Summary
- Your main choices are a basic ready-made shower, a custom acrylic conversion or a custom tile build. The materials, design and amount of installation work explain much of the price difference.
- Bath Fitter conversions with our team run about $8,500–$17,000 installed. Most of our reported 2026 shower installations cost $8,723–$13,445, including replacements and conversions.
- A ready-made acrylic or fiberglass kit can cost less, with fewer size and design choices. Make sure you know whether the price includes removing the tub, plumbing and installation, or only the parts.
- Elaborate custom tile showers can exceed $25,000. If you mainly want the tile look, our tile-look acrylic walls offer a similar style without grout lines to maintain.
In this guide
Have you ever searched for the cost of turning your tub into a shower and found prices so far apart that you wondered whether everyone was talking about the same job?
And you can’t tell what you’d actually get for the money?
We get it. Before you invite anyone into your home, you want to know what your options are and whether they fit your budget.
That’s why we’ll walk through the choices: a basic ready-made shower, a custom acrylic shower like ours, and a custom tile shower. We’ll explain what costs more, what you get for it and where we think Bath Fitter offers good value.
Our family has operated Bath Fitter franchises since Louie Mullikin opened our first office in 2003. Our teams help homeowners with these decisions from Greenville and Columbia to Memphis and Oklahoma City.
Updated November 3, 2026. We’re using current 2026 prices to help you plan for 2027.
What are your options, and what do they cost?
A shower kit that comes in a box, a custom acrylic installation and a shower built with individual tiles are different purchases. Here’s where each one fits.
| Your option | Price examples | What you’re getting |
|---|---|---|
| Basic ready-made shower | $2,000–$6,000 This Old House’s published estimate for a prefabricated shower-stall conversion. |
A factory-made base with molded acrylic or fiberglass walls in set sizes. A simpler design that works best when the existing layout needs little change. Check whether your quote includes removal, plumbing and labor. |
| Bath Fitter custom acrylic conversion | About $8,500–$17,000 installed Our franchise’s own range. |
A custom-fit acrylic shower with grout-free walls, installation by our employees, a new valve, haul-away and included repairs within the tub or shower area. |
| Simpler tile shower | $6,000–$12,000 in This Old House’s guide; $12,000–$25,000 in Lamont Bros.’ Portland-area examples. | Individual tiles with a prepared, waterproofed base and walls. The tile, glass, layout and local labor costs affect the total. Some projects overlap our acrylic price range. |
| Luxury custom tile shower | $25,000–$45,000 Lamont Bros.’ published Portland-area examples. |
A full custom tile build with luxury fixtures. Unusual layouts, specialty tile, benches and custom glass can add more work and cost. |
There’s overlap. A fairly simple tile shower may cost less than a heavily customized acrylic one. An elaborate tile design can cost considerably more. Two showers can have the same name and still involve very different work.
When does a basic shower kit make sense?
The appeal is the price. If you want a straightforward shower, a ready-made unit fits the space and you’re happy with its appearance, it may do what you need for less.
These kits commonly use molded acrylic or fiberglass panels and a factory-made base. You choose from the sizes and styles available. Keeping the shower where the tub is now can help avoid extra plumbing and construction work.
The low price you see online needs a closer look before you budget around it. The price of a kit on a store shelf covers the product. A contractor’s conversion quote may include installing it. Find out who is taking out the tub, hauling it away and making the plumbing connections.
If you do the work yourself, you save on hired labor and take responsibility for the installation. With a handyman or contractor, ask who will handle a leak or installation problem afterward. The product warranty may be separate from coverage for the work.
Materials matter as well. Lowe’s guide describes acrylic as generally more durable than fiberglass, though it can cost more. A basic kit can be a sensible budget choice. It gives you fewer choices in fit and appearance than a custom shower.
What do you get with a Bath Fitter conversion?
We’re an option for homeowners who want a custom shower and professional installation without taking on a custom tile build. Our tub-to-shower conversions run about $8,500–$17,000 installed.
