Converting a tub to a walk-in shower means pulling the tub, reworking the drain and valve to fit a flat floor, waterproofing the wet area, and setting a new shower base, walls, and door. In Pocatello, most conversions run $4,800 to $12,500 in 2026 depending on size, tile, and whether we move plumbing. The rest of this guide walks through the real steps, the costs we quote every week, and the mistakes that turn a weekend project into a two-month one.
We are ShowerPro Installation, and we do walk in shower installation pocatello ID for homeowners across Bannock County. We have torn out enough cast iron tubs in Pocatello's older homes to know exactly what is hiding behind the wall.
What a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Actually Involves
A tub-to-walk-in-shower conversion is a bathroom remodel that removes a bathtub and replaces it with a low- or zero-threshold shower built for standing use. It is not a liner dropped over the old tub. The tub comes out, the floor gets rebuilt, and the drain gets moved to the center of the new shower footprint.
That last part is what surprises people. A tub drain sits at one end of the tub. A shower drain sits in the middle of the pan. On a concrete slab - which is most of Pocatello - moving that drain means cutting concrete, rerouting the P-trap, and re-pouring. On a raised floor, we cut the subfloor and run the new line underneath.
Here is what comes out and what goes in on a typical job:
- Out: tub, tub surround or tile, old valve and trim, sometimes a section of drywall and the vanity if it blocks the new footprint.
- In: new shower pan or tiled base, waterproofing membrane, wall panels or tile, new valve and trim, glass door or curtain rod, grab bars if requested.
If you are also updating the rest of the bathroom while the walls are open, that is a good time to talk about shower remodeling pocatello ID so the tile, lighting, and ventilation all match.
How Much Does Tub to Walk-In Shower Conversion Cost in Pocatello, ID?
Tub to walk-in shower conversion cost in Pocatello, Idaho runs $4,800 to $12,500 for 2026, with most of our jobs landing between $6,500 and $9,200. The spread comes down to three things: how far the drain moves, what goes on the walls, and whether we are cutting concrete.
Here is how the numbers break down in our bids:
- Demo and haul-away: $400-$900. Cast iron tubs are heavy and often get cut into pieces to get out the door.
- Drain relocation: $600-$1,800. Slab cuts cost more than raised-floor work.
- Valve and trim: $500-$1,200 installed, including a pressure-balancing or thermostatic valve.
- Base and waterproofing: $900-$2,400. A prefab pan is cheaper; a tiled base with a linear drain is at the top.
- Walls: $1,200-$4,000. Acrylic panels sit at the low end; large-format porcelain tile sits at the high end.
- Glass and door: $700-$2,800. Frameless glass is the top of that range.
Permits in Pocatello typically add $75 to $250 depending on scope, and we pull them for you. If you want a curbless floor so you can roll a walker or wheelchair straight in, expect to add $1,500 to $3,500 for the extra framing and waterproofing that a barrier-free shower installation pocatello ID requires.
For a straight tub-to-shower swap with acrylic walls and a framed glass door, $6,000 to $7,500 is realistic. Add tile, a bench, and frameless glass and you are in the $10,000 to $12,500 range.
Step-by-Step: How to Convert a Tub to a Walk-In Shower in Pocatello, ID
The order of operations matters more than the tools. Skip a step and you will be tearing out fresh tile to fix a leak.
- Measure and plan. A standard tub alcove is 60 inches long and 30 to 32 inches deep. That is your new shower footprint unless you are stealing space from a closet or the vanity. Decide now whether you want a curb, a low curb, or no curb at all.
- Shut off water and demo. Kill the supply at the main, cut the tub drain, and pull the tub. Expect water in the trap and rust under the rim.
- Move the drain. Cut the slab or subfloor, reroute the P-trap to the center of the new pan, and set the drain height so the finished floor drains at roughly 1/4 inch per foot.
- Reframe and rough-in. Add blocking for grab bars, a bench, and the valve. Replace any wet or rotted framing you find.
- Set the valve. We install a pressure-balancing or thermostatic valve so the water stays within a couple of degrees when someone flushes a toilet. This is also when we run new supply lines if the old ones are galvanized.
- Waterproof. Cement board or foam board, then a bonded waterproofing membrane over the entire wet area, with banding at every corner and seam. This is the step that separates a 20-year shower from a 5-year one.
- Set the base and walls. Prefab pan or tiled base, then acrylic panels or tile. We set tile with a modified thinset and grout with a sealed, stain-resistant grout.
- Trim out. Showerhead, handheld, valve trim, niche, bench, grab bars, glass door.
- Test and inspect. Fill the pan, let it sit, and check for leaks before we caulk and hand it over.
If you are keeping the tub drain location and just want a new shower base, that is a smaller job - we cover it under walk-in shower pan installation pocatello ID.
Can I Convert a Tub to a Walk-In Shower Myself in Pocatello?
