Short answer
In Greensboro, Fixr's bathroom guide puts the average tub-to-shower conversion at $3,904, and HomeGuide's national range is $2,000 to $12,000. The low end keeps the drain where it is and uses a shower base; the high end moves plumbing and builds a tiled pan. The drain decides most of it.
Most conversions start in an alcove, where the tub sits between three walls and the shower takes its place. The tub comes out, but what's under it matters. Its drain sits at one end, away from where a shower drain belongs, and the floor below has spent years under an overflow that may have leaked.
We choose the drain approach first: keep it in place with a base made for an end drain, or move it to the center or to a linear drain. Then the valve goes where someone standing can reach it, usually higher than a tub valve. Everything else follows from those two choices.
What moves the price of tub-to-shower conversion
The drain and finishes swing a conversion more than anything.
- Drain location Keeping the drain in place costs far less than cutting the floor to move it.
- Base or tiled pan A prefab base is quicker; a tiled pan takes more layers and cure time.
- Wall condition Damaged backer or framing behind the old surround is replaced first.
- Valve upgrade Raising the valve or adding pressure balancing adds plumbing time.
| What the figure covers | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tub-to-shower conversion, Greensboro | $3,904 (average) | Fixr - Greensboro NC bathroom remodel cost guide (Dan Simms) |
| Tub-to-shower conversion (national) | $2,000 to $12,000; national average $7,000 | How Much Does a Tub to Shower Conversion Cost? - HomeGuide |
Published figures are averages from the sources named, not a quote. Your price comes after the walk-through.
Turning an alcove tub into a walk-in shower
The alcove is the easiest conversion because the walls already exist. We remove the tub and surround, repair any soft subfloor, then build a tiled pan or set a shower base sized to the alcove. Fixed glass or a door closes the open side. If you like the existing wall tile, know that it rarely survives, since the bottom rows sit over the tub flange and break when the tub comes out. Fixr's Greensboro average for this job is $3,904.
Replacing a garden tub with a shower
A garden tub usually sits on a framed box in a corner, with an oversized drain and sometimes a jetted pump on its own circuit. Taking it out opens floor space, but the corner rarely has walls ready for a shower. We frame new walls or a partial wall, add blocking for glass, and carry waterproofing up the new framing. The pump circuit is disconnected at the panel, not left live. HomeGuide's national range for conversions is $2,000 to $12,000.
Moving the valve and drain for a shower
A tub valve sits low for filling a bath, which leaves you bending into the spray in a shower, so we usually raise it and fit a pressure-balancing valve if the old one isn't. The drain is the bigger job. Moving it from the tub end to the center or back means cutting the subfloor and rerouting pipe, which is simpler from an open crawl space than over a slab. Because it's drain work, we pull a plumbing permit and schedule the inspection.
Should one tub stay in the house?
We ask this on every conversion. If the tub you're removing is the only one in the house, think about who might live there next. Families with small children look for a tub, and that can come up at resale. A common plan is to convert the primary bath to a walk-in shower and keep the hall bath tub, where it gets used for kids and the occasional soak. If both baths have tubs, converting one leaves you covered either way.
Call (336) 347-1995Want someone to look at your room? The phone is answered around the clock.
What a tub-to-shower conversion includes
- Tub, surround and valve trim removal
- Subfloor check and rot repair
- Drain moved or adapted to the base
- Valve raised or replaced
- Waterproofing on walls and pan
- Tile or panels, plus glass
Remodeling this in Greensboro houses
Census QuickFacts counts 14.4 percent of Greensboro residents as 65 or older, and 18.0 percent across Guilford County. Climbing over a tub wall gets harder with age, which is a good reason to convert before it's urgent. City rules come in when we move the drain or connect the new fixture: Greensboro requires a plumbing permit for drain, waste and vent work and for fixture connections, so we pull it and get the work inspected before tile covers it.
How long the shower is out of service
Keeping the drain and using a shower base moves faster than moving the drain and building a tiled pan, which adds a plumbing inspection and cure time for mortar, waterproofing and grout. If this is your only shower, tell us at the first visit, and we'll order the work to keep the out-of-service stretch as short as the scope allows.
How we run the job, step by step
- Drain checkWe locate the drain, check the floor under the tub and talk through base and glass.
- Remove tub and surroundThe tub and surround come out while the rest of the bath stays protected.
- Floor and plumbingSoft subfloor is replaced, the drain is moved or adapted, and the valve is raised.
- Base and waterproofingThe base or tiled pan goes in, and every wet wall is waterproofed.
- Tile and glassTile, glass and trim finish the shower; we patch where the tub sat.