Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Houston
A tub-to-shower conversion in Houston runs $1,070 to $7,290 according to Angi’s Houston page (angi.com, 2026), and a custom tiled walk-in conversion with glass runs $3,500 to $15,000 per HomeAdvisor (homeadvisor.com, 2026). Kitchen Remodel Masters removes the tub, moves the drain in the slab if it has to move, waterproofs the walls and floor, sets tile or solid-surface walls, and hangs the glass, usually in 1 to 2 weeks on site.
Who a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Is For
Most conversion calls we get in Houston fall into three groups.
- Aging in place. Stepping over a 15-inch tub wall is the hardest part of a bathroom for many people over 65. A low-curb or curbless shower with a bench and grab bars removes that step.
- A tub nobody uses. Many 1970s and 1980s Houston primary baths have a 30-by-60 tub-shower combo that has not held a bath in years. A 60-inch walk-in shower in the same alcove feels twice as large.
- A small bathroom. In a 5-by-8 hall bath the tub takes a third of the room. A shower with a glass panel opens the floor.
If the house has only one tub, read the resale section below first.
What the Job Involves
Inside the walls there are six steps, and the order matters.
- Demo. The tub, the surround, the valve and the drywall behind it come out. We check the slab around the old drain for moisture.
- Drain and plumbing. A tub drain sits at one end of the tub. A shower drain usually moves to the center of the pan, or to one side for a linear drain. On a slab that means saw-cutting the concrete, moving the trap, and pouring the slab back. A new pressure-balance or thermostatic valve goes in at the same time.
- Framing and backer. Blocking for the bench, the niche and grab bars, then cement board or a foam backer.
- Waterproofing. A sheet membrane such as Schluter KERDI or a liquid membrane such as RedGard over the backer, a sloped pan, and a flanged drain. The pan is flood-tested for 24 hours before tile.
- Walls and floor. Tile over the membrane, or solid-surface panels glued to the backer. Floor tile is small-format or textured so it slopes cleanly and stays grippy.
- Glass and trim. Glass is measured after grout. Then the trim, the showerhead and the bench top go on.
Samuel, our project manager, sends daily photo updates, so you see the waterproofing before it is covered.
Curb vs Curbless Shower
A curbed shower has a 3-to-6-inch threshold. A curbless shower has none; the floor slopes to the drain and meets the bathroom floor flush.
| Curbed shower | Curbless shower | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Step over a short curb | Flat, roll-in or walk-in |
| Slab work | Drain move only | Drain move plus a recessed pour so the pan can slope |
| Glass | Door or panel on the curb | Fixed panel, often no door |
| Water control | Curb holds water in | Slope, linear drain and panel placement hold water in |
| Best for | Most bathrooms, lowest cost | Aging in place, wheelchairs, modern look |
On a wood-framed floor, Fixr (2025) says curbless does not usually add much. On a Houston slab the shower floor has to be recessed into the concrete, so plan for more concrete work. A linear drain lets the whole floor slope one direction and makes large-format floor tile possible.
How Long a Conversion Takes
Most Kitchen Remodel Masters conversions take 1 to 2 weeks in your bathroom.
- Days 1 to 2: demo, slab cut and drain relocation, plumbing rough-in and inspection.
- Days 3 to 4: framing, backer board, waterproofing, flood test.
- Days 5 to 8: floor and wall tile, grout, sealer. Solid-surface panels cut this to 1 to 2 days.
- Days 9 to 10: fixtures, bench top, trim, final clean.
- Glass: measured after grout, installed 1 to 2 weeks later. A curtain rod works in the meantime.
Permits for Plumbing Work
The City of Houston requires a plumbing permit when drain or supply lines are added or moved, and the rough plumbing is inspected before the walls close. A conversion that moves the drain in the slab almost always needs one; a like-for-like swap on the same drain and valve often does not. Permits go through the Houston Permitting Center, and HomeAdvisor (2026) puts bathroom permit cost at $200 to $2,000. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection.
Keep One Tub in the House
A walk-in shower raises resale value when another bathroom still has a tub, and can lower it when it replaces the only tub, because buyers with small children look for one (Fixr, 2025). Angi’s Houston page (2026) puts the return on a shower installation at about 55 percent, best when another bath keeps its tub.
The rule we give clients: convert the primary bath or the hall bath, not both. In a one-bathroom house, a deep soaking tub with a glass panel is the safer choice.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in Houston
In Houston, a tub-to-shower conversion runs $1,070 to $7,290 per Angi’s Houston page (angi.com, 2026). HomeYou lists a Texas range of $1,900 to $7,117 and a national average of $4,174 (homeyou.com, 2026), and a tub-to-walk-in conversion with a full tiled shower at $6,213 to $13,874 (homeyou.com, 2026). HomeAdvisor’s national range is $1,500 to $8,000 with a $3,000 average, and $3,500 to $15,000 for a custom tiled walk-in (homeadvisor.com, 2026). Fixr lists $1,200 to $10,000 (fixr.com, 2025).
| Line item | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shower pan installation | $992 to $3,972 | HomeYou, 2026 |
| Plumbing changes | $300 to $2,400 | HomeAdvisor, 2026 |
| Porcelain or stone tile, installed | about $15 per sq ft and up | HomeAdvisor, 2026 |
| Shower door, Houston | $590 to $1,330 | Angi Houston, 2026 |
| Frameless glass door | $900 to $2,300 | Fixr, 2025 |
| Permit | $200 to $2,000 | HomeAdvisor, 2026 |
What moves the price in Houston: a slab drain relocation, tile instead of panels, frameless glass instead of a framed door, and a curbless floor. Labor is 40 to 60 percent of the total (Angi Houston, 2026). Kitchen Remodel Masters does not publish a price list because the drain location, the wall condition and the tile change the number for every bathroom. Our bathroom remodel cost guide covers the full room, the walk-in shower installation page covers the shower in more detail, and many conversions are part of a master bathroom remodel. Financing through Synchrony is available.