You can do a DIY tub to shower conversion in Pocatello if you are comfortable cutting concrete, sweating or pressing copper, and waterproofing a wet area to code. Most homeowners are not, and that is fine - the failure mode is expensive.
The parts that trip people up:
- Slab cutting. A rented concrete saw, a diamond blade, and a lot of dust. Cut too deep and you hit a post-tension cable or a sewer line.
- Drain slope. Get it wrong and water pools in the corner. There is no fix short of pulling the pan.
- Waterproofing. A single pinhole in a corner seam turns into a rotted subfloor and a mold problem within two winters.
- Permits and inspection. Pocatello requires a permit for plumbing alterations. Unpermitted work gets flagged at resale.
If you want to save money, do the demo and the finish painting yourself and hire out the plumbing, waterproofing, and tile. That is where the risk lives.
How Long Does Tub to Shower Conversion Take in Pocatello, Idaho?
A tub to shower conversion in Pocatello, Idaho takes 5 to 10 working days for a standard acrylic-panel job, and 2 to 4 weeks if you are doing tile, a custom pan, and frameless glass. The schedule is driven by cure times, not labor.
Here is a realistic timeline for a tiled conversion:
- Day 1: demo and haul-away.
- Days 2-3: drain relocation, framing, rough plumbing, inspection.
- Days 4-5: waterproofing and flood test.
- Days 6-9: tile on walls and floor, grout cure.
- Days 10-12: valve trim, glass template and install, caulk, final walkthrough.
Frameless glass is usually the long pole. It gets templated after tile is set and fabricated off-site, which adds 5 to 10 days. If you need the shower back fast, a framed door or a curtain rod gets you there sooner.
Common Mistakes We See on DIY Tub-to-Shower Jobs
We get called to fix these more often than you would think, and most of them trace back to the same handful of shortcuts.
- Reusing the tub drain location. The pan will not sit flat, and water will not drain right. The drain has to move to the center of the new footprint.
- Skipping the flood test. Fill the pan with water, mark the level, and check it 24 hours later. If it drops, you have a leak.
- Greenboard instead of cement or foam board. Greenboard is not a shower substrate. It wicks, it molds, and it fails.
- Caulking over a wet joint. Caulk does not stick to damp surfaces. It peels within a season.
- No blocking for grab bars. If you or a parent might want grab bars later, put the blocking in now. It costs almost nothing during the build and a fortune to add later.
- Ignoring ventilation. A shower without a properly sized fan grows mold on the ceiling within a year. We size the fan to the room volume and vent it outside, not into the attic.
If your current shower is already leaking into the ceiling below, that is a different job - see shower leak detection and repair pocatello ID before you start tearing anything out.
When to Call a Professional
Call us when the drain has to move, when the floor is concrete, when you want tile or a curbless entry, or when the person using the shower is a senior who needs grab bars and a bench. Those four things cover about 90 percent of the conversions we do in Pocatello.
We handle the permit, the slab cut, the waterproofing, and the inspection. You get a shower that drains right, does not leak, and looks like it belongs in the house. If you want to see what a custom layout looks like before you commit, we can walk you through custom walk-in shower design pocatello ID and price it line by line.
We also do a lot of work for seniors and their families across Pocatello - low curbs, benches, handheld showerheads, and grab bars placed where they actually help. If that is your situation, tell us on the first call and we will design around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does tub to walk-in shower conversion cost in Pocatello, ID?
Most conversions in Pocatello run $4,800 to $12,500 in 2026, with a typical acrylic-panel job at $6,000 to $7,500. Tile, frameless glass, and a curbless floor push you toward the top of that range. Drain relocation and slab cutting are the two biggest variables.
Can I convert a tub to a walk-in shower myself in Pocatello?
Only if you can cut concrete, move a drain, and waterproof to code. The plumbing and waterproofing are where DIY jobs fail, and Pocatello requires a permit for plumbing changes. Doing demo and painting yourself and hiring out the wet work is the safer middle path.
How long does tub to shower conversion take in Pocatello, Idaho?
Five to ten working days for an acrylic-panel conversion, and two to four weeks for tile with a custom pan and frameless glass. Cure times and glass fabrication drive the schedule more than labor does.
Who does tub to shower conversion near me in Pocatello?
ShowerPro Installation does tub-to-shower conversions across Pocatello and Bannock County, including Chubbuck and Pocatello Creek. We pull the permit, handle the drain and waterproofing, and install the base, walls, valve, and glass.
Do I need a permit for a tub-to-shower conversion in Pocatello?
Yes, if you are altering the drain or supply plumbing, which almost every conversion does. The permit typically runs $75 to $250 and includes an inspection of the rough plumbing and the flood test. We pull it as part of the job.
Get Help With Walk-In Shower Installation in Pocatello
If you are ready to trade the tub for a shower you can actually step into, we will come out, measure, and give you a real number - not a range that doubles halfway through the job.
Call ShowerPro Installation at +1 (986) 336-9120 and we will schedule a walkthrough this week.