Most of our reported 2026 shower installations cost $8,723–$13,445. That’s based on 2,310 showers installed by our own franchise company, using figures our team supplied on October 13, 2026. The group includes shower replacements as well as conversions.
To make that more useful for your own bathroom, here are a few examples:
- $8,450–$11,700: our simplest online estimate, with smooth solid-color acrylic walls, a curtain and rod, and no optional extras.
- About $9,500–$14,500: decorative acrylic walls, sliding glass doors and grab bars.
- About $11,500–$17,000: tile-look acrylic walls, custom glass and a fold-down seat.
The simplest estimate was checked on November 2, 2026. The other examples are on our conversion pricing page. You can mix choices. A seat may be important to you even if decorative walls aren’t.
For another comparison, Home Depot’s guide lists $12,500–$18,000 for a conversion. The same page also gives $8,000–$15,000 for work in the tub or shower area, including materials and labor.
Here’s what you get with us: Bath Fitter makes and ships the acrylic products, and our franchise’s own employees measure and install your shower. That helps us control costs. You also have a local team to call after the installation.
Our one-piece seamless wall continues around the corners. It has no grout lines on the wall surface to scrub. Bath Fitter acrylic products have a lifetime warranty, with terms explained in the warranty documents. Doors, fixtures and other products can have different coverage.
Barbara Sadler, a customer in our Arkansas market, described the finished result this way:
“Finished project was as represented. I like the finish’s and hardware. We are very pleased. We would use them again.”
Barbara Sadler · Arkansas market · Google review, November 2025
You can read more experiences from our local customers or visit the Arkansas Google review profile.
When is a $25,000-plus custom tile shower worth considering?
If you want a particular tile, natural stone, an unusual layout or an elaborate built-in bench, a custom tile shower gives you more freedom. You can work with a designer and tile installer to build around details a manufactured shower system may not offer.
That freedom takes work. Individual tiles have to be laid and grouted, the shower needs proper waterproofing, and some designs require changes to the floor or plumbing. Those choices help explain how a custom tile project can reach $25,000 or more.
Real tile can be beautiful. If the material itself is important to you, it may be worth the price and the cleaning that comes with it. You’ll need to care for the grout and the surface you choose.
But if what you love is the look, you may not need to pay for a full custom tile build. Our tile-look acrylic walls can give you a similar style without grout lines to maintain. Pair them with glass doors and the features you want, and you can get a finished shower you’re proud of within our acrylic price range.
It won’t be the same material or offer every possible custom detail. The question is whether you want those details, or whether you mainly want a good-looking shower that’s easier to clean. Our acrylic cleaning guide shows what the upkeep involves.
What’s included in our installation price?
You’re paying for us to take out the bathtub and put in the shower you chose. That includes removing and hauling away the old materials, preparing the tub or shower area, installing the new base and walls, and fitting a new valve.
We also complete the plumbing connections and install the doors and accessories listed in your quote. When the work is finished, we clean up and show you how to look after the shower.
The photo below is from a real conversion in Yukon, Oklahoma. With the old tub out, you can see the work that has to happen before the finished walls go in. There’s more involved than swapping one fixture for another.
If we find water damage within the tub or shower area, the repairs are included in our installation price. Structural work is referred to the appropriate specialist. If you know about a leak or a soft spot in the floor, tell us during the visit so we can look at it with you.
Our conversion guide explains the work in more detail. Cam Young also talks through what homeowners should know about damage behind an old tub in the short video below.
Wondering how long you’ll be without your tub? Our guide explains what a one-day installation includes, what happens before the crew arrives and why some bathrooms take longer.
Where should you spend more, and where can you save?
Start with why you want the tub gone. If stepping over the side is becoming difficult, the new shower’s entry and the features that help you use it come first. A seat or grab bars may matter more than the wall pattern.
A curtain is one of the simplest ways to keep the price down. If you like the look of glass, ask what it adds. Standard sliding doors and custom glass have different prices, so there may be a choice you like without going to the most expensive option.
