Turn That Unused Tub
Into a Walk-In Shower
You’ll Actually Use.
Most East Valley homeowners have at least one bathtub they haven’t used in years. TJC Remodeling removes the tub, waterproofs the pan, and builds a beautiful custom walk-in shower in its place — start to finish, one contractor, one written price.
Free Estimate — Tub-to-Shower
No obligation. We respond within 1 business day.
See Exactly What Changes When
a Tub Becomes a Shower
The same footprint. The same plumbing location. Completely transformed.
😥 BEFORE
The Old Bathtub Alcove
Dated tile, barely-used tub eating all your bathroom space
✅ AFTER
Custom Walk-In Shower
Large-format tile, frameless glass, rainfall head — same footprint, transformed space
The Old Tub Situation
Large tub taking up most of the bathroom
A 5-foot garden tub leaves room for a 32–36″ shower stall at best.
Cramped shower with outdated fixtures
Builder-grade single showerhead, no room to move, no storage.
Dated tile that screams the 1990s
Pink, peach, or mauve tile that’s clean but impossible to update cosmetically.
High step-over creating a slip hazard
Tub walls require stepping over 14–18″ — a real safety issue at any age.
Tub used a few times a year, shower daily
The footprint allocation makes no sense for how you actually live.
After the TJC Conversion
Large custom walk-in in the same footprint
The full tub space becomes a generous shower with room to move, built-in niches, and a bench if desired.
Frameless glass that opens up the room
Frameless enclosures make any bathroom feel significantly larger and more modern.
Fresh custom tile in any style you choose
Floor-to-ceiling large-format tile, natural stone, subway, mosaic — your design.
Zero-threshold entry option eliminates the step
A curbless shower is safer, looks cleaner, and makes the floor feel continuous.
A shower you’ll use and love every single day
Rainfall head, hand wand, and the space to actually enjoy your morning routine.
Why East Valley Homeowners Remove Their Tubs
Bathtubs made sense when they were designed — but for the majority of today’s East Valley homeowners, a large soaking tub in the master bath sits unused while a cramped shower barely fits one person. The math is simple: reclaim the square footage, gain a shower you’ll actually use every day, and increase the visual appeal of your bathroom at the same time.
The Tub Gets Used a Few Times a Year — at Best
Studies consistently show fewer than 15% of homeowners regularly use their bathtub after the age of 45. If you’re showering daily and soaking once a season, a conversion makes obvious sense.
The Shower Is Too Small
Many East Valley homes from the 1980s and 1990s have a 36″ shower stall next to a full garden tub. Removing the tub creates a walk-in shower you can actually move around in.
Aging in Place & Accessibility
Stepping over a tub threshold becomes genuinely dangerous with age. A curbless or low-threshold walk-in eliminates the hazard, adds grab bars, and makes the bathroom safe long-term.
Home Resale Value
A well-executed master bath conversion typically recoups 70–80% of its cost at resale — especially in markets like Gilbert and Mesa where buyers expect a quality master shower.
Everything Included in Every TJC Conversion
A tub-to-shower conversion is not just removing a tub and tiling the floor. Here is the complete scope TJC handles — start to finish, one crew, one contract.
Demo & Haul-Away
Tub removed, surrounding tile demoed, debris hauled off-site same day
Waterproofing
Substrate, vapor barrier, and waterproof membrane installed before any tile
Pan & Drain
Custom-sloped shower pan or prefab base with new drain assembly
Tile Installation
Floor, walls, niche, and bench tiled with precision grout lines
Glass & Fixtures
Frameless glass installed, fixtures set, final cleanup done
Full Demolition & Haul-Away
We remove the tub, all surrounding tile, the substrate, and any damaged backing. Everything leaves your home on our truck — no dumpster in your driveway, no debris in your garage.
Commercial-Grade Waterproofing
The most critical step in any shower build — and the one most often skipped by cheaper contractors. TJC uses a multi-layer system: moisture-resistant substrate, vapor barrier, and a full membrane on all wet surfaces before any tile is applied.
