Walk-In Showers & Tub-to-Shower Conversion

A tub-to-shower conversion in Vancouver, WA is the most requested bathroom job we get asked about, and for good reason: it solves a real daily problem, it costs a fraction of a full remodel, and it's usually finished in a few days.

Two kinds of people ask for it. People whose guest bathroom has a tub that has not been used in a decade and is wasting the best square footage in the room. And people for whom stepping over a 15-inch tub wall has stopped being easy — for themselves or for a parent living with them.

Low-step or curbless

There are two ways to do the entry, and the difference matters more than the tile you pick.

Low-step

A short curb, usually 3 to 4 inches. Simpler to build, works in almost any bathroom, and keeps water in reliably. This is what most conversions get.

Curbless (zero-entry)

No lip at all — the bathroom floor runs straight into the shower. It looks better and it's the right answer if a walker or wheelchair has to get in. It's also more work: the floor has to be recessed or built up so the slope drains, which means opening the subfloor. On a slab or over a crawlspace it's straightforward; on a second floor it depends on which way the joists run.

What you can add while it's open

• Bench — built-in tile bench or a fold-down seat. Decide this early; it changes the framing
• Grab bars — blocking goes in the wall during framing. Adding it later means opening the wall again
• Handheld on a slide bar — the single most useful thing you can add, for washing, for cleaning, and for anyone seated
• Niche — recessed shelves instead of a corner caddy
• Glass — sliding door, hinged door, or a fixed panel with no door at all

Put the grab-bar blocking in even if you don't want bars now. It costs almost nothing during framing and saves opening a finished wall in five years.

How long it takes

A straightforward conversion in an existing footprint is usually three to five days of work on site, plus the wait for glass if you're getting a custom enclosure. Glass is measured after the tile is set and typically takes one to two weeks to fabricate, so many people use the shower with a temporary curtain in the meantime.

Recent work

One thing worth thinking about first

If you only have one bathroom in the house, removing the only tub can affect resale — some buyers with small children want a tub somewhere. If you have two bathrooms, converting one and leaving the other with a tub is the usual answer. We'll say so at the visit if it looks relevant; it's your call, not ours.

Want the whole room done instead? See bathroom remodeling. Just replacing a worn shower? See shower remodel.

Common questions

Can you convert a tub to a walk-in shower in a few days?

Most conversions in the existing footprint take three to five days on site. Custom glass is measured after tile is set and adds one to two weeks of lead time, which you can wait out with a temporary curtain.

Is a curbless shower possible on a second floor?

Often, but it depends on the joists. The floor has to be recessed for the slope to drain, and that means checking which way the framing runs before anyone promises you curbless. We look before we quote it.

Do I need grab bars?

Not necessarily, but you should put the wall blocking in either way. It's a small cost during framing and it means bars can be added at any point in the future without opening a finished wall.

Will removing the tub hurt my home's value?

If it's the only tub in the house, it can matter to buyers with young children. With two bathrooms, converting one is the normal move. We'll flag it at the visit if it looks like a real consideration for your layout.

How much does a tub to shower conversion cost?

Far less than a full remodel — it's a smaller scope in an existing footprint. Ranges are on our cost page, and we give you a written number after measuring.