What a Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Marco Actually Costs and How Long It Takes
A tub-to-shower conversion in Marco typically runs between $3,500 and $10,000, with most standard projects landing around $6,000-$8,000. The work usually takes three to five working days from demolition to finish plumbing, and you’re left with a walk-in shower that eliminates the step-over hazard without relocating any drain or water lines. Call (844) 638-7249 to get a fixed-price written estimate for your specific bathroom layout, free and on your schedule.
We do a lot of these conversions in Marco’s 1960s and 1970s ranch homes, where the original cast-iron tub has outlived its welcome and the homeowner wants easier access without the cost of a full Bathroom Remodeling in Marco. The price stays reasonable because we’re working inside the existing tub footprint, not moving walls or re-routing major plumbing stacks. That said, what we find behind the walls on a Deltona-era slab home does occasionally push the number higher, and we’ll walk you through why in the cost section below.
How We Convert a Tub to a Shower: The Five-Stage Process
Every conversion follows the same sequence, but the condition of your existing plumbing and subfloor determines the exact timeline. Here’s what happens from the day our bathroom remodeling crew arrives until the day you’re using the new shower.
Stage 1: Demolition and Exposure (Day 1, 4-6 hours)
We remove the tub, the wall surround down to the studs, and the first few inches of flooring if water damage is present. This is where we find what the original 1960s builder left us behind those walls and under that slab. On Marco’s concrete-slab homes, we’re looking for rusted cast-iron drain connections and any moisture that wicked up from the slab over decades of use. We’ll show you exactly what we see and confirm whether the existing drain and vent configuration works for the shower pan you selected before anything gets ordered.
Stage 2: Plumbing Rough-In and Pan Prep (Day 2, 3-5 hours)
We cut the existing tub drain down to floor level and install the shower drain assembly, matching it to the shower base or the waterproofing membrane system you chose. Marco’s salt air means we use corrosion-resistant fasteners on every metal connection behind the wall, even if code doesn’t strictly demand it for an interior fixture. We pressure-test the water lines and drain before closing anything up. You’ll make your valve and trim finish selection by the end of this stage if you haven’t already.
Stage 3: Waterproofing and Wallboard (Day 2-3, installation + cure time)
We install cement backer board on every wall surface that will receive tile, then apply a full waterproofing membrane that ties into the shower pan flange. This step is the difference between a shower that lasts twenty years and one that starts growing mold inside the wall cavity in three. We wait the full cure time before tiling, no shortcuts. If your Marco home sits on a canal lot with elevated humidity, we may add an extra day here for the membrane to fully set.
Stage 4: Tile, Grout, and Fixtures (Days 3-4, full working days)
We set the wall tile, grout, and install the shower valve trim, showerhead, and any niche or bench you selected. Most conversions use a pre-formed shower pan with a matching wall surround, which keeps us on the faster end of the timeline. Hand-laid tile floors inside the shower add a day but give you more style flexibility. Once tile is up, we install the glass door or shower curtain rod based on what you picked. The shower is functionally complete at the end of this stage.
Stage 5: Final Trim and Walkthrough (Day 5 morning, 2 hours)
We install the threshold, caulk all seams, remove job debris, and test water flow and drainage with you standing right there. You’ll get the care instructions for your specific tile and grout type, and we’ll confirm the 730-Day Done Right Promise covers every element of the workmanship. If anything doesn’t look exactly right, we fix it before we leave.
The Options You’ll Choose Between
Every tub-to-shower conversion has four big decisions. You don’t need to know the answers before we arrive, but it helps to understand the trade-offs before the estimate.
- Shower pan vs. tiled floor. A pre-formed acrylic or composite pan costs less, installs faster, and is nearly leak-proof by design. A tiled shower floor looks custom and can match any wall tile, but adds a day of labor and requires more careful maintenance. For most Marco homeowners planning to stay in the home long-term, the tile floor is worth the extra investment. For a rental or guest bath, the acrylic pan makes more financial sense.
- Wall surround material. Acrylic or fiberglass panels are the budget-friendly pick, easy to clean, and fast to install. Tile, whether ceramic or porcelain, gives you unlimited color and pattern options at a higher material and labor cost. We source tile from brands like Kohler, and we’ll show you samples that hold up to Marco’s humidity without discoloring grout lines two years in.
- Shower door or curtain. A frameless glass door opens up the visual space and feels like a high-end upgrade, but it costs more and requires squeegee maintenance in hard-water areas. A curtain rod is simple, inexpensive, and lets you change the look whenever you want. We’ll frame the opening to accept either, so you can switch later.
- Niche and bench additions. A recessed niche for shampoo bottles costs a few hundred dollars added during framing and pays off in daily convenience. A corner bench or fold-down seat is a bigger line item but makes the shower usable for someone with limited mobility, which is exactly why many Marco retirees choose the conversion in the first place.
