What Does Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost and Involve in Kendale Lakes?
Tub-to-shower conversion in Kendale Lakes typically runs $3,500-$10,000 and takes 5-10 working days from demolition to final inspection. The job removes your existing bathtub and surround, then installs a waterproof shower base, wall system, fixtures, and glass enclosure sized to your bathroom’s footprint. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll walk your space, confirm whether your plumbing can stay put or needs relocation, and give you a written estimate with no fee.
How We Handle Tub-to-Shower Conversion Start to Finish
We’ve done enough of these in Kendale Lakes to know where the surprises hide. Here’s the actual sequence, with what you’re deciding at each point.
Day 1: Protect and demo. We mask off the hallway and adjacent rooms, set ventilation, and pull the tub, surround, and any water-damaged drywall or cement board behind it. In the 1970s and 1980s CBS homes common here, we often find the original tub was set in a mortar bed on a slab that’s slightly out of level. That gets noted now, because your shower base installation depends on it. Duration: one day. Your decision: whether to expand the footprint slightly into an adjacent closet or linen space if the layout allows.
Days 2-3: Rough plumbing and structural prep. If you’re keeping the drain and valve locations, we verify the existing copper or CPVC is sound and up to current Miami-Dade standards. If you’re moving anything, this is when we open walls or slab. In Kendale Lakes, the shallow limestone substrate can complicate any slab work, sometimes requiring a concrete saw where a jackhammer would fracture surrounding areas. We also check whether your wall framing needs reinforcement for grab bars or a frameless glass door. Duration: one to two days. Your decision: valve height and location, plus any body-spray or handheld additions.
Days 4-5: Shower base and waterproofing. We set your chosen base, whether acrylic, fiberglass, or a tiled mud pan, and install the waterproofing membrane. In our climate, we spec liquid-applied membranes over sheet membranes for the seams at base-to-wall transitions, because the humidity cycling here is brutal on adhesive-backed systems. We flood-test the pan for 24 hours. Duration: two days including cure time. Your decision: base material and any custom bench or niche placement.
Days 6-8: Wall finish and fixture set. Tile goes up, or your solid-surface wall panels get installed. Grout and seal, or silicone the panel joints. We set the valve trim, showerhead, and any accessories. Duration: two to three days depending on tile size and pattern complexity. Your decision: grout color, caulk color, and final fixture finish (chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, etc.).
Days 9-10: Glass, hardware, and inspection. The enclosure gets templated, fabricated, and installed. We do our own punch list, then schedule Miami-Dade County’s required plumbing inspection if permits were pulled, which they should be for any drain or valve relocation. Duration: one to two days. Your decision: glass thickness and coating (standard clear, low-iron, or hydrophobic coated).
The Options You’ll Actually Choose Between
Every tub-to-shower conversion in Kendale Lakes forces a handful of real decisions. Here’s where your money goes and what you’re trading off:
- Shower base: acrylic insert vs. tiled mud pan. Acrylic runs $800-$2,000 installed, goes in fast, and has a factory warranty against cracks. A custom mud pan with tile runs $1,800-$4,500, takes longer, but lets you size the drain location exactly and matches a higher-end aesthetic. For resale in Kendale Lakes’s mixed housing stock, the mud pan reads as “remodeled” where acrylic can read as “updated.”
- Wall surround: fiberglass panels vs. tile vs. solid surface. Fiberglass panels are the budget play at $1,200-$2,500, but the seams collect mildew in our humidity. Tile at $2,500-$6,000 gives you design range but needs resealing every 18-24 months. Solid surface like Corian or Swanstone hits $3,000-$7,000, has minimal seams, and cleans like a countertop.
- Fixture grade: builder-basic vs. name-brand pressure-balance vs. thermostatic. Basic chrome sets start around $150. A Moen or Delta pressure-balance valve with trim runs $400-$800 and prevents scalding when someone flushes a toilet. Thermostatic systems at $1,200-$3,500 hold temperature within a degree and support multiple outlets. For families with kids or elderly household members, the upgrade pays for itself in safety.
- Glass enclosure: framed sliding vs. semi-frameless vs. frameless. Framed sliders are $800-$1,800 and functional. Semi-frameless at $1,400-$2,800 loses the top rail. Frameless at $2,200-$4,500 uses thicker glass and minimal hardware, but requires precise wall plumbness, something older Kendale Lakes block construction doesn’t always deliver without shimming or reframing.
- Plumbing configuration: keep existing vs. relocate. Keeping the drain and valve where they are saves $1,500-$3,500 and avoids permit triggers in some cases. Moving either requires opening slab or walls, triggering full Miami-Dade plumbing inspection, but lets you correct a poorly placed original valve or gain a larger shower footprint.
What Tub-to-Shower Conversion Costs in Kendale Lakes, FL
In Kendale Lakes, tub-to-shower conversion costs $3,500-$10,000 based on the choices above and what we find when we open the walls. Here’s what pushes you toward either end:
| Cost Factor | Low-End Impact | High-End Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Shower base material | Acrylic insert, standard size | Custom mud pan with linear drain |
| Wall finish | Fiberglass surround | Full tile or solid surface |
| Plumbing changes | None, reuse existing | Relocate drain, add body sprays |
| Glass enclosure | Framed sliding door | Frameless with low-iron glass |
| Structural surprises | Clean demo, level slab | Slab leveling, wall reframing for plumb |
A written estimate from Groundwork includes demolition, disposal, base and wall materials, fixtures, glass enclosure, waterproofing, and rough-to-final plumbing labor. It does not include permit fees (typically $150-$400 in Miami-Dade), any mold or rot remediation found behind the tub, or bathroom flooring replacement outside the immediate shower footprint. We flag these potentials during the walkthrough so you’re not surprised.
