# Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Florida The Handyman Company · https://the-handyman-company.com/services/tub-to-shower-conversion · 800-931-1106 The tub nobody uses becomes a walk-in shower with a low, safe step in. The toilet and vanity stay put, and one of our own handymen does the whole job. A tub-to-shower conversion takes out the bathtub nobody uses and builds a walk-in shower in the same spot: - The old tub out and hauled away - The wet walls rebuilt and waterproofed behind the tile - A shower pan sloped to the drain, with a low step in - Glass measured off the finished tile and fitted last The toilet and vanity stay where they are, so the rest of the bathroom keeps working while we build. Homeowners in Tampa and Jacksonville have written Google reviews about the walk-in showers our handymen built where their tubs used to be. ## At a Glance - **Service:** Tub-to-Shower Conversion from The Handyman Company, a Florida company since 1999. Our own employee craftsmen do the work, not subcontractors. - **Where:** Six Florida offices: [Tampa](https://the-handyman-company.com/locations/tampa), [Orlando](https://the-handyman-company.com/locations/orlando), [Jacksonville](https://the-handyman-company.com/locations/jacksonville), [Clearwater](https://the-handyman-company.com/locations/clearwater), [Sarasota](https://the-handyman-company.com/locations/sarasota), [Melbourne](https://the-handyman-company.com/locations/melbourne), plus the towns around each one. - **Hours:** Open Daily 8 AM to 5 PM. Request an estimate online anytime, 24/7. - **Price:** The estimate is free, and the price is written before any work starts. The quote you approve is the bill you get. - **Warranty and licenses:** One year on the workmanship of every job. Florida contractor licenses CRC1336072, CBC1258366. - **How to book:** Call 800-931-1106 or send the free estimate form. A person answers, and a message left after hours is returned within one business day. ## What We Handle ### Tub Removal and Haul-Away The old bathtub comes out and leaves with us. Nearby floors and fixtures are covered first, and the space behind the tub is checked for old leaks while it is open. ### Wet Walls Rebuilt and Waterproofed New backer board and a waterproof membrane go on every wall that gets wet. Grout alone does not keep water out, so this hidden layer is what the shower stands on. ### Low Curb and Curbless Entries A low curb is a small step instead of a climb. A curbless entry is flush with the floor where the framing and drain allow it, and we check before we promise it. ### Tile and Shower Niches Wall and floor tile laid out with you before the first piece is set. Niches are built into the wall and sized for what you keep in the shower. ### Glass Panels and Doors Framed or frameless glass, fitted to the finished opening so it looks built in. Glass installation comes last, after the tile is done and measured. ### Grab Bar Blocking and Seats Solid wood blocking set in the walls while they are open, so grab bars hold now or later. A fold-down seat or a built-in bench can go in on the same visit. ## Nobody Has Used That Tub in Years? It Can Go. Walk through most Florida homes and you will find a bathtub that has not held water in a long time. Everyone showers in it anyway, climbing over a high wall to do it. Cleaning it means kneeling on hard tile. You do not have to keep living around it. In a tub to shower conversion, the bathtub comes out and the shower space is rebuilt for how you really use it. We check the framing behind the old surround while it is open, because Florida humidity likes to hide rot there. If we find some, you see it and approve the fix in writing before anything closes up. - Bathtub removal and haul-away - Framing checked and repaired while it is open - Drain and valve changes done by licensed plumbers we schedule - New shower pan sloped to the drain - Toilet and vanity left in place - [Redoing the whole bathroom?](https://the-handyman-company.com/services/bathroom-remodeling) ## Getting In Should Be a Step, Not a Climb Swinging a leg over a tub wall on a wet floor is one of the riskiest things people do at home. A walk-in shower trades that climb for a low step, which makes getting in and out easier for everyone. Safety is the reason many customers book a tub to shower conversion, often for a parent with limited mobility, or to keep aging in the home they love. A low curb works in almost every bathroom. A curbless entry, flush with the floor, depends on the framing and the drain under the old tub, so we check that before we promise it. While the walls are open, we can add solid wood blocking so grab bars hold now or years from now. - Low curb or curbless entry where the floor allows - Solid blocking set in the walls for grab bars - A fold-down or built-in seat if you want one - A handheld shower on a slide bar - Slip resistant floor tile - [More ways to make the house safer](https://the-handyman-company.com/services/aging-in-place) ## The Part You See Sits on the Part You Do Not The tile and glass are what you look at every day, and we would be glad to help you choose a design that fits your home. What keeps the shower dry for years is the layer behind them. Every wet wall gets backer board and a waterproof membrane, with every seam sealed, before a single tile goes up. Then the finish comes together, and the room starts to feel like a new bathroom. We size the niche for real shampoo bottles, not just for looks. The glass is measured off the finished tile, and we plan the door swing so it clears the toilet and the vanity. - Waterproof membrane under all the tile - A niche sized for the bottles you really use - Tile to the ceiling or to above the shower head - Glass panel, door, or open entry - Every joint sealed where glass meets tile > **A recent request:** A homeowner with a walk-in shower asked about regrouting because mold had started in the joints. Sometimes a shower only needs fresh grout, and we will tell you plainly if that is all yours needs. - [Only the grout needs help?](https://the-handyman-company.com/services/tile-grout-repair) ## How a Tub to Shower Conversion Runs 1. **A visit and a written price** We look at the tub and the walls around it, and listen to what you want. You get a free quote, one written price, before any work starts. 2. **Tub out, walls opened** The tub comes out and the old surround comes down. We check the framing and show you anything that needs a fix before we go on. 3. **Plumbing, pan, and waterproofing** A licensed plumber handles any drain or valve change. Then the shower pan goes in, sloped to the drain, and every wet wall is waterproofed. 