Shower Pan & Drain
The shower floor is built with a precisely sloped mortar bed or prefab pan, ensuring proper drainage and zero standing water. We install the drain assembly, p-trap, and connect to your existing plumbing drain.
Custom Tile Work
Floor tile, wall tile, a built-in niche or two, and a bench if desired — all installed with consistent grout lines, proper spacers, and the right adhesive for each surface. Your tile, your design.
Frameless Glass Enclosure
A frameless or semi-frameless glass door and panel — tempered safety glass, custom-fit to your opening, with brushed nickel, matte black, or chrome hardware. Clean lines, no bulk.
Fixtures & Finishing
Showerhead, hand wand, valve trim, and any additional fixtures set and tested. We patch and paint any drywall disturbed during demo and leave the bathroom clean and ready to use.
Choose the Walk-In Shower Style That Fits Your Home
Every tub-to-shower conversion is built in the existing tub footprint — no structural changes required. Here are the shower configurations TJC builds most often in the East Valley.
Large Walk-In Tile Shower
Floor-to-ceiling tile on all walls, custom floor pattern, frameless glass door and fixed panel. The most popular conversion style in East Valley master baths.
- Floor-to-ceiling wall tile
- Frameless glass enclosure
- Built-in niches and bench optional
- Linear or center drain
Curbless / Zero-Threshold
No curb, no step — the floor transitions seamlessly from bathroom to shower. Essential for aging-in-place and accessibility. Stylish for any age.
- Zero-entry, no step to clear
- Linear drain for level floor
- Grab bar blocking included
- Anti-slip tile selection guidance
Spa-Style with Bench & Niche
Built-in bench, multiple niches, rainfall showerhead, and a secondary hand wand. Transforms the old tub footprint into a personal spa experience.
- Built-in tile bench
- Multiple shampoo niches
- Rainfall and hand wand fixtures
- Body sprays available
Standard Walk-In with Alcove
Three-wall tile surround, half-wall or full glass panel, standard drain. Clean, functional, and budget-friendly — a solid upgrade from a dated tub in any guest or hall bath.
- Three-wall tile surround
- Glass panel or sliding door
- Standard center drain
- Cost-effective scope
Corner Walk-In
When the tub occupies a corner space, a corner walk-in with two glass panels and two tiled walls maximizes the footprint and feels more open than a full alcove.
- Two-glass-panel configuration
- Two tiled walls
- Open corner entry option
- Ideal for narrower spaces
Freestanding Tub + Separate Shower
Remove the old drop-in or garden tub, install a freestanding soaking tub, and build a separate custom shower alongside it. The full spa suite transformation for bathrooms with the square footage.
- Freestanding soaking tub
- Separate custom shower build
- Requires larger footprint
- Design consultation included
Why Waterproofing Makes or Breaks a Conversion
Shower leaks are the single most common — and most expensive — result of a poorly done tub-to-shower conversion. Water migrates through grout lines. It seeps past improperly sealed seams. It travels horizontally inside walls and floors for months before you see any sign of damage. By the time a leak becomes visible, the subfloor, wall studs, and sometimes the ceiling below are already compromised.
TJC never skips or shortcuts the waterproofing stage. We use a complete multi-layer system on every conversion.
Moisture-Resistant Substrate
Cement board or equivalent moisture-resistant backer screwed to studs with proper gap at floor. Never standard drywall in wet areas.
Vapor Barrier at All Seams
Seams taped and sealed with waterproofing fabric embedded in thinset before membrane application.
Full Waterproof Membrane
Applied to the entire shower floor and at least 6 inches up the walls. Corners and seams get an additional layer of fabric reinforcement.
Silicone at All Movement Joints
Every inside corner and change of plane gets silicone caulk — never cement grout, which cracks as the structure moves.
⚠ The Risk of Skipping This Step
A shower rebuild caused by water damage behind the tile — framing, subfloor, and mold remediation — typically costs $8,000–$25,000+. Proper waterproofing from the start costs a fraction of that and protects your home for decades.
Waterproofing Systems TJC Uses
2-Year Written Warranty
Every TJC tub-to-shower conversion carries a 2-year written warranty on all waterproofing and labor. If you see any sign of a leak within 2 years, we come back and fix it at no cost.
What Does a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in the East Valley?
Cost depends primarily on shower size, tile selection, and glass configuration. Here is a realistic breakdown for the Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler market.
| Project Type | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Standard Alcove Conversion Tub demo, basic tile, glass door, center drain | $4,500–$8,000 |
| Walk-In with Frameless Glass Custom tile, frameless panel and door, niche | $7,000–$14,000 |
| Large Walk-In — Mid-Range Tile Floor-to-ceiling tile, frameless glass, bench | $12,000–$20,000 |
| Curbless / Barrier-Free Conversion Zero-threshold, linear drain, grab bars | $8,000–$18,000 |
| Luxury Spa Conversion Natural stone, rainfall and body sprays, bench, niche | $18,000–$35,000+ |
| Add-On: Built-In Bench Tile-topped bench added to any conversion | $800–$1,800 |
| Add-On: Niche(s) Recessed shampoo niche — per niche | $200–$500 ea. |
Pricing reflects East Valley market rates. All pricing confirmed in a written flat-rate proposal before work begins. No surprises.
What Affects Your Conversion Cost
Real Reviews from Real East Valley Clients
5.0 stars across 60 verified Google reviews. Tub-to-shower conversions are our single most reviewed project type.
“We recently had a 1979 sunken tub transformed to a floor-level shower in our master bath. The team was neat, clean, and did a couple extra requests while on-site. The price was right and Corey and the team were great. We love our new bathroom.”
“TJC did an excellent job updating our master bath shower. I appreciated the time Jake took to explain everything. They were always on time, worked neat and clean, and the results were excellent. Highly recommend TJC Remodeling.”
“Hiring TJC to renovate both my master and guest bathrooms was a win. Open communication throughout, daily progress photos and emails while I was away. On-schedule delivery. Worth your time to consider TJC for your next remodeling project.”
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Questions Answered
Everything East Valley homeowners ask before scheduling their conversion estimate.
Most tub-to-shower conversions complete in 5–8 business days from demo start. A standard conversion with porcelain tile runs about 5–6 days. A larger spa-style conversion with natural stone runs closer to 7–10 days. Timelines are confirmed in your written proposal. The bathroom is typically inaccessible during the build but your other bathrooms remain fully functional.
In the East Valley, a standard tub-to-shower conversion runs $5,000–$12,000 for a quality result with porcelain tile and frameless glass. Luxury conversions with natural stone and premium fixtures run $15,000–$35,000+. We always provide a flat-rate written proposal so you know the exact cost before committing.
In most East Valley municipalities — Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler — a tub-to-shower conversion that uses existing rough-in plumbing locations does not require a permit. If the project involves relocating plumbing drain lines or making structural changes, a permit may be required. TJC will advise you on permitting requirements during your estimate visit and will pull any required permits as part of the project scope.
Not in most East Valley markets — and often the opposite. A well-executed master bath conversion to a large walk-in shower typically returns 70–80% of its cost at resale. Buyers in Gilbert and Mesa increasingly expect a quality shower in the master. The one exception: if you are converting the only bathtub in the home, it can affect value for families with young children. Keeping a tub in the secondary bath addresses this concern.
Yes — curbless conversions are one of TJC’s most requested configurations. We build a properly sloped shower floor with a linear drain that channels water away without a curb at the entry. This requires precise slope work during the pan build — exactly why it should be done by an experienced crew, not a handyman.
For a standard conversion, we connect the new shower valve and fixtures to the existing rough-in plumbing — typically capping the tub spout and rerouting to the shower valve. If the tub and shower shared a single valve (common in older homes), we replace it with a proper shower-only setup. All plumbing work is handled as part of the conversion scope.
Yes — some clients purchase their own tile or fixtures from a tile showroom or supplier. We work with customer-supplied materials, but we need to verify they are appropriate for the application before work begins. Customer-supplied materials should be delivered to the job site before the start date. We can also source everything for you through our suppliers, often at competitive pricing.
Ready to Remove That Tub
and Build Something Better?
Free in-home estimate • Flat-rate written proposal • No pressure • Serving Gilbert, Mesa & the East Valley