Tub to Shower Conversion in Homestead, FL: Cost, Time and What Changes

• Bathroom Remodeling
• 

  GXG Remodeling
• 23 Oct 2026

Tub to Shower Conversion in Homestead, FL: Cost, Time and What Changes

A tub to shower conversion in South Florida usually costs somewhere between $4,000 and $10,000 as a general industry ballpark, not a GXG quote, and most of that money goes into waterproofing, tile and glass rather than plumbing. It takes about 1 to 2 weeks, it often needs a plumbing permit if the drain or valve moves, and the biggest swing factors are the drain location in your concrete slab and whether you want a curbless entry. Below is what changes, what to ask, and where published figures from other sources fit. Those outside ranges are benchmarks, not GXG quotes. For the whole room, see our bathroom remodel cost guide.

Typical Cost Range

That figure matches the one on our bathroom remodel cost page, and it assumes the shower replaces the tub in roughly the same spot. Other published sources land in different places because they are describing different jobs. Here is how they compare. Every number below was published by the named source and is a national or general range, not a Homestead price or a GXG quote.

These ranges are general industry ballparks, shown for education only, not a GXG quote. Every project is custom, so your real price comes from a free estimate.

Why the spread? The low numbers are prefabricated acrylic or fiberglass units that reuse the old drain. The high numbers include custom tile, frameless glass, benches and plumbing changes. Reddit threads and retailer pages also quote very different prices for the same job, so the useful move is to compare scope line by line, not the bottom number. Sources: Horizon Kitchen and Bath, Home Depot, Express Bath.

What Moves the Price

These are the line items that explain most of the difference between two quotes for what sounds like the same job:

• Demolition and disposal. Pulling out a tub, a surround and the wall finish behind it. Cast iron tubs are heavy and slow to remove, and older walls can hide damage.
• Drain and valve work. A shower drain and valve are usually set differently from a tub's. Horizon Kitchen and Bath reports $1,000 to $3,000 for moving drain or supply lines, and says costs stay minimal when the shower uses the tub's footprint.
• Waterproofing and the shower floor. Sloped base, membrane, curb or curbless detail. This is the work you never see and the work that decides whether the shower leaks.
• Tile, niche and trim. Large-format tile has fewer grout lines but needs a flatter wall. A recessed niche, bench or accent band adds labor. See our tile installation cost guide.
• Glass or a curtain. A rod and curtain is the cheapest finish. Frameless glass is custom cut and is often priced separately from the tile work.
• Fixtures. A rain head, a hand shower and a pressure-balance or thermostatic valve cost more than a basic trim kit.
• Surprises behind the wall. Old leaks, soft framing or damaged block. Ask how the contractor handles a change order and what it would cost per item before demolition starts.

Prefab Shower or Tiled Shower

A prefabricated base and wall kit goes in faster and costs less because the waterproof surface is the product itself. A tiled shower costs more because every layer is built on site, but it can be shaped to any size, takes a niche, bench or linear drain, and can match the rest of the bathroom. In a 5 by 8 foot bathroom, the tub footprint is usually about 60 by 30 inches, and a tiled shower can fill that space exactly. A prefab base only comes in certain sizes, so measure before you fall in love with one.

A prefab can be a sensible budget choice, especially in a guest bath, if the old drain is in a workable spot and the wall behind it is sound. Ask for the manufacturer's installation requirements in writing either way, because the warranty on a kit often depends on following them.

Drain Location, Slab and Curbless Entries

This is where Homestead bathrooms differ from the national average. Many homes in South Miami-Dade, including many concrete block and stucco houses, are built on a concrete slab at ground level. In a slab home the tub drain runs through or under the concrete. If the new shower drain lands in a different spot, someone may have to cut the slab, run new pipe, patch it and let it cure. Horizon Kitchen and Bath notes that slab foundations can cost more for this reason and that a curbless shower adds roughly $2,000 to $5,000 over a curbed one. Those are outside figures, so ask any contractor what your own bathroom would need. Every project is custom, and a free estimate gives your real price.

The easiest path is a shower that keeps the drain where it already is. Many tubs have their drain at one end, so a shower that fills the tub space and keeps the drain near that end is a cost-friendly layout. A center drain, a linear drain or a curbless entry changes the slope of the whole floor, and in a slab bathroom the floor cannot simply be lowered without work. A curbless shower also needs a larger sloped area and careful water containment at the entry. If a contractor says a curbless shower is simple, ask how it handles the slope and where the water stops.

Ventilation matters too. Showers are bigger steam makers than tubs, and South Florida humidity already stresses a bathroom. Ask whether the exhaust fan vents to the outdoors, whether it is sized for the room, and whether the ceiling and paint finish are suited to a wet space. If your ceiling has older texture, see our guides to drywall repair and installation and popcorn ceiling removal before you plan the finish work.