The wall finish is another choice you can control. Smooth, solid-color acrylic costs less than some decorative finishes. Tile-look acrylic gives you a pattern without adding grout lines to clean.
Keeping the shower where the tub is now can also help. Moving plumbing or making the shower larger adds work. If the current layout works, there may be no reason to change it.
William Mullikin and Cam Young discuss these decisions in our shower pricing podcast. Tell the consultant your budget early. We’d rather show you choices you can comfortably pay for than spend the visit designing something you don’t want to buy.
Does the price cover the whole bathroom?
These prices cover replacing your bathtub with a shower. A vanity, new flooring throughout the room, lighting or a different room layout means additional work.
If you like the rest of your bathroom, you may only need to change the part that’s bothering you. These photos show the same Yukon home before and after its tub-to-shower conversion.
If you want real tile or a completely different bathroom layout, a traditional remodeling contractor may be a better fit. If someone in the house still uses the tub regularly, keeping a bathtub may make more sense. We want you to enjoy the bathroom you end up with.
Can you finance a tub-to-shower conversion?
Yes. Financing is available to qualified buyers, subject to credit approval and the lender’s terms. You can see the current options on our financing page.
Look at the full project price as well as the monthly payment. We’ll help you understand the available options so you can decide what you’re comfortable taking on.
How do you find out what your shower would cost?
You don’t need to choose every detail today. Start with our free instant online estimate. Pick the walls, enclosure and features you’re considering to see a price range.
Or book a free in-home consultation. We’ll measure the bathroom, bring samples and give you a written quote. That’s when we can answer what glass would add, whether a seat fits and what the finished shower would cost.
You should leave knowing what the shower includes and what it would cost. Whatever you decide, make sure whoever you hire does what they say they’re going to do.
More help with the questions below:
- What happens during a tub-to-shower conversion?
- How do acrylic and tile showers compare?
- How do you clean an acrylic shower?
Sources
- Bath Fitter Fam conversion pricing
- Our franchise installation data supplied October 13 2026
- Bath Fitter Fam Podcast Episode 1 with William Mullikin and Cam Young
- Local customer reviews
- Bath Fitter official warranty documents
- Home Depot tub-to-shower conversion cost guide, checked November 2 2026
- Lowe’s shower base and wall material guide, checked November 2 2026
- Bath Fitter PriceGuide estimator, simplest conversion checked November 2 2026
- This Old House 2026 conversion guide, ready-made shower estimate and definition, checked November 2 2026
- Lamont Bros. Portland-area custom tile conversion prices, checked November 2 2026
Frequently asked questions
What does the simplest Bath Fitter conversion cost?
Our simplest online estimate is $8,450–$11,700 for smooth, solid-color acrylic walls, a curtain and rod, and no optional extras. That includes installation, a new valve and hauling away the old materials.
Can I get the look of tile without choosing a tile shower?
Yes. Tile-look acrylic walls give you a patterned finish without grout lines on the wall surface. Individual tile gives you more custom design choices, while acrylic can be easier to clean. Acrylic still needs regular cleaning with products that are safe for the surface.
Can a simpler design still include a seat or grab bars?
Yes. Tell us about the seat or grab bars first if they’re important to how you’ll use the shower. We can look at simpler walls or a curtain to help keep the total closer to your budget.
Is a tub-to-shower conversion completed in one day?
Many installations can be completed in as little as one day. Some bathrooms need more time, and we’ll discuss the timing with you. There’s also time between choosing the design and installation day while your order is prepared.
Does the price include a lifetime warranty?
Bath Fitter acrylic products have a lifetime warranty, with terms and limitations. Doors, fixtures and other products can have different coverage. We’ll explain what applies to your shower, and the written warranty documents are linked in this guide.
Do permits cost extra?
That depends on where you live and the work involved. We’ll explain whether your project needs permits and how the fees are handled in your written quote.
Is the online estimate my final price?
No. The online tool gives you a price range for the options you choose. We’ll measure your bathroom and go through the details with you before giving you a written quote.