How Much Does a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in Sunset, FL?
A tub-to-shower conversion in Sunset, FL typically runs $3,500-$10,000, takes 3-5 working days, and requires a Miami-Dade County plumbing permit with rough-in and final inspections. Most 1960s-1980s ranch homes in the 33173 area keep their existing drain location, which keeps the job on the lower end of that range. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll walk through your bathroom layout over the phone, then schedule a free on-site estimate.
We’ve done this job on dozens of homes along SW 72nd Street and SW 88th Street corridors, and the pattern is consistent: original cast-iron or steel tubs in concrete-block ranches that have outlived their usefulness. The question isn’t whether the tub is failing. It’s whether the surrounding structure, plumbing, and substrate are worth building around.
How We Handle a Tub-to-Shower Conversion, Start to Finish
Day one is demolition and discovery. We remove the tub, surround, and any tile backer down to studs. In Sunset’s older CBS homes, this is where we find the surprises: corroded galvanized supply lines, rotted wood blocking behind the tub flange from decades of splash-over, or a slab with no moisture barrier because it was poured in 1972. We photograph everything and review it with you before lunch. You’ll decide right then whether to replace the valve and supply lines while the wall is open, which adds roughly $400-$900 but eliminates a future plumbing failure behind finished tile.
Day two is rough plumbing and framing prep. If we’re keeping the drain in place, we verify the P-trap condition and pitch. If you’re moving to a linear drain or centering the shower for a wider door, we cut the slab, which triggers a structural review under Miami-Dade’s post-Andrew enforcement. This is the step that separates a three-day job from a five-day job. You’ll choose your shower pan system here: a traditional mortar bed with waterproofing membrane, a prefabricated foam pan with integrated slope like Wedi or Schluter, or a solid-surface base. The foam systems cost more upfront but save labor and eliminate the variable of a trowel-applied slope.
Day three is wallboard, waterproofing, and niche framing. We use cement board with a liquid-applied membrane or a bonded sheet membrane, depending on your tile selection. Large-format tile demands a flatter substrate, so we may add a self-leveling skim. You’ll finalize niche placement and any bench seating now, because these decisions affect stud blocking and waterproofing continuity.
Day four is tile setting or wall panel installation. Porcelain and ceramic are the standard in Sunset homes; natural stone requires enhanced waterproofing and a penetrating sealer schedule because of South Florida’s humidity. If you choose a solid-surface wall system like Swanstone or Corian, installation is faster but your color and texture options narrow. Grout cure time means we typically can’t seal and finish until day five.
Day five is trim, glass, final plumbing connections, and cleanup. We install your shower door, test all valves, and verify drainage rate. Miami-Dade requires a final plumbing inspection, which we schedule. You sign off after a walkthrough. The whole sequence assumes no structural surprises; if we hit a slab crack or active leak, we pause, document, and quote the repair before continuing.
The Choices That Shape Your Tub-to-Shower Conversion
- Shower pan: prefabricated base vs. custom tile. A cultured marble or acrylic base runs $600-$1,400 installed and is done in hours. A mud-set tile pan with proper waterproofing adds $1,200-$2,800 but lets you match floor tile exactly and eliminates the seam between pan and wall. In Sunset’s hard-water environment, the smoother surface of a solid base is easier to keep clean; tile with sanded grout demands more maintenance.
- Wall surround: tile, solid surface, or hybrid. Full tile gives unlimited design range but costs $8-$25 per square foot for material plus labor. Solid-surface panels like Swanstone or Kohler Choreograph install faster, have no grout lines, and cost $1,500-$3,500 for a typical three-wall surround. Many of our Sunset clients split the difference: tile on the back wall for visual impact, solid surface on side walls for practicality.
- Shower door: framed, semi-frameless, or frameless. Framed sliders start around $400; frameless glass with heavy hardware runs $1,200-$2,500. The frameless look is what most homeowners picture when they imagine a modern shower, but it requires precise wall plumbness. In older CBS block homes with slightly out-of-square framing, we may recommend semi-frameless to avoid custom glass surcharges.
- Valve and fixtures: pressure-balance vs. thermostatic. A pressure-balance valve (Moen, Delta, Kohler) prevents scalding when someone flushes a toilet and costs $150-$400. A thermostatic valve holds temperature within one degree regardless of pressure fluctuation and runs $400-$900. For households with kids or elderly residents, the thermostatic upgrade is worth considering.
- Niche, bench, and storage. A tiled niche adds $300-$600. A fold-down teak bench or built-in corner seat adds $400-$1,100. These aren’t afterthoughts; they require blocking in the framing stage, so we lock them in by day two.
What Tub-to-Shower Conversion Costs in Sunset, FL
| Component | Low Range | High Range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic conversion (keep drain, acrylic base, surround, standard door) | $3,500 | $5,500 |
| Mid-range (tile pan, tiled walls, semi-frameless door, new valve) | $5,500 | $8,000 |
| Full custom (relocate drain, frameless glass, stone or large-format tile, thermostatic valve, niche, bench) | $8,000 | $10,000 |
Five variables push you up or down this ladder. First, drain location: keeping it saves $800-$1,500 in slab work. Second, wall condition: drywall and studs damaged by long-term moisture need replacement, adding $500-$2,000. Third, material grade: porcelain under $3 per square foot performs fine; designer tile at $15+ per square foot drives the total quickly. Fourth, plumbing age: galvanized or polybutylene supply lines trigger a whole-house repipe discussion. Fifth, permit scope: Miami-Dade’s plumbing permit for a wet-area remodel is standard, but if your project is part of a full Bathroom Remodeling in Sunset, the permit bundles and inspection sequencing change.
Our written estimates itemize demolition, disposal, plumbing, pan and wall materials, waterproofing, tile or panel labor, door installation, trim, and permit fees. What they don’t include: asbestos or lead testing if your home predates 1978, mold remediation behind the tub, or structural slab repair. We flag these possibilities during the initial walkthrough so you’re not surprised.
What Sunset Homes Specifically Mean for This Job
Sunset’s housing stock is almost entirely 1960s-1980s concrete-block ranch construction, and that era matters for tub-to-shower conversions in ways that don’t apply to newer builds. The original bathrooms were built with cast-iron tubs set in mortar beds on the slab, with galvanized steel supply lines and copper drains. After thirty to fifty years, the tub coating is worn, the drain flange is corroded, and the mortar bed has become a moisture sponge. We’ve opened walls in homes near SW 107th Avenue and found the blocking behind the tub completely rotted, yet the homeowner had no idea because the tile hid it.
The post-Andrew rebuilding wave didn’t reach many of these interiors. While roofs and windows were upgraded to meet Miami-Dade’s stricter code, bathrooms often weren’t touched. That means when we pull a tub today, we’re frequently the first contractor to expose the original construction. We plan for it.
Miami-Dade County’s product-approval system also affects material selection. Every waterproofing membrane, shower pan system, and window we might install must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. Our Bathroom Remodeling crew verifies NOA numbers before ordering; out-of-county contractors who skip this step get red-tagged at inspection. For Sunset homeowners, this means your contractor’s familiarity with Sunset permitting isn’t optional. It’s the difference between passing inspection on the first try and a two-week delay.
The shallow water table and summer storm saturation we see east of the Everglades also matter. Any slab cutting for drain relocation risks hitting standing water, so we schedule that work in drier months when possible and use dewatering if necessary. Homes in this area with original slab construction and no perimeter drainage are more prone to moisture migration through the slab, which influences our pan and waterproofing specifications.
Homeowners in Sunset often coordinate interior work with exterior upgrades. If you’re already planning a Metal Roofing in Sunset or Tile Roofing in Sunset project to address aging roof decking, bundling the permits and inspections under one contractor relationship simplifies scheduling and accountability.
Serving Sunset, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Sunset 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 Sunset
Most conversions take 3-5 working days, assuming we keep the existing drain location and pass inspection on the first attempt. Miami-Dade plumbing inspections typically schedule within 48 hours, so we build that buffer into our timeline. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll confirm current inspection availability when we quote your job.
Yes. Miami-Dade County requires a plumbing permit for any wet-area modification, including drain, valve, or fixture changes. We pull the permit, schedule rough-in and final inspections, and ensure all materials carry the required Miami-Dade NOA. Homeowners who skip permitting risk failed resale inspections and insurance complications.
Often yes, and that’s the most cost-effective path. If your existing tub drain is centered or near-center, we can install a shower pan with the same drain location, eliminating slab cutting. The valve can usually stay in place too. We determine this on the first site visit by measuring your rough-in dimensions against standard shower pan configurations.
Pre-1990s homes with galvanized plumbing, out-of-square framing, or moisture-damaged walls need corrective work before the conversion begins. Moving the drain, upgrading to a thermostatic valve, or selecting large-format tile and frameless glass also pushes the total higher. We itemize these variables in your estimate so you see exactly where your money goes.
We warranty our workmanship for one year, and the materials we install carry their own manufacturer warranties: typically lifetime on valves from Moen or Delta, ten years on shower doors, and varying terms on tile and pan systems. We register your products and provide warranty documentation at final walkthrough. For warranty questions specific to your selections, call (844) 665-0162 before we order materials.
Ready to Convert Your Tub to a Shower in Sunset?
Call (844) 665-0162 to schedule a free on-site estimate. We’ll measure your bathroom, inspect the existing plumbing and walls, and deliver a written quote with line-item pricing within 24 hours. No deposit required to book, and we coordinate Miami-Dade permitting so you don’t have to visit the county office.
Written by Raymond Estevez, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Sunset and South Florida homeowners since establishing our Fort Lauderdale base.