If this tub-to-shower conversion is part of a full Bathroom Remodeling in Kendale Lakes, we bundle the pricing and sequence the work to avoid redundant demolition and inspection costs.
What Kendale Lakes Homes Specifically Do to This Job
Kendale Lakes sits in a unique spot. The community was ground zero for Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and its housing stock split into two distinct generations: pre-Andrew CBS homes that survived with original 1970s-1980s construction, and post-Andrew rebuilds engineered to the dramatically stricter Florida Building Code. Before we pull a single permit for your tub-to-shower conversion, we determine which generation we’re working on, because the inspection pathway and structural assumptions differ.
The pre-Andrew homes, common north and west of SW 107th Avenue, often have original cast-iron or steel tubs set in mortar beds on slabs that have settled slightly over 40-plus years. The block walls may not be perfectly plumb, which affects whether a frameless glass enclosure is feasible without reframing. These homes also frequently lack the interior wall backing for grab bars that post-Andrew construction includes by default. We plan for that.
The post-Andrew rebuilds, more common south toward The Crossings, were built with updated plumbing materials and stricter structural standards, but they’re now 25-30 years old themselves. We’ve found polybutylene supply lines in some 1990s-era rebuilds that need replacement before we can warranty the new valve installation.
Then there’s the water. Kendale Lakes’s position on the eastern Everglades edge means a water table that sits high year-round and saturates everything from June through October. Any slab penetration for drain relocation requires dewatering planning, and we spec moisture-resistant cement board or foam-core tile backer rather than standard drywall in the shower surround. The flat limestone substrate, sometimes inches below grade, can stop a standard concrete saw cold and extend the rough-in phase by a day.
Finally, many Kendale Lakes subdivisions operate under HOA regimes with design review for exterior changes. While a tub-to-shower conversion is interior, if your project expands the bathroom footprint or modifies a window, the architectural committee may require documentation. We handle that submittal as part of our Bathroom Remodeling process when needed.
Our Kendale Lakes crews also handle exterior work for homeowners tackling multiple projects, and we’ve found that clients updating bathrooms often pair interior work with roof or exterior upgrades. If you’re considering that scope, we also build Metal Roofing in Kendale Lakes and Tile Roofing in Kendale Lakes under the same contract and scheduling umbrella.
Serving Kendale Lakes, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Kendale Lakes area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked - Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Kendale Lakes
Most tub-to-shower conversions take 5-10 working days, with the wide range depending on whether we relocate plumbing, use tile versus a surround system, and whether the slab needs leveling. Permitting through Miami-Dade adds 2-5 business days for review before we start, though we submit before your start date so we’re not waiting. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll give you a firm schedule based on your specific bathroom layout.
Yes, if we’re moving the drain, water supply, or any structural wall. Miami-Dade County requires plumbing permits for drain relocation and electrical permits if we’re adding or moving lighting or exhaust fans. If we’re keeping all plumbing in place and only swapping the tub for a same-size shower base, some configurations qualify as cosmetic, but we verify that with the building department before starting. We pull all permits and schedule inspections as part of our standard process.
Often yes, and that’s the most cost-effective path. If your existing tub drain is centered and your valve height is at least 48 inches above the floor, we can install a shower base and enclosure using the current rough-in. The limitation is footprint, you’re locked to roughly the tub’s original dimensions. For a larger walk-in shower, moving the drain and valve typically adds $1,500-$3,500 but opens up layout options. We’ll show you both approaches during the estimate walkthrough.
The $3,500 end uses an acrylic base and surround, keeps existing plumbing, and installs a framed glass door or curtain rod. The $10,000 end includes a custom tiled mud pan, full tile or solid-surface walls, relocated plumbing for a larger footprint, a pressure-balance or thermostatic valve, and a frameless glass enclosure. Most Kendale Lakes homeowners land in the $5,500-$7,500 range with a mid-grade base, tile walls, and a semi-frameless door. Call (844) 665-0162 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
We warranty our installation workmanship for one year, and the materials we install carry their own manufacturer warranties, typically 5-10 years for acrylic bases, lifetime for many valve cartridges, and varying terms for glass enclosures. We register all manufacturer warranties in your name at completion so you’re covered even if you sell the home. We don’t warranty against future slab movement or pre-existing conditions we documented and disclosed before starting.
Ready to Convert Your Tub to a Shower in Kendale Lakes?
Call (844) 665-0162 to schedule a free on-site estimate for tub-to-shower conversion in Kendale Lakes. Raymond Estevez or a senior member of our team will walk your bathroom, confirm your plumbing configuration, explain whether your home falls under pre- or post-Andrew code requirements, and deliver a written estimate with line-item pricing within 48 hours. No deposit required to schedule, and we coordinate all permitting and inspections.
Written by Raymond Estevez, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Kendale Lakes and South Florida homeowners with full-scope residential construction since our founding.