,900. About 95% of the showers we build need a permit, and the work gets inspected as it goes. The rare exception is replacing a recessed shower pan without replacing the valve or trim. The permit line covers drawings when needed, the county fees and our time managing inspections.
Three ways a conversion usually shakes out
Basic conversion, about $9,000 to $12,000. Same footprint, drain moved to center, new liner, valve, curb, one niche, standard porcelain wall tile. No glass, just a curtain rod. This is the floor for doing it right.
Typical conversion, about $13,000 to $16,000. The same work plus frameless glass, a bench or second niche, and a better valve. This is where most of our clients land.
Upgraded conversion, about $20,000 to $28,000. A big garden tub turned into a large walk-in shower, a linear drain, a seat, a handheld and rain head system, natural stone or large format tile, recessed lighting over the shower, or a full door and return panel. Removing an old corner tub and deck adds demolition and framing on top.
What pushes the price up
Tile choice and layout. Tile is priced by the square foot, and labor is the biggest part of it. Large format and small mosaic tiles both cost more to set than standard 12x24. Patterns like herringbone add cutting time. Marble and natural stone add sealing and careful handling.
More tile, less glass. A three-wall tiled shower costs more than a corner shower with two glass sides. Glass labor is cheaper than tile labor, so an open glass design is often the budget-friendly choice.
Benches and niches. Each one adds framing, waterproofing and tile edges. Together they can move tile labor by thousands.
The valve system. A single valve and shower head is the baseline. Adding a handheld, a rain head and a second valve roughly doubles the plumbing line.
Growing the footprint. A shower built in the exact tub footprint often feels small once glass replaces the curtain. Borrowing a few inches from the toilet clearance, or stepping the vanity down a size, fixes that. Our tub to shower conversion guide explains how. Once the toilet or vanity moves, budget for a full bathroom remodel, which starts around $25,000 for a guest bath.
What keeps it affordable
Keep the shower in roughly the same spot so the drain only moves a short distance.
Choose a corner layout with more glass and less tile.
Use 12x24 porcelain for the walls and save the feature tile for one wall or the niche.
Pick one niche instead of two, and skip the bench if you will not use it.
Do not cheap out on the valve. A failed in-wall valve means opening up finished tile later.
Tub to shower cost FAQ
How much does it cost to convert a tub to a walk-in shower in Central Florida? Most of our conversions run $13,000 to $16,000 all in. A basic version starts around $9,000 to $12,000, and a large upgraded one can reach $20,000 to $28,000.
Is a walk-in shower cheaper than a new tub? Usually not. Replacing a tub with a new tub and surround is less work than building a tiled shower with a liner, a moved drain and glass.
Do I need a permit? Almost always. About 95% of the showers we build need one. The rare exception is replacing a recessed shower pan without replacing the valve or trim. When a permit is required, the shower pan and valve rough-in get inspected, and some areas, Seminole County included, also inspect the screws on the tile backer.
How long does it take? The majority of the work can be done in one to two weeks once materials are on site, plus inspection timing. If your shower gets glass, there is typically a wait after that work is finished while the glass is measured, produced and scheduled for installation. If it grows into a full bathroom remodel, it follows that timeline.
Should I remove my only tub? Not if you plan to sell. Most buyers, families especially, want at least one standard tub in the house.
Get a real number for your bathroom
These ranges help you plan, but your shower depends on its size, the tile you choose, the glass and what we find behind the walls. We break every estimate down line by line so you can see exactly where the money goes and decide what is worth it.