Waterproofing and Flood Testing

Tile is not waterproof, and grout is not waterproof either. A shower relies on a waterproof layer behind and under the tile. Two terms to know when you compare bids:

• ANSI A118.10. A standard that tile-industry membrane makers test against for load-bearing, bonded waterproof membranes. A membrane manufacturer's data sheet will say whether the product meets it. Ask which membrane is being used and for the installation instructions.
• Flood test. After the membrane cures and before tile, the shower floor is plugged and filled with water to see if the level drops. The hold time depends on the membrane, and some quick-cure products allow shorter tests, so the manufacturer's data sheet sets the rule. A common contractor practice is a test of about 24 hours.

The pan, the curb, the corners, the niche and the drain connection are the weak points. Ask who tests the shower, whether the test is photographed or dated, and how a leak would be handled after the job. Our bathroom remodel cost guide covers why showers leak in more detail, and if you already see staining on a wall or ceiling below a shower, see our water damage repair page. Sources: LATICRETE HYDRO BAN data sheet, Ardex flood testing bulletin.

Permits and Timeline

Florida's 2026 law lets owners and their contractors skip a building permit for single-family work valued under $7,500, but it does not cover plumbing, electrical, mechanical, gas or structural work, and it does not apply to a property in a designated flood hazard area. The Village of Pinecrest also notes that the exemption is not automatic and that you must request it from the building department. A tub to shower conversion where the drain or valve moves is plumbing work, so expect a permit. Miami-Dade's plumbing guidance says layout changes are the kind of work that needs plans, and it also points owners to its exemption list to check whether a particular job needs a permit. Because rules differ between the county and the individual cities, call the building department for your address. We are not giving a legal conclusion here. Sources: Village of Pinecrest, Miami-Dade plumbing permits.

On timing, a shower or tub conversion typically runs 1 to 2 weeks on South Florida jobs. A published contractor guide from Horizon Kitchen and Bath lists 2 to 3 weeks for a standard walk-in and 4 to 5 weeks for a custom curbless one, with a day or two for demolition, a day or two for plumbing, several days for waterproofing and tile, and time for glass and inspections. Special-order tile and custom glass are the usual reasons a schedule stretches, and an owner living in a house with a single bathroom should plan where to shower for those weeks. Condo and HOA buildings may also require association approval and work-hour limits, so ask before ordering materials.

Resale and Keeping One Tub

If you plan to sell in the next few years, think before you remove the only tub in the house. A National Association of Realtors article reporting a 2021 National Association of Home Builders survey said first-time buyers ranked a shower and tub combination highest among 18 bathroom features, and that 42 percent called a primary bath with both a shower stall and a tub desirable. The article says the trend toward removing tubs and enlarging showers could hurt resale value depending on the buyer. It is an archived article from 2022 and covers first-time buyers only, so treat it as a caution, not a rule. A simple approach is to convert the tub in a primary or guest bath and keep a tub in a second bathroom. A local real estate agent can tell you how your neighborhood buyers behave. Source: National Association of Realtors.

Aging in Place and Medicare

Many South Dade homeowners ask about a conversion because stepping over a tub wall has become hard. A curbless or low-threshold shower, a bench, a hand shower and blocking in the wall for grab bars all help, and it is far cheaper to add that blocking while the wall is open than to open it again later. The federal ADA Standards for Accessible Design describe transfer-type showers of at least 36 by 36 inches and roll-in showers of at least 30 by 60 inches, but those rules apply to public and commercial spaces, not to a private house, so use them as a reference and ask an occupational therapist what your family member needs.

On paying for it, consumer guides such as the National Council on Aging say Original Medicare generally does not cover a permanent bathroom conversion, even with a doctor's note. Some Medicare Advantage plans, state Medicaid waiver programs and VA home adaptation grants offer limited help, and the details change, so confirm with Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE or your plan before you sign a contract. Source: National Council on Aging.

Questions to Ask Any Contractor

• Will the drain stay where it is? If it moves, is the slab being cut, and who patches it?
• Which waterproofing membrane is used, and does its data sheet cover the curb, niche and corners?
• Will the shower floor be flood tested before tile, and will I get a date or photo?
• Who pulls the permit, if one is needed, and who schedules inspections?
• What happens if rot, old leaks or damaged framing are found behind the tub? Ask for a written change-order process.
• Are tile, glass, fixtures and the valve included in the price, and who orders them? Lead times for glass and special tile are the usual delay.
• Does the exhaust fan vent outside, and will the ceiling be repainted?
• What is the written schedule, and what are the payment milestones?

Get at least three itemized quotes when you can, and compare the line items instead of the totals.

Frequently Asked Questions

No article can tell you what is under your slab or behind your tub wall. The only number worth planning around is one written after someone has measured your bathroom and looked at the drain. See our bathroom remodeling work, or call (786) 724-5571 for a written, no-obligation estimate.

Planning more than the shower? See tile installation, our tile cost guide and bathroom remodeling help in Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay.