Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Palm Beach Gardens: What It Costs and How Long It Takes
A tub-to-shower conversion in Palm Beach Gardens typically runs $3,500-$10,000 and takes 3 to 7 working days from demolition to final inspection. Most homeowners in PGA National, Mirasol, and the western 33418 corridor call us at (844) 665-0162 when they’re tired of stepping over a tub they never use, or when an aging fiberglass unit has started cracking at the seams. The job removes your existing bathtub and surround, then builds a dedicated shower in that footprint with new waterproofing, drainage, and finishes.
How We Handle a Tub-to-Shower Conversion From Start to Finish
We’ve done enough of these in Palm Beach Gardens to know where the surprises hide. Here’s the actual sequence, with what you’re deciding at each point.
Day 1: Demo and Discovery
We strip out the tub, surround, valve, and drain assembly. On 1970s-90s CBS homes in the original golf communities, we often find galvanized drain lines or a subfloor that has taken years of splash-over. This is when we confirm whether your existing plumbing can stay put or needs relocation. You’ll decide: keep the same footprint, or move the drain/valve wall for a more open layout? Same-day answer, no guesswork.
Days 2-3: Rough Plumbing and Blocking
If we’re relocating, our plumber reroutes drain and supply lines through the slab or wall cavity. Even when we keep the footprint, we replace the valve with a pressure-balanced or thermostatic unit. We also install solid blocking in the walls for grab bars, bench seats, or a frameless glass door hinge point. You’ll choose: standard valve, or thermostatic with volume control? Bench on one end, or open floor?
Day 4: Waterproofing and Prep
We use a bonded waterproof membrane system (liquid or sheet, depending on your tile selection) that meets Florida Building Code wet-area requirements. In Palm Beach Gardens, inspectors know to check for proper pan liner integration at the curb. This stage has no homeowner decisions, just our crew working to spec.
Days 5-6: Tile, Fixtures, and Glass
Wall tile goes up, then floor tile or a solid-surface shower pan. We set the showerhead, handheld, and any body sprays. Finally, we template and install your glass enclosure. You’ll have already chosen: porcelain tile with a linear drain, or a cultured marble surround for lower maintenance? Frameless glass, semi-frameless, or a curtain rod? These choices are what move your price most.
Day 7: Final Inspection and Walkthrough
We run water, check every seam, and verify drainage rate. In Palm Beach Gardens, if your home sits in PGA National, BallenIsles, or Mirasol, this is also when we confirm your HOA Architectural Review Board sign-off matches the finished work. No surprises, no restoration orders.
The Choices That Shape Your Shower
Every tub-to-shower conversion involves real trade-offs. Here’s what Palm Beach Gardens homeowners weigh:
- Shower pan material: Acrylic or fiberglass pans ($) install fast and carry manufacturer warranties, but the colors and textures are limited. Solid surface like Swanstone or Corian ($$) gives you integrated seats and custom dimensions with no grout lines to maintain. Tiled pans with a linear drain ($$$) look built-in and handle large-format tile beautifully, but they demand precise pitch work and annual resealing of grout.
- Wall surround: Cultured marble or engineered stone panels go up in a day, never need grout, and suit homeowners who want function over fuss. Porcelain or ceramic tile gives you design range, from subway to large-format rectified, but you’re committing to grout maintenance in a humid bathroom environment.
- Glass enclosure: Semi-frameless with a header rail costs less and tolerates slight wall irregularities in older CBS construction. True frameless with heavy glass and minimal hardware looks cleaner, but your walls must be plumb within tight tolerances, sometimes requiring extra prep on 1980s-era framing.
- Plumbing configuration: Keeping your existing drain and valve locations saves $800-$2,000 and a day of work. Moving the drain across a slab, or switching from a tub spout to a dedicated shower-only valve, opens up layout possibilities but adds concrete cutting and plumbing labor.
- Accessibility features: A curbless entry with trench drain looks seamless but requires floor recessing or a raised subfloor approach that doesn’t always work with existing slab elevations. A low-threshold pan with a built-in seat and grab-bar blocking hits most needs without structural complexity.
What Tub-to-Shower Conversion Costs in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
| Component | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Basic tub-to-shower conversion (acrylic pan, surround, standard valve) | $3,500-$5,500 |
| Mid-range conversion (tiled walls, solid-surface pan, glass door) | $5,500-$8,000 |
| High-end conversion (custom tile, frameless glass, plumbing relocation, bench) | $8,000-$10,000 |
Five factors push you toward the high or low end:
1. Existing condition. A rusted-out drain flange, rotted subfloor from years of leakage, or galvanized plumbing that fails pressure testing adds remediation before we build anything new. In older Palm Beach Gardens homes near the original PGA National parcels, we budget for this possibility.
2. Plumbing relocation. Moving the drain even 12 inches across a concrete slab means cutting, repouring, and rewaterproofing. Keeping the footprint saves real money.