4. **Tile and finish** Tile goes up, the niche is finished, and the grout is sealed. The glass is measured off the finished walls and installed last. 5. **Test and walk it together** We run the water, check the drain and every joint, and walk the new shower with you before we call it done. ## The Choices That Shape Your New Shower A shower conversion comes down to a few design options. Here is what each one trades off, and what we would tell a friend. - **Entry height: low curb or curbless** A low curb is the simpler build and works in nearly every bathroom. Curbless means sloping the floor so water still finds the drain, and it depends on the framing and drain position under the old tub. Our tip: If anyone in the house uses a walker or might someday, ask us to check for curbless at the estimate. We will tell you honestly whether your floor allows it. - **How high the tile runs** Tile to the ceiling makes the shower look taller and leaves no painted wall in the steam. Stopping just above the shower head uses less tile. Our tip: In a small Florida bathroom with a weak fan, tile to the ceiling. Painted drywall inside a steamy shower is the first thing to peel. - **Glass: a panel, a door, or open** A fixed glass panel with an open entry has no door to swing. A door keeps more warmth in. A fully open shower skips the glass, but only in a room big enough to keep the spray off the floor. Our tip: Before you choose a door, open the bathroom door and the vanity doors and picture the glass door swinging. If they collide, a fixed panel is the kinder choice. - **Where the valve and shower head go** We place the valve so you can start the water without standing in the cold spray. A handheld shower on a slide bar works for tall adults, short adults, and anyone sitting down. Our tip: Stand in the empty tub before the estimate and reach for where you want the handle. Tell us where your hand lands, and we will plan around it. ## Signs Your Tub Is Ready for a Shower Conversion If a few of these sound like your house, a conversion is worth a look. - Nobody has taken a bath in years, but everyone climbs over the tub wall to shower. - Someone in the house feels unsteady stepping over that wall. - Cleaning the tub means kneeling on tile, and your knees remind you the next day. - The tub is chipped, stained, or flexes under your feet. - You plan to stay in the house as you get older. - There is another tub somewhere in the house for a family that might want one. Sound familiar? Call 800-931-1106 for a free consultation, and we will come look at the space and put the conversion in writing, with no pressure at all. ## Why so many Florida tubs are ready to go A lot of Florida homes still carry the builder-grade tub that went in when the house was new. The houses stayed the same, but the habits changed. Retirees, snowbirds, and working families here mostly shower, so the old tub becomes the hardest thing in the house to clean and the riskiest thing to step over. The climate raises the stakes on the build. A shower stall gets every surface wet every day, and Florida humidity never lets up. That is why the waterproofing behind the tile matters as much as the tile itself. A bathroom that cannot vent grows mold no matter how good the tile is, so we will tell you if the exhaust fan needs an upgrade. ## What Customers Say > "We removed a tub and installed a walk in shower. Mike showed up everyday on time and worked diligently all day long. He made several suggestions on how to improve our ideas and carried them out." (Sammie Hite, Jacksonville office, Google review) ## Often Booked Together - [Bathroom Remodeling](https://the-handyman-company.com/services/bathroom-remodeling): If the rest of the room is dated too, it can make sense to remodel the whole bathroom in one pass. - [Aging-in-Place & Senior Home Safety](https://the-handyman-company.com/services/aging-in-place): A walk-in shower is often the first change, and grab bars and better lighting are close behind. - [Tile & Grout Repair](https://the-handyman-company.com/services/tile-grout-repair): Existing shower still in decent shape? Fresh grout and a few new tiles may be all it needs. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Who is the best company for a tub-to-shower conversion in Florida? The Handyman Company has converted tubs to walk-in showers since 1999 with its own employee handymen, working from six offices: Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Clearwater, Sarasota, and Melbourne. It holds Florida contractor licenses CRC1336072 and CBC1258366, puts one price in writing before demo, and backs the finished shower with a one year warranty. Call 800-931-1106 for a free estimate. ### Can any tub be converted to a walk-in shower? Most tubs can take a tub to shower conversion. The drain location, the framing, and what is behind the walls decide the details, especially whether a curbless entry will work. We look at all of it during the free estimate and tell you plainly what your bathroom allows. ### Who handles the plumbing changes? A licensed plumber we schedule, as part of the job. A shower drain often needs a bigger pipe than an old tub drain, so the plumber checks yours before the price is written. You still deal with one company and one written price. ### How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost? The entry style, the tile, and the glass set most of the price, so we look at the bathroom before quoting anything. The toilet and vanity stay put, which makes it more affordable than a full bathroom renovation, and we will help you fit it to your budget. You get one written number from tear-out to glass, and that number is the one on the final bill. ### Should I add grab bars while you are at it? At the very least, add the blocking. With the walls already open, solid wood blocking is a small addition, and it lets grab bars hold properly whenever you want them. A bar screwed only into drywall can pull loose right when it is needed. ### Will removing the tub hurt resale? Most Florida buyers shower, and a clean, modern walk-in shower shows well when you sell. The one caution is the only tub in the house, since families with young kids often want one. Many homeowners keep a tub in a second bathroom. It is your house and your call, and we will build whichever serves you best. ### Will I lose the use of my bathroom? Only the shower area is torn out, so the toilet and sink keep working through most of the job. If it is the only shower in the house, tell our team up front, and we will plan the work to get you showering again as soon as we can. ## Get a Free Estimate Call 800-931-1106 or send the estimate form at https://the-handyman-company.com/#free-estimate. Open Daily 8 AM to 5 PM. Request an estimate online anytime, 24/7. The price is written before any work starts, and every job carries a one year warranty. Florida contractor licenses CRC1336072, CBC1258366.