Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Tub-to-shower conversion is the bathroom layout change that turns an alcove tub into a walk-in shower (and, on the reverse page, brings a tub back to a shower-only bath) — five distinct paths from $5,000 for a prefab acrylic surround on the existing footprint to $16,000 for a fully tiled curbless ADA shower with linear drain, grab-bar blocking, and a tile bench. Handis owns the demo, framing changes, curb (or curbless slope), waterproofing and pan, tile or acrylic surround, glass enclosure, and the finish coordination from first day to last. The in-wall plumbing relocation — the tub-drain-to-shower-drain swap, any valve or mixer reposition — subcontracts to a licensed Washington L&I plumber on a scheduled visit inside the timeline; permits, where required, go through the licensed party. One project manager, one schedule, one number to call.
Conversions
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Pricing
Final pricing depends on the conversion path, the tile or acrylic selection, the enclosure (framed vs frameless), and whether the curb stays or goes curbless. The licensed plumber's portion is included in every quote (drain conversion, any valve reposition, fixture trim) — not a surprise line item. Permits, where required by Seattle DCI or your city, go through the licensed plumber and are quoted upfront. Request a free in-home estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us the bath layout and the path you want — alcove, curbless ADA, acrylic kit, full tile, or shower-to-tub. We will quote the project.
Why Seattle Homeowners Book Handis for Tub-to-Shower Conversions
A bathroom conversion only goes well when one company owns the schedule. The pattern that wrecks conversions is the homeowner trying to coordinate three independent trades (a contractor for demo and framing, a plumber for the drain, a tile setter for the surround) and watching the gaps eat two extra weeks while the bath sits demolished. Handis runs the project end-to-end — we do the demo, the framing, the curb, the waterproofing, the tile or acrylic, the glass, and the finishing; the licensed Washington L&I plumber comes in twice on a scheduled visit (drain rough-in and final trim) and we coordinate those visits to the day. One project manager, one number to call, one walk-through at the end. The licensed plumber and any electrician carry their own insurance, pull their own permits where required, and stand behind their portion under their own license.
Estimate
Tell us the bath layout (alcove tub or shower stall today), the conversion path you are considering (alcove walk-in, curbless ADA, acrylic kit, full tile, or shower-to-tub), the rough budget range, and any constraints you already know — a fixed timeline, an upcoming move, an accessibility need, a permit question. We send back a clear estimate and a project timeline.
What Our Customers Say
Recent tub-to-shower conversion reviews from verified Seattle-area customers across all five conversion paths.
1976 split-level in Redmond, original alcove tub in the primary bath we never used. Booked the alcove-to-walk-in path with porcelain large-format tile and a frameless enclosure. Eight working days start to finish. The plumber came in on day two for the drain rough-in and day seven for the trim — both visits on the day Handis said they would. No gaps, no waiting on anyone. The flood-test on the pan ran overnight on day five before any tile went down; we slept easier knowing it had been verified.
Curbless ADA conversion for my dad moving in with us. The team assessed the floor structure first (we had a sister-joist done to allow the recess), installed grab-bar blocking during framing so the bars could go anywhere later, and built the single-plane slope to a Schluter linear drain at the back wall. ADA mixer, handheld plus fixed head, tile bench. Twelve working days. The frameless glass panel was the cleanest curbless install I have seen.
Acrylic kit conversion on a rental property we were turning quickly between tenants. Three days from demo to a working shower. The Sterling one-piece kit looks clean, the plumber's drain conversion was straightforward, the sliding door went in last. No grout to clean ever again — that was the whole point. Came in under budget at $5,800 with a couple of upgrades.
Full tiled walk-in conversion with a custom niche layout, a corner bench, body sprays, and a frameless 3/8-inch glass enclosure. Fourteen working days for the build, exactly as quoted. The tile setter mocked up the niche placement on the framing with painter's tape before he committed — we adjusted one of the niches three inches lower because of where my wife actually keeps the shampoo. Worth every dollar.
We bought a 1920s craftsman in Wallingford that had been re-done by flippers in 2014 — primary bath had been converted to shower-only, no tub anywhere in the house. With a baby coming, we needed a tub back. Handis put a standard 60-inch alcove tub back in the primary, converted the 2-inch shower drain to a tub-and-overflow combo (the licensed plumber's job), tile-surrounded it in subway tile to match the era, and added a tempered glass shower screen. Five working days. Resale value back up, baby has a tub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about tub-to-shower conversion — pricing, timeline, plumber handoff, permits, design choices, and what to expect.