Shower & Tub Updates
Handis shower and tub updates is the wet-zone refresh that updates a bathroom without a full remodel — shower door installs (framed, semi-frameless, and frameless tempered-glass enclosures), like-for-like bathtub replacement, shower valve trim swaps, and bathtub refinishing — from $400 for a trim swap to $6,000 for a full like-for-like tub replacement with carpentry and tile carryover. The shower curtain that has been pulled across the alcove for nine years. The tub that is structurally sound but the surface is scratched and yellowed. The chrome lever handle that does not match the brushed-nickel everything else in the room. A bathroom that needs a reset, not a gut. Handis covers the four real wet-zone updates honestly — install, replace, swap, refinish — with every in-wall plumbing supply, drain, or valve body routed to a licensed Washington L&I plumber.
Services
What Do Handis Shower & Tub Updates Cover?
Shower and tub updates are the four real wet-zone refresh services that update a Seattle bathroom without the budget and timeline of a full remodel — a new shower door (framed, semi-frameless, or frameless glass) on the existing opening, a like-for-like bathtub replacement that swaps the tub but keeps the rough plumbing and the surround, a shower valve trim swap that updates handles and escutcheons on the existing in-wall valve, and a bathtub refinishing or reglazing that coats the existing tub surface for another 10 to 15 years. Pricing starts at $400 for a trim swap and runs to $6,000 for a like-for-like tub replacement on a difficult demo. Each sub-service has its own page below with the work, the price, and the plumber handoff scope.
Shower Door Installation
New tempered-glass shower enclosure on the existing opening — three variants. Framed (aluminum perimeter, lightest glass, lowest cost, fastest install) for tub alcoves and budget walk-ins. Semi-frameless (heavier glass, partial framing, modern lines) for the middle of the market. Frameless glass (3/8-inch or 1/2-inch tempered glass, hinges and clips only, custom-measured) for the premium walk-in shower. All three require the opening to be plumb and level within 1/8 inch — out-of-plumb openings get shimmed or routed to the tile contractor first. From $600.
Shower Door Installation — framed, semi-frameless, frameless glass
Bathtub Replacement (like-for-like)
Same-footprint tub swap that keeps the rough plumbing rough-in and the existing surround intact wherever possible. Handis demos the old tub, sets the new one (acrylic, fiberglass, porcelain-over-steel, or cast iron sized to the existing alcove), levels and shims it to the manufacturer's spec, and re-caulks the wet-zone joints. The in-wall plumbing — overflow drain, tub waste assembly, and any valve work — routes to a licensed Washington L&I plumber as a coordinated subcontract. From $2,500 plus the plumber's invoice on their own scope.
Bathtub Replacement (like-for-like) — same footprint, in-wall plumbing subbed to a licensed plumber
Shower Valve Trim Swap
Visible-trim-only refresh on an existing in-wall valve body — handle, escutcheon (cover plate), showerhead, showerhead arm, and tub spout — same brand and trim kit as the existing valve. Same-day install with no wall opening and no plumber call. Cross-brand swap (Moen trim on a Delta valve, for example) is not in scope because it requires opening the wall and replacing the valve body, which routes to a licensed plumber. From $400 trim-only, $200 to $600 fixture cost depending on finish.
Shower Valve Trim Swap — trim only, no wall opening, no plumber needed
Bathtub Refinishing / Reglazing
Surface coating service for a structurally sound but cosmetically tired tub. Strip the old finish, etch the substrate, apply a three-coat epoxy or polyurethane coating to a porcelain-over-steel, cast-iron, or fiberglass tub, cure 24 to 48 hours. The refinished surface lasts 10 to 15 years with non-abrasive cleaning. Cheaper than replacement and zero plumbing work — but the surface is a coating, not the original glaze, and aggressive scouring will wear it through. From $500.
Bathtub Refinishing / Reglazing — three-coat epoxy or polyurethane, 24-48 hour cure
Shower & Tub Updates Pricing
Final pricing depends on glass thickness, tub material, opening size, finish choices, and how much plumber-scope work the project triggers. Each child page lists detailed pricing for that sub-service. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us what you want to update — door, tub, trim, or surface — and we will quote it with the plumber scope, if any, called out separately.
Why Seattle Homeowners Book Handis for Shower & Tub Updates
Most bathroom-update calls we field are for the one wet-zone element the homeowner has been looking at for years and has finally decided to stop tolerating. The shower curtain that gets shoved aside and grows mildew at the bottom. The tub surface that has gone from glossy to chalky white. The brushed-nickel everything-else that fights with the one remaining chrome handle. The fix is rarely the whole bathroom — it is one piece. Handis runs the four real wet-zone updates as standalone services so you can do the one that matters and leave the rest alone. The honest plumber handoff on anything in-wall keeps the scope and the budget clear from the booking call.
