Walk-in Shower Installation Cost Calculator

Getting an installed price takes seven quick entries. The tool sizes the shower base first, then adds the glass, the plumbing and the permit.

1. Enter the shower length and width in inches. A standard tub-size shower is 60 by 36 inches.
2. Pick the shower type. A prefab kit is the cheapest, custom tile costs the most.
3. Pick the glass enclosure. Frameless glass costs about two and a half times a framed enclosure.
4. Pick the plumbing option and whether a tub comes out, add the permit, then press Calculate, or press Enter. The total appears first and large, with the sized base and the extras below. Press Reset to clear the form and start over.

The walk-in shower installation cost formula is total = (type base x floor area / 13.33) + glass + plumbing + tub removal + permit. The type base is the installed cost for a standard 32 by 60 inch shower, which has a floor area of 13.33 sq ft, so the tool scales it by your shower's floor area.

Type bases are the mid-range installed prices for that standard size. A prefab acrylic or fiberglass kit is $5,500, ceramic or porcelain tile is $8,000, natural stone or large-format tile is $11,500 and a curbless tiled shower is $11,500. Glass is $700 framed, $1,200 semi-frameless and $1,800 frameless. Plumbing is $800 if the drain and supply stay put and $2,500 if they move, and tub removal is $1,000. Our tile calculator prices the tile alone if you want to compare the material against the installed base.

A 60 by 36 inch shower gets ceramic tile and semi-frameless glass, the plumbing stays in place, a tub comes out and the permit costs $300. Here is exactly what the calculator does.

1. Floor area: 60 x 36 / 144 = 15 sq ft.
2. Size factor: 15 / 13.33 = 1.125.
3. Sized base: $8,000 x 1.125 = $9,000.
4. Total: $9,000 + $1,200 glass + $800 plumbing + $1,000 tub removal + $300 permit = $12,300.

As a second check, the same shower as a prefab kit costs $5,500 x 1.125 = $6,187.50, plus the same $3,300 of extras, for $9,487.50, which rounds to $9,488. A typical tub-to-shower conversion with porcelain tile runs $5,300 to $10,600 for the smaller 32 by 60 inch size, so try your own numbers in the tool above.

A prefab acrylic or fiberglass kit costs $4,000 to $7,000 installed for a tub-size shower. It goes in fast, in one to three days, seals reliably and cleans easily, and it suits a budget job or a rental. The trade is a fixed size and a fixed look, with seams that show.

A custom tiled shower costs $5,300 to $10,600 with ceramic or porcelain tile and semi-frameless glass, and $7,700 to $15,100 with natural stone and frameless glass. Tile takes five to ten working days, since the pan, waterproofing and tile go in layer by layer, but you choose the size, the tile and the niche. If you plan to stay in the home, tile is the better long-term value. Our flooring calculator prices the bathroom floor that usually goes in with the same job.

Glass is the most visible choice and the price spread is wide. A framed enclosure costs about $700, a semi-frameless one $1,200 and a frameless one $1,800, since the glass is thicker and the hardware is custom. Frameless glass looks best and cleans easiest, but it needs a perfectly level curb or floor, so it pairs badly with a wavy prefab base.

Plumbing is $800 when the drain and supply stay in the old tub location, and $2,500 when they move, since moving them means breaking through the slab or subfloor and re-testing for leaks before tile goes on. Tub removal runs $800 to $1,500, and the old tub often hides water damage that only shows once it is out, so keep a little budget spare. Our home water softener installation cost calculator covers the water treatment side if hard water is the reason your fixtures keep failing.

A walk-in shower is a waterproof box with tile on top, and the tile is not the waterproofing. The pan, the membrane on the walls and the sealed corners keep water out of the framing, and a cheap job skips a layer or rushes the cure time. Ask your installer which membrane system they use and how long it cures before tile goes on, since that answer tells you more than the price does.

A curbless shower costs more than a curbed one, at $7,500 to $15,600 for a tub-size job, because the floor is recessed so water drains without a step. It is the best choice for step-free access, and it needs a linear drain and a floor that slopes just right. Whatever style you pick, a permit usually costs $150 to $500, and the job needs an inspection before the tile covers the waterproofing.