Tub to Shower Conversion Cost in Boston: Real Price Breakdown

Tub to shower conversion cost is the price to remove a bathtub and build a tiled walk-in shower in its place. In Greater Boston, a full tub to shower conversion runs about $5,000 to $7,000 or more for labor and setting materials (as of 2026 pricing). You buy the tile on top of that, and it is the biggest swing in the total. Here are common shower tiles and their typical material cost per square foot:

• Ceramic subway tile (3x6, 4x12): about $4 per sq ft
• Large format porcelain (12x24, 24x48): about $8 per sq ft
• Marble-look porcelain: about $10 per sq ft
• Carrara or Calacatta marble: about $18 per sq ft

Size, the shower floor and add-ons like a niche or bench decide where your job lands. This spoke goes deeper than our main guide. Back to tub to shower conversion, or start at the bathroom tile installation Complete Guide.

Key Takeaways

• Full conversion: $5,000 to $7,000+ in Greater Boston (based on current Greater Boston rates). That covers demo, the shower floor, waterproofing, tile setting and grout.
• What pushes it up: benches, stone sills and a larger shower than the old tub.
• Tile is your purchase. You buy it from a supplier we recommend. Prices run from about $4 to $22 per square foot.
• Niche: a recessed niche is $400 to install.
• Not in a tile quote: the plumber, the electrician, the glass door and painting.

Every alcove is different, so a range only goes so far. Send us photos of your tub alcove for a same-day tub to shower conversion estimate with real numbers. Pictures of the tub, the valve and the floor are enough to start.

How Much Does a Tub to Shower Conversion Cost in Boston?

A tub to shower conversion in Boston costs about $5,000 to $7,000 or more (as of 2026 pricing). It is a full shower tear-out and rebuild, not a tile refresh. The price covers our labor and setting materials. The tile, plumbing and glass are separate. The table compares a conversion with other shower jobs we price.

A conversion costs more than retiling a tub surround because the tub comes out. That means a new sloped shower floor, a curb, and waterproofing that ties into a new drain. If you keep the tub, see the tub surround row above.

What Does the Tile Itself Cost?

A standard tub alcove is about 5 feet long and 2.5 feet deep. Tile the three walls about 7 feet high and add the floor. That comes to roughly 80 square feet of tile. Order about 10% extra for cuts, or about 88 square feet. Here is what that tile costs you at the supplier.

• Ceramic subway tile: about $350
• Marble-look porcelain: about $880
• Carrara marble: about $1,580
• Glass mosaic for a niche or accent band: about $22 per sq ft

This is your tile purchase only, on top of the job price. Patterns like herringbone need 10 to 15% extra tile for waste, so order more for those.

What Drives the Price: Drain Move, Size, Niche, Bench, Glass

Five things move a conversion price more than anything else. Size sets the base. The drain, the niche and the bench add work on top. Glass is a separate bill.

1. Drain move. A tub drain sits at one end. A shower drain often goes in the center or along a wall. Moving it is plumber work and a separate cost. We connect the Kerdi drain ourselves once it is in place.
2. Size and height. A shower larger than the old tub pushes the price above the $5,000 to $7,000 range. Tiling to the ceiling adds work. So does a stone window sill or curb cap.
3. Niche. A recessed niche is $400 to install. A second niche or a long shelf niche adds more. Our guide to shower niche dimensions shows common sizes.
4. Bench. A built-in bench takes framing or foam board, waterproofing and a lot of cut tile. We price it on the job, since benches vary so much in size.
5. Glass. A glass company measures after the tile is done. A fixed panel usually costs less than a hinged door.

Does the Shower Floor Type Change the Cost?

Yes, a little. A Schluter Kerdi foam tray costs more in material but goes in fast. A mortar mud pan uses cheap sand and cement but takes more labor time. For most standard alcoves the totals end up close. Our kerdi shower pan vs mud spoke compares the two.

What Else Adds Cost?

• Rot or a soft subfloor found under the old tub.
• Curbless entry, which can need subfloor or framing changes.
• Natural stone like marble, which needs sealing before grout.
• Small mosaics and complex patterns, which take more cuts and more grout.

Tile vs Prefab Insert Conversions

A tiled conversion costs more up front than an acrylic or fiberglass insert. It also lasts longer, fits your exact space and can be repaired one section at a time. An insert is faster and has fewer seams. It comes in fixed sizes and colors.

See tile shower vs acrylic for the full comparison. If you are looking at liner companies, read bath fitter vs tile. For solid surface panels, see cultured marble shower vs tile.

What Is Not in a Tile Quote? (Plumber, Glass, Paint)

A tile quote covers the shower itself: demo, the shower floor, backer, waterproofing, tile setting, grout and caulk. It does not cover other trades. Plan for these separately so the total does not surprise you.

• Plumber: moving the drain, raising or moving the shower valve, and new trim. If nothing moves, you may not need one.
• Glass company: the door or fixed panel, measured after tile is done.
• Painter: the walls and ceiling outside the shower, once the tile is finished.
• Tile purchase: you buy the tile from a supplier. We recommend suppliers and bring the setting materials.
• Electrician: only if you add a fan, lighting or a heated floor.

Our quote does include the setting materials. That means RedGard on the walls and Kerdi-Band where a Kerdi tray or curb meets the wall. It also covers thin-set, Laticrete Permacolor grout, and metal edge trim finished to match the grout. As a registered Massachusetts home improvement contractor (HIC #655072) with $1M liability insurance, we put all of that in writing.

How Can You Keep a Tub to Shower Conversion on Budget?

Keep the shower in the tub footprint and keep the drain where the plumbing works. Those two choices save the most. Here are other ways to hold the cost down.

• Pick ceramic or porcelain over marble or glass mosaic for the walls.
• Use larger tile on the walls. Fewer pieces means fewer cuts and less grout.
• Choose one niche instead of a bench and two niches.
• Go with a curb instead of curbless if the floor would need framing work.
• Order tile early so the crew never waits. Our how long does a tub to shower conversion take guide shows when each piece is needed.

Get a Real Tub to Shower Conversion Price

A tub to shower conversion cost comes down to size, tile, the shower floor and the add-ons you pick. The per-square-foot ranges here give you a starting point. Your alcove, your drain and your tile choice set the real number. Photos let us price it fast.

Want a real number for your own tub to shower conversion? Send Aguirre Modern Tile photos of the tub, valve and floor for a same-day estimate. Aguirre Modern Tile has built showers across Greater Boston since 2016 and is fully insured.