Get an Exact Number
Sean comes to your home, checks the slab and the drain location, measures the alcove, and shows you the new shower in a free 3D design before anything is demolished. Call (713) 364-6603 or request your free consultation.
Sources
- Angi, “How Much Does a Shower Installation Cost in Houston?” https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-shower-installation-cost/tx/houston (updated August 2026)
- Angi, “How Much Does a Shower Remodel Cost in Houston, TX?” https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-shower-remodel-cost/tx/houston (updated June 2026)
- HomeYou, “Tub to Shower Conversion Cost” https://www.homeyou.com/tub-to-shower-conversion-cost (updated July 2026)
- HomeYou, “Walk-in Shower Cost” https://www.homeyou.com/walk-in-shower-cost (updated July 2026)
- HomeAdvisor, “How Much Does a Tub to Shower Conversion Cost?” https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/plumbing/convert-tub-shower (updated June 2026)
- Fixr, “Bathtub to Shower Conversion Cost” https://www.fixr.com/articles/bathtub-to-shower-conversion (January 2025)
- Fixr, “How Much Does It Cost to Install a Walk-In Shower?” https://www.fixr.com/costs/walk-in-shower (updated March 2025)
- Houston Permitting Center https://www.houstonpermittingcenter.org/
- Schluter Systems, Shower System https://www.schluter.com/schluter-us/en_US/Shower-System/c/SS
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost in Houston?
In Houston, a tub-to-shower conversion runs $1,070 to $7,290 according to Angi's Houston page (2026). HomeYou lists a Texas range of $1,900 to $7,117 (2026), and HomeAdvisor's national range is $1,500 to $8,000 with a $3,000 average (2026). A custom tiled walk-in conversion with frameless glass sits higher, at $3,500 to $15,000 per HomeAdvisor. Kitchen Remodel Masters prices each bathroom after a free in-home visit.
How long does a tub-to-shower conversion take?
Most Kitchen Remodel Masters conversions take 1 to 2 weeks on site. A prefab solid-surface shower can be done in a few days. A custom tile shower needs more time because the waterproofing, the mortar bed and the tile each have to cure before the next step. Glass is measured after the tile is set and usually arrives 1 to 2 weeks later.
Can you convert a bathtub to a walk-in shower on a slab foundation?
Yes. Most Houston homes sit on a concrete slab, so the drain is under the concrete. A tub drain sits at one end of the tub, and a shower drain usually needs to move toward the center. The crew saw-cuts the slab, moves the drain and the trap, and pours the concrete back before the shower pan goes in. This is the main reason a slab conversion costs more than one over a crawl space.
Do I need a permit for a tub-to-shower conversion in Houston?
If the drain or the supply lines move, yes. The City of Houston requires a plumbing permit for new or relocated plumbing, and the work is inspected before the walls close up. Swapping a tub for a shower that uses the same drain location and valve is often done without a permit, but Kitchen Remodel Masters checks with the Houston Permitting Center on every job.
What is a curbless shower and does it cost more?
A curbless shower has no step at the entry. The floor slopes to the drain and sits flush with the bathroom floor. On a slab the shower floor has to be recessed into the concrete, so it costs more than a curbed shower. Fixr (2025) says curbless does not usually add much on a wood-framed floor, but on a Houston slab plan for extra concrete work. Curbless is the right choice for aging in place and wheelchair access.
Will removing my only bathtub hurt resale value?
It can. Buyers with young children often want at least one tub in the house. Fixr (2025) notes that a walk-in shower raises value when another bathroom still has a tub, and can lower it when it replaces the only tub. Our advice: convert the primary bath or a secondary bath to a shower, and keep one tub in the house.
What waterproofing do you use behind the tile?
Kitchen Remodel Masters uses a sheet membrane system such as Schluter KERDI or a liquid-applied membrane such as Custom Building Products RedGard over cement board, with a sloped pan and a flanged drain that ties into the membrane. The membrane, not the tile or the grout, is what keeps water out of the wall. Every pan is flood-tested before tile goes down.
Should I choose tile or solid-surface walls for the new shower?
Tile gives you any size, any pattern and a true custom look, and it is what most Houston homeowners choose. Solid-surface or acrylic panels install in a day or two, have no grout to clean and cost less. HomeAdvisor (2026) prices fiberglass or acrylic walls at $0.75 to $12 per square foot and porcelain or stone tile at about $15 per square foot and up. Both are fine in Houston humidity when the exhaust fan is sized right.