3. Material grade. A fiberglass pan and glue-up surround versus a mud-set tile pan with Schluter waterproofing represents a 2x material difference before labor even enters the equation.
4. Glass and hardware. A framed sliding door from a big-box supplier runs $400-$700 installed. A custom frameless enclosure with 3/8″ low-iron glass and brushed nickel hardware can hit $2,500-$3,500 alone.
5. Permit and inspection scope. Palm Beach Gardens requires permits for plumbing and structural modifications. If your project is part of a full Bathroom Remodeling in Palm Beach Gardens, the permit package covers more trades and takes longer to clear, but the per-project cost is spread across a larger scope.
A written estimate from Groundwork Construction Co. includes demolition, disposal, plumbing rough and finish, waterproofing, hard surfaces, glass, fixtures, and permit handling. It does not include cosmetic work outside the wet area, electrical upgrades beyond a basic GFCI, or any HOA Architectural Review Board fees and resubmittals.
Why Palm Beach Gardens Homes Make This Job Different
Palm Beach Gardens isn’t like neighboring Lake Park or Riviera Beach. The city was master-planned from scratch starting in 1959 by John D. MacArthur, and today the densest construction activity sits inside deed-restricted golf communities where every exterior-facing renovation, including bathroom window replacement during a tub-to-shower conversion, must clear an Architectural Review Board before city permitting even begins.
In PGA National, BallenIsles, and Mirasol, we’ve seen out-of-area contractors pull city permits first, only to face restoration orders from HOA boards with independent enforcement authority. The board doesn’t care that your permit was valid. They care that your window style, exterior vent location, or even tile color visible from the street doesn’t match community standards. We build that sequence into our timeline: ARB first, then city, then demo. It routinely adds two to four weeks upfront, but it prevents tear-out.
The housing stock itself shapes our approach. The 1970s-90s CBS homes in the original golf communities have slab foundations, original single-pane aluminum windows, and bathrooms that were built to a price point. Galvanized drains, shallow wall cavities, and out-of-plumb framing are common. The 2000s-2010s luxury builds in Mirasol and newer phases are better engineered but often feature cultured marble surrounds that have aged poorly or Jacuzzi tubs that homeowners now want gone. We adjust our waterproofing spec and blocking strategy to match what we find behind the walls.
Climate matters too. Palm Beach County’s post-2004 hurricane code revisions mean any new window installed during a conversion must meet current wind-load and impact requirements if it’s in an exposure zone. And the shallow water table in western 33418, managed by South Florida Water Management District canals, rarely affects a simple bathroom interior job, but it reminds us why this region demands construction practices that respect water management at every scale.
Homeowners here often pair interior work with exterior updates. If you’re already coordinating trades, Metal Roofing in Palm Beach Gardens or Tile Roofing in Palm Beach Gardens can be sequenced through the same single-source contractor relationship, with one point of accountability from driveway to roofline.
Serving Palm Beach Gardens, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Palm Beach Gardens 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 Palm Beach Gardens
Most conversions take 3 to 5 working days if we keep the existing plumbing footprint; 5 to 7 days if we relocate drains or valves. Add 2 to 4 weeks before demolition for HOA Architectural Review Board approval in gated communities like PGA National or Mirasol. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll map your actual timeline.
Yes. Palm Beach Gardens requires permits for plumbing modifications and any structural changes. We handle permit drawings, submission, and inspection scheduling as part of our project management. In ARB-governed communities, board approval must precede city permitting. We navigate both sequences so you don’t coordinate separate approvals.
Often, yes. If your existing drain centerline falls within the new shower pan’s acceptable range and your valve height works for a shower-only setup, we keep everything in place and save you $800-$2,000. We confirm this during our on-site measurement before you sign anything.
The lowest-cost path is an acrylic or fiberglass shower pan and surround, keeping your existing drain and valve locations, with a standard curtain rod instead of glass. This typically lands near $3,500-$4,500 in the Palm Beach Gardens market. It’s functional, fast, and carries manufacturer warranties, though the aesthetic and resale impact are modest compared to tiled options.
We warranty our installation workmanship. Material warranties come from the manufacturers: typically 10-30 years on acrylic pans, limited lifetime on many tile waterproofing systems, and 3-5 years on glass hardware. We register all warranties in your name and leave you with documentation. For exact coverage on your spec, call (844) 665-0162.
Get a Free On-Site Estimate for Your Tub-to-Shower Conversion
We’ll measure your space, check what’s behind the walls, and give you a written estimate with real numbers, not a range that shifts later. Our Bathroom Remodeling crew serves Palm Beach Gardens and surrounding communities including North Palm Beach and The Acreage. Call (844) 665-0162 or schedule online. Most estimates happen within 48 hours, and we can often start ARB documentation the same week.
Written by Raymond Estevez, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Palm Beach Gardens since our South Florida founding.