How Long Does a Tub to Shower Conversion Take? Day by Day

A tub to shower conversion is the job of removing a bathtub and building a tiled walk-in shower in its place. Most take 4 to 8 working days of tile work from demo to grout. A simple alcove on a foam tray lands at the short end. A mud pan, a bench, marble or hidden rot pushes it longer. The glass door goes in after the tile is done, on the glass company's schedule. Back to tub to shower conversion, or see the bathroom tile installation Complete Guide.

Key Takeaways

• Typical time: 4 to 8 working days for the tile work (based on current Greater Boston jobs).
• Fastest build: a standard alcove on a Schluter Kerdi foam tray with porcelain or ceramic tile.
• Slower builds: a mortar mud pan, a bench, curbless entry, marble or rot repair.
• Top delay: tile that is not on site. You buy the tile, so order it early.
• Glass is last. The glass company measures only after the tile is done.

Want to know where your bathroom lands in that range? Send us photos of your tub and valve for a same-day estimate and a day-by-day schedule for your conversion.

How Long Does a Tub to Shower Conversion Take?

Most conversions take 4 to 8 working days of tile work. The shower floor type, the size and what we find behind the old tub set the pace. Plumbing and glass add time outside those days. Here is what moves the number most.

• Shower floor: a foam tray can be tiled the same day. A mud pan needs time to set first.
• Size: a shower longer than the old tub, or tile to the ceiling, means more tile to set.
• Tile type: large format porcelain covers walls fast. Small mosaics and herringbone take longer.
• Extras: each niche or bench adds framing, waterproofing and cut work.
• Surprises: rotted studs or a soft subfloor must be fixed before the floor goes in.

For a shower that is not a conversion, see how long does it take to tile a shower.

Day-by-Day: Demo, Plumbing, Pan, Waterproofing, Tile, Grout

A conversion runs in a fixed order. Each step has to finish before the next one starts. This sample schedule shows a standard alcove on a foam tray next to a larger build on a mud pan.

Day 1: Demo

We remove the tub, the old tile and the backer down to the studs and subfloor. Then we look for rot, old leak damage and uneven framing. If we find a problem, we show you and price the repair before we fix it. The debris leaves with us.

Plumbing Window

If the drain has to move or the valve has to go higher, a licensed plumber does it now. The walls are open, so it is the cheapest time. If nothing moves, there is no plumbing stop. We connect the Kerdi drain ourselves.

Shower Floor and Waterproofing

We set the Kerdi tray or float the mud pan at 1/4 inch per foot toward the drain. Then we hang cement board and roll RedGard on the walls in more than one coat. Kerdi-Band seals the joint where the tray or curb meets the wall. Our kerdi shower pan vs mud spoke explains why the mud pan adds time. For wall membranes, see redgard vs kerdi.

Tile, Grout and Caulk

We tile the floor first and then the walls, so wall tile sheds water onto the floor. Large porcelain gets back-buttered for full mortar coverage. Then we grout with Laticrete Permacolor and finish metal edge trim to match the grout. Inside corners get flexible caulk, not grout.

What Causes Delays? Rot, Plumbing, Tile Delivery

Three things cause most delays on a conversion. Two of them you can plan for. One you cannot see until the tub comes out.

1. Tile delivery. You buy the tile, so order it early. Special-order tile, natural stone and handmade zellige can take a while to arrive. Have every box on site before demo day, plus extra for cuts.
2. Plumbing. If the drain or valve moves, book the plumber before we start. A gap between demo and plumbing stops the whole job.
3. Rot and framing. Old tubs hide water damage. Soft subfloor or rotted studs add repair time on day 1 or 2.

Other small delays come from changing the layout mid-job or adding a niche after the walls are waterproofed. Decide on the niche, tile layout and trim color before we start.

Why Does Glass Come Last?

Glass comes last because the glass company measures the finished tile, not the bare walls. Tile and thin-set add thickness, and the walls must be final before anyone can cut glass to fit. Custom glass is made to those exact measurements. That means the order goes in only after we finish.

• Book the glass company early so they can measure soon after we grout.
• Ask about their lead time. Custom glass often takes longer than the tile work.
• Plan for a curtain if you need to shower before the glass arrives.

Can You Use the Bathroom During a Conversion?

You cannot use the shower from demo day until the grout and caulk are done and we say it is ready. Plan to use another bathroom for that stretch. In homes with only one bathroom, ask us about the schedule before we start. We keep the work area clean at the end of each day.

Plan Your Tub to Shower Conversion Timeline

A tub to shower conversion takes about a week of tile work for most homes. Order tile early, book the plumber if anything moves, and line up the glass company ahead of time. Those three steps keep the job on schedule. For what it costs, see our tub to shower conversion cost breakdown.

Want to know how long your own tub to shower conversion will take? Send Aguirre Modern Tile a few photos for a same-day estimate and schedule. Aguirre Modern Tile is a registered Massachusetts home improvement contractor (HIC #655072), fully insured, and building showers in Greater Boston since 2016.