What Tub-to-Shower Conversion Costs in Marco, FL
The $3,500-to-$10,000 range covers the vast majority of tub-to-shower conversions here. A $3,500 job gets you a basic acrylic pan and surround, a standard shower valve, and a curtain rod, with no surprises behind the wall. A $10,000 conversion includes floor-to-ceiling porcelain tile, a custom tiled pan, a frameless glass door, a recessed niche, and likely some plumbing upgrades to the existing valve body or drain assembly.
These are the variables that move your number:
- What’s behind the tub wall. If we open the wall and find corroded copper supply lines or a cracked cast-iron p-trap, repairing those adds cost. This is common in Marco homes built before 1980.
- Water damage remediation. A slow leak around the old tub flange can rot the bottom plate of the framing. Replacing a rotted sill plate on a slab foundation adds a few hundred dollars and half a day.
- Surface area. A standard 60-inch tub alcove is one price. A larger garden-tub footprint with more wall tile to cover moves closer to the top of the range.
- Valve and plumbing upgrades. A pressure-balanced valve with a single-function showerhead is standard. Adding a thermostatic valve, a rain head, or a handheld sprayer increases parts and labor.
- Permit and inspection scope. A direct tub-to-shower replacement within the same footprint usually does not require a plumbing permit in Collier County. If we move the drain or add a new vent line, it does. We’ll tell you clearly if your job requires a permit, and the cost is built into the estimate.
Every estimate we write is a fixed-price, line-item document. You’ll see exactly what each material and labor line costs, and the number at the bottom is the number you pay. No change orders unless you ask for something new mid-project.
What Marco Homes Specifically Do to This Job
Marco Island’s housing stock is uniquely consistent: roughly 60-year-old concrete block ranch homes on flat slabs, built before Florida’s post-Andrew wind codes and sitting at elevations that can trigger FEMA flood rules on larger remodels. A tub-to-shower conversion sitting comfortably inside the existing bathroom footprint does not cross the 50% substantial improvement threshold that forces a full elevation, and it does not change the structure’s wind envelope. That’s why this specific project is one of the most practical improvements you can make on a Deltona-era home without opening a much bigger regulatory conversation.
We work on homes throughout Marco, from the canal-front properties off Collier Boulevard out to the Tigertail Beach area, and we see the same thing in nearly every original bathroom: cast-iron tubs with chipped porcelain, galvanized supply lines that have narrowed over fifty years of mineral buildup, and shower valves that lack modern scald-guard protection. The salt air eats at exposed metal trim faster here than it does in Fort Myers, so we spec stainless steel or high-quality coated fixtures on every job.
If you’re also thinking about exterior improvements, some homeowners pair a bathroom refresh with Tile Roofing in Marco to address both interior comfort and the home’s wind resistance in one planned phase. Others bundle a tub-to-shower conversion with a Metal Roofing in Marco upgrade when preparing a canal-front property for the next decade of Gulf storms. The sensible approach is to handle the inside project that improves daily life first, then tackle the envelope work on a schedule that makes financial sense for you.
Serving Marco, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Marco area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked - Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Marco
Most conversions take three to five working days. A straightforward acrylic-pan install with no plumbing surprises finishes in three days. Tile walls and a custom pan push closer to five. We’ll give you a firm timeline at the estimate, and we stick to it.
If we’re replacing the tub with a shower within the same footprint and not moving the drain or adding new plumbing vents, a permit is typically not required. If your configuration needs relocated plumbing, we pull the permit and handle the inspection. We’ll tell you on estimate day which category your job falls into. Call (844) 638-7249 to schedule that conversation.
It won’t unless we find something hidden that you and we agree is worth addressing, like a rotted wall cavity from a decades-old leak or corroded supply lines that need replacement. We show you photos of what we found and give you a separate written price for any additional scope before we touch it. No surprise invoices, no “while we’re here” upsells.
Yes, in most Marco homes with a larger garden-tub footprint. We can install an extended shower pan that uses the existing drain location, which keeps the plumbing simple and the cost down. The extra square footage means more tile and a larger glass enclosure, so a garden-tub conversion typically falls toward the upper end of the $3,500-$10,000 range.
Every tub-to-shower conversion we complete in Marco is backed by our 730-Day Done Right Promise. If anything isn’t right with the workmanship within two full years, we come back and make it right at no cost to you. The fixture and material warranties vary by manufacturer, and we’ll provide the specific warranty cards for your chosen products at the final walkthrough.
Get a Fixed-Price Estimate for Your Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Marco
A tub-to-shower conversion is one of the highest-value bathroom upgrades you can make on a Marco Island home, and the best way to get an accurate price is to let us measure your specific space. Call (844) 638-7249 and you’ll reach a live person who can schedule an on-site estimate at a time that works for you. We’ll walk through the options with samples in hand, write a line-item price while you watch, and give you a copy before we leave. No obligation, no pressure, and upfront pricing with no surprises.
Written by Derek Hollenbeck, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Marco since 2014.