Remodeling your shower updates your entire bathroom and improves your home’s resale value. It transforms an outdated, unpleasant shower area into a gorgeous space you can look forward to each day. On average, a shower remodel costs $8,500.
We spoke to several bathroom remodeling experts for their opinions on shower remodel costs, benefits, trends, and the best ways to save money on them.
Average Cost
A shower remodel costs from $200 to $15,000, for an average cost of $8,500. However, depending on the type of shower and its condition, a shower remodel can cost as much as $22,500.
A shower remodel is flexible and adaptable to your budget, needs, home’s age, and the shower’s condition.
As part of a budget-friendly bathroom remodel, you can spend as little as $200 to $500 to freshen up a shower by replacing fixtures, replacing tile grout, re-caulking, adding a filtered showerhead, and replacing the shower curtain.
If the shower is in poor condition or the bathroom is being completely remodeled, a full shower rebuild may be in order. A pre-fabricated shower unit can cost as little as $700 to $1,800 for the unit itself and can be installed by a homeowner.
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Benefits of a Shower Remodel
One of the major benefits of refurbishing your shower is better resale value if you ever sell your home, says Toronto-based general contractor Ryan Meagher.
A full bathroom remodel that includes a shower remodel returns close to 74-percent of its cost upon resale, according to the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report.
“If your shower is updated, functional, and clean it will go a long way in showing well and potentially being the difference between an offer over or under asking,” Meagher says.
It’s a bonus if you update the shower based on the most recent trends, but it is not necessary if you have a limited budget.
“Generally, home buyers want to have the peace of mind that the home they want to buy has been maintained well,” Meagher says. “So if your shower looks like it has been taken care of, it will go a long way in adding value to the sale of your home.”
Main Cost Factors
A shower remodel’s cost depends on its size, condition, the age of the bathroom, and the type of shower.
Size
Because there are more materials, a larger shower will cost more to replace than a smaller shower. For a prefab unit, costs range from around $2,200 to $3,000.
| Cost | Shower Size | Shower Type |
| $2,197 | 30-by-60 inches | Tub-shower |
| $2,200 | 42-by-60 inches | Tub-shower |
| $2,325 | 30-by-60 inches | Shower only |
| $2,390 | 32-by-60 inches | Tub-shower |
| $2,580 | 32-by-60 inches | Shower only |
| $3,000 | 36-by-36 inches | Shower only |
Condition and Age
If the shower and bathroom are 20 to 30 years old, there’s a good chance that extensive rebuilding of the shower stall may be required.
Type of Shower
Building a shower with special features may increase the overall cost of the shower remodel:
- Walk-in shower: It costs between $1,150 and $8,000 to install a walk-in shower, for an average cost of $6,700. A walk-in shower has no curb or shower pan, so it is often installed by people with mobility issues or anyone who likes its clean, modern look.
- Steam shower: Pre-fabricated steam shower units cost from $2,800 to $7,100. On average, the cost of converting to a steam shower is around $4,300.
Materials
The type of shower materials is a major factor in the shower’s overall cost.
Contractor Michael Peck says that the most expensive materials for a shower include anything with marble or granite, while a more cost-effective material is acrylic or ceramic tiles.
Acrylic is a popular choice for bathroom renovations, Peck says, because it is versatile, durable, and low-maintenance.
“Installation is usually quicker and easier, resulting in lower labor costs,” Peck says. “Acrylic also offers a wide range of design options.”
The cost of shower materials ranges from about $1 per square foot for ceramic or porcelain tile to $65 for stone slab and $70 for solid surface. Premium ceramic or porcelain tile can cost as much as $100 per square foot.
| Material | Low Cost (Square Foot) | High Cost (Square Foot) |
| Ceramic or porcelain tile | $1 | $100 |
| Glass tile | $11 | $25 |
| Stone tile | $5 | $50 |
| Porcelain slab | $10 | $30 |
| Stone slab | $40 | $65 |
| Solid surface | $40 | $70 |
Types of Shower Remodels
A shower remodel is a malleable concept, so it’s up to the homeowner to decide on the level of complexity—anything from a shower refresh to a shower replacement and move.
Shower Refresh
A shower refresh costs from $200 to $500.
A shower refresh consists of changing the shower fixtures (shower faucet, tub spout, mixing valve) to more modern finishes, regrouting the tiles, replacing existing silicone caulking, and adding a niche to the shower surround. You can even change the grout’s color by tinting it with grout colorant.
“In some cases, all it takes to freshen up a shower is to clean the tiles and grout to make them shine the way they used to,” Meagher says.
Moving a Shower
“Moving the location of the shower is where the real money is spent,” says Hendrik Vandepoll, master plumber and co-owner of Service Force Plumbing.
Vandepoll estimates that a straightforward relocation with no surprises would range from around $2,000 to $4,000. That’s merely the cost of relocating the shower’s plumbing; the shower installation is a separate cost.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion
It costs an average of $3,000 to convert a tub to a shower, though prices can range from $1,200 to $8,000.
Converting from a bathtub to a shower is often a good idea when you have more than one bathing facility. But from a resale perspective, it’s best to have at least one bathtub in the home.
“Many families prefer a bathtub for bathing young children,” he says. “In addition, our population is aging, and as many plan to age in place, a walk-in bathtub is more accessible. In fact, we’re seeing increased demand for shower to walk-in tub conversions.”
Signs You Need a Full Shower Replacement
What are the signs that you need a full shower replacement rather than a simple shower refresh? The answer usually lies below the shower.
“If there is any noticeable water damage underneath the shower system causing it to not be fully waterproof, it is probably time to complete a full shower renovation,” Meagher says.
Another reason is if you are planning on doing renovations elsewhere in the home and would like to tie everything together stylistically. You wouldn’t want to update your entire home yet leave the shower stuck with a style popular 20 or 30 years ago.
Shower Remodel Tips
Hendrik Vandepoll and Roy Barnes, co-owners of Service Force Plumbing, offer expert advice on shower remodels.
Limit Behind-Wall Changes
“The best way to refurbish a shower while keeping plumbing costs low is to change the fixtures without changing any behind-the-wall plumbing,” Vandepoll says. “If you already have relatively modern plumbing, it is often fairly straightforward.
Upgrade to Code
If you have an old two-handle or three-handle system, you may not have any sort of scald protection.
“This is likely a code violation that needs to be addressed,” Barnes says.
This will prevent directly swapping out the fixtures. Instead, a licensed plumber will be required to install a thermostatic valve or other solution.
Replace Pipes for Higher Flow Fixtures
Older buildings may also have smaller diameter pipes feeding the bathroom. If you want to upgrade to a higher-flow fixture, like a rain showerhead, the old plumbing inside the walls may need to be replaced.
“This tends to be less of an issue in newer buildings, but it can still be a problem,” Vandepoll says. So you will want to verify the maximum gallons per minute flow to the shower before buying fixtures.”
Use Higher Quality Fixtures
Barnes advises homeowners to think twice before purchasing inexpensive, low-quality shower fixtures.
“Over the last few years, we have been called to repair increasing numbers of off-brand fixtures…only to find that no replacement parts are available,” Barnes says. “This is particularly bad news for customers who completely remodeled a bathroom and now have to tear out part of that remodel to replace rather than repair a fixture.”
FAQ
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The cheapest way to redo a shower is to refresh it. Refreshing a shower means replacing the shower fixtures, replacing tile grout, stripping out and replacing silicone caulk, and possibly adding a feature like a niche in the shower surround.
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Depending on the level of complexity, a shower remodel can take from one day to two weeks. A simple shower refresh can take a day or two, while moving and rebuilding a shower can take two to three weeks.
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