A shower remodel in Vancouver, WA replaces the shower and leaves the rest of the room alone. If the vanity and floor are fine and it's the shower that's tired, cracked, or leaking, this is the job you want — not a full renovation.
When a shower needs replacing rather than repairing
- Grout that keeps failing in the same place — usually movement or a substrate problem underneath, not a grout problem
- Loose or hollow-sounding tile — the bond has failed; regrouting will not fix it
- A soft spot in the pan — water is in the floor
- A stain on the ceiling below — the pan or the drain connection is leaking
- A cracked fiberglass base — patches on a flexing base do not hold
A leak you can see is usually older than you think. By the time a stain shows on the ceiling below, water has been moving through the floor for a while. That's why we open and look before quoting — the visible damage and the actual damage are rarely the same size.
What gets replaced
Tear-out of the old shower, then new waterproofing, new pan or base, new tile or surround, new valve and trim, and glass. If the valve is old we replace it while the wall is open — going back in later to change a valve means cutting tile you just paid for.
Tile or a solid surround
| Tile | Solid surround | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Any pattern, niches, benches | Limited |
| Cleaning | Grout lines need attention | Wipes down, no grout |
| Install time | Longer | Shorter |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
Neither is the right answer for everyone. A rental or a guest bath is often better off with a surround. A primary shower you use every day is usually worth tiling.
Recent work
How long it takes
Most shower replacements are three to six days on site, depending on whether it's tile or a surround and what we find when the old one comes out. Custom glass adds one to two weeks of lead time after the tile is set.
Want the tub gone instead of replaced? See walk-in showers. Doing the whole room? See bathroom remodeling.
Common questions
Can you just replace the shower without redoing the whole bathroom?
Yes, and for most people that's the better job. If the vanity, floor and toilet are in good shape there's no reason to tear them out.
My grout keeps cracking in the same spot. Is regrouting enough?
Usually not. Grout that fails repeatedly in one place is a symptom of movement or a substrate problem behind it. Regrouting hides it for a few months and it comes back.
Do you replace the shower valve too?
We replace it while the wall is open unless it's newer and in good condition. Changing a valve later means cutting into tile you just paid for.
How long before I can use the new shower?
The shower itself is usually usable within a week. Custom glass is measured after tile is set and takes one to two weeks to fabricate — most people use a temporary curtain until it arrives.
Get your free estimate
Takes about 30 seconds. We'll call you back with next steps — no address needed.