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Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Roanoke, VA

Replace an unused tub with a walk-in shower, most common single-day-quote job in Roanoke.

Tub-to-shower conversion is the specific subset of shower conversion where the old alcove tub comes out and a walk-in tile shower goes in the same footprint. It is one of the most common bathroom updates in older Roanoke homes, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s builds where the original alcove tub is still installed but no one in the household uses it. Cost typically lands at $8,500 to $14,000 for a straight swap with mid-grade tile and a standard glass panel. Staying inside the existing footprint is what keeps it at that price: the drain moves a little, the supply stays in the wall it is already in.

What the work involves

  • Old tub demo and disposal, cast-iron included
  • Subfloor and framing assessed on site, most 1940s-1960s Roanoke homes need some work under the old tub
  • Waterproofing per manufacturer spec
  • Tile installation with proper slope and drain
  • Modern shower valve, trim finishes matched to the rest of the bath
  • Frameless or semi-frameless glass panel installation

Common questions about tub-to-shower

Will removing the tub hurt my Roanoke home resale value?

It depends on whether it is the only tub in the house. In a three-bedroom Roanoke home with two or more bathrooms, converting one tub to a shower is a net positive: buyers who want a shower in the primary outnumber the ones who need two tubs. If it is the only tub in the house and you are in a starter-home market like Salem or parts of Vinton, removing it narrows your buyer pool to households without small children, which in that market is most of the pool gone. Single-bath Old Southwest homes usually keep the tub for the same reason.

How much does tub-to-shower conversion cost in Roanoke?

Most straight-swap conversions in Roanoke run $8,500 to $14,000. A basic alcove tile shower with a standard glass panel and mid-grade porcelain tile lands at $8,500 to $10,500. Upgrading to premium tile, adding a niche, upgrading to a frameless glass enclosure, or including subfloor repair under the old cast-iron tub can push it to $12,000 to $14,000. Curbless conversions add $1,500 to $2,500.

What can stretch the schedule on a conversion?

Two things, and one of them is invisible until demo day. Rot in the subfloor under an old cast-iron tub is common enough in 1940s and 1950s Roanoke houses to be worth expecting, and it has to be cut out and rebuilt before anything is waterproofed. The other is tile: a pattern using several materials, or an inset niche, is slower to set than a plain running bond, and the cure time behind it does not shrink to compensate.

What happens to the old cast-iron tub?

The contractor hauls it. A cast-iron tub from a 1940s or 1950s Roanoke house is far too heavy to carry out down a hallway, so it comes out in pieces, broken up or cut apart where it stands. Demo and disposal belong inside the fixed price; you should not need to arrange scrap pickup or pay a separate haul fee.

Can you keep the existing plumbing to save money?

Usually yes for tub-to-shower, the drain moves slightly (from the tub-end to the center of the new shower) but the water supply typically stays in the same wall. If the tub is on an exterior wall and the plumbing needs to be relocated to an interior wall for insulation reasons, that adds $800 to $1,500. Most conversions keep the existing supply lines.

Related Reading

More on tub-to-shower in the Roanoke Valley

Curbless Shower Conversion in a Roanoke Home: What It Takes

The specific structural and design considerations for converting a standard bathroom to a curbless (zero-entry) walk-in shower. Aging-in-place, contemporary design, and older-home constraints.

Schluter Kerdi vs RedGard vs Kerdi-Board for Showers

The three legitimate residential shower waterproofing systems compared, Schluter Kerdi sheet membrane, RedGard liquid membrane, and Kerdi-Board integrated substrate. When each fits.

Other Services

Consider these adjacent scopes

Bathrooms sometimes benefit from combined scope. If you are already remodeling one bathroom, adding a second with the same crew and the same mobilization usually saves 15 to 25 percent versus separate projects.

Full Bathroom Remodel

Complete bathroom renovation, the room taken down to the studs and rebuilt

Walk-In Shower Conversion

Convert an old tub or dated shower into a modern walk-in with proper waterproofing

Small Bathroom & Powder Room Remodel

Half-bath, powder room, and small hall-bath remodels, tight footprint, big impact

Primary Bathroom Remodel

Primary suite bathroom builds, separate walk-in shower, double vanity, spa-scale scope

Ready to plan your bathroom remodel?

Call (540) 384-4486 or use the quote form for a free written quote on any bathroom project in the Roanoke Valley.

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