One wet-zone update, not a remodel project
Shower and tub updates are scoped to one element on one visit — a door, a tub, a trim kit, a refinish — without the demo-everything-and-rebuild assumption of a full bathroom remodel. The job stays inside its scope, the price is fixed, and the homeowner sees a result the same week instead of six weeks from now.
Honest plumber handoff on anything in-wall
In-wall plumbing — the valve body behind the trim, the tub supply and waste rough-in, any cross-brand valve swap — routes to a licensed Washington L&I plumber as a coordinated subcontract. Handis does the carpentry, the demo, the surround set, the trim install, and the carpentry-side coordination. The plumber owns their scope, their permit when applicable, and their invoice. You see both pieces of the quote before any work starts.
Opening plumb and level — verified before the door is ordered
Frameless and semi-frameless shower doors require the existing tile opening to be plumb and level within 1/8 inch. Out-of-plumb openings show through as gapped seals, glass that does not close flush, and water tracks across the bathroom floor. We measure plumb and level with a 4-foot level and a laser plumb before any custom glass gets ordered — if the opening is out, we say so on arrival and route the work to the tile contractor first.
Same-brand trim swap stays trim-only
A Moen trim kit fits a Moen valve body, a Delta on a Delta, a Kohler on a Kohler. Within a brand the trim swap is a same-day no-plumber update. Cross-brand swaps (Moen trim on a Delta valve) require opening the wall, replacing the valve body, capping and re-routing the supply lines, and re-pressurizing — that is a licensed-plumber job and we route it before any wall comes off. We confirm the existing valve brand on the booking call so the scope is set before arrival.
Refinishing is a coating, with honest expectations
Bathtub refinishing applies a three-coat epoxy or polyurethane to the existing tub surface and cures 24 to 48 hours. It looks brand-new and lasts 10 to 15 years with non-abrasive cleaning. It is NOT the original porcelain or enamel glaze, and aggressive scouring (Comet, steel wool, hard-bristle pads) will wear through. We hand you a written care sheet on completion — the refinish lives if the care matches.
Insured, background-checked, 30-day workmanship guarantee
Every Handis tech carries liability insurance and has cleared a background screening. The 30-day workmanship guarantee covers our scope — a shower door that loosens, a trim swap that drips at the escutcheon, a refinish that lifts at an edge, a tub that settles unevenly from our shim work. The plumber's scope is covered by the plumber's separate workmanship guarantee, which we share before booking.
Estimate
Tell us which update — shower door (framed, semi-frameless, or frameless glass), like-for-like tub replacement (and existing tub material if you know it — acrylic, fiberglass, porcelain-over-steel, cast iron), valve trim swap (and the existing valve brand if you can see it on the handle), or bathtub refinishing — and the rough age of the bathroom. We send a clear estimate with the plumber-scope handoff called out separately when applicable.
What Our Customers Say
Recent shower and tub update reviews from verified Seattle-area customers.
We had a 12-year-old chrome shower curtain rod over our master alcove tub. Handis measured the opening, ordered a semi-frameless brushed-nickel door, and installed it three weeks later in about three hours. The opening was actually 3/16 plumb-out — they shimmed it cleanly so the glass closes flush. The bathroom looks new and we never opened the walls.
1978 cast-iron tub in our Ballard Craftsman. Surface had gone yellow and chalky. The tech walked us through refinishing vs replacement honestly — the cast iron was solid, replacement would have meant tearing out three feet of plaster wall, and the refinish would last another 12 years with the right care. Two-day cure, hand-off care sheet, looks like a brand-new tub. Saved us about $4,000.
Shower valve was old Delta, we wanted the brushed-nickel Delta trim to match the new vanity faucet. Handis confirmed it was Delta on the booking call (we sent a photo of the handle), ordered the matching Trinsic kit, and swapped everything — handle, escutcheon, showerhead, arm, tub spout — in 90 minutes. No wall opening, no plumber. Bathroom looks tied together for the first time.
We thought we wanted a new tub. Handis sent a tech who looked at the existing acrylic, checked the deck and the apron, and told us straight that refinishing was the right call for a tub in good structural shape. Three-coat epoxy, 48-hour cure, white instead of the original almond. Bathroom feels modern without anyone tearing the floor up.
Like-for-like tub swap in our Mercer Island guest bath — old porcelain-on-steel was scratched and chipped at the apron. Handis demoed the tub, coordinated with their plumber for the drain and supply tie-in, set a new acrylic alcove tub the same size, re-caulked the surround. The plumber invoice and the Handis invoice came separately just like they explained on the booking call — no surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Handis shower and tub updates — pricing, scope, what stays in-house, and what routes to a licensed Washington L&I plumber.