Stop Working Around a Tub You Never Use. Replace It With the Shower You Actually Want.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion in San Antonio, TX
Most San Antonio homeowners with a tub-shower combo in their master bathroom haven’t filled that tub in years. Meanwhile, it dominates a third of the space, makes showering feel cramped, and dates the room by a decade.
A tub-to-shower conversion removes the tub entirely and rebuilds that footprint as a custom walk-in shower — with tile, frameless glass, built-in features, and every finish selected specifically for you. Bath by Design SA handles the complete conversion with our own licensed team. Most projects are finished in 3–5 business days.
Prefer to talk now? Call (210) 683-8917
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Why San Antonio Homeowners Are Converting Their Tubs
You’re Not Using It
Research consistently shows fewer than 10% of adults use a master bath tub regularly. If that describes your household, the tub is taking up prime bathroom real estate — 13 to 16 square feet — that could become a spacious, beautiful walk-in shower you use every single day.
Walk-In Showers Are Safer
Stepping over a tub wall is one of the most common causes of bathroom falls — a risk that increases meaningfully with age. A walk-in shower with a low or zero threshold eliminates that hazard. If you’re planning to stay in your home long-term, converting now makes practical sense.
The Visual Transformation Is Dramatic
Nothing updates a master bathroom faster than removing a dated fiberglass or cultured-marble tub surround and replacing it with a custom tiled walk-in shower and frameless glass. The same footprint reads as a completely different — and much more upscale — space.
Strong Resale Value
In the current San Antonio real estate market, updated master bathrooms with walk-in showers consistently outperform dated tub-shower combinations in buyer preference. Converting your master tub to a shower is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make before listing — or simply for enjoying the home you’re staying in.
What's Included in a Bath by Design SA Tub-to-Shower Conversion
We handle the complete project — not just tile, not just glass. Everything from demo to final sign-off:
- Full bathtub demo — removal of the tub, surround, and any one-piece fiberglass or acrylic unit
- Plumbing reconfiguration — relocate the drain, add or reposition the shower valve and supply lines
- City of San Antonio permit — pulled as part of every conversion involving plumbing changes
- Waterproofing membrane — applied to all wet wall and floor surfaces before any tile goes in
- Cement board substrate — properly installed over waterproofed framing
- Full tile installation — shower walls, shower floor, niches, bench, or accent features
- Custom frameless glass — precision-measured and fabricated to fit your exact tile dimensions
- Shower valve, showerhead, hand shower, and fixture installation
- Caulk, sealing, and all finish details
- Final walkthrough — project isn’t complete until you approve it
💡 Pro Tip: The most important step in any tub-to-shower conversion is waterproofing — not tile. Cement board alone is water-resistant, not waterproof. We apply a full waterproofing membrane before any tile is installed. This is the step that separates a 20-year shower from one that fails in five. |
Designing Your Converted Shower
The tub footprint in a standard alcove is typically 60″ wide by 30–32″ deep. After conversion, you can build a shower in that same space — one that’s larger and more usable than any standard shower stall. Here’s what you can customize:
Tile
Large-format porcelain is our top recommendation for San Antonio homes. Fewer grout lines mean dramatically less mineral buildup in our hard-water city. Available in concrete-look, marble-look, warm stone tones, and dozens of other styles. We bring samples to your home.
Glass Enclosure
Frameless pivot door, frameless hinged door with fixed panel, or doorless walk-in panel — all custom-measured to fit your tile layout exactly. Available in clear, ultra-clear (low-iron), or light tint glass in 3/8″ or 1/2″ thickness.
Built-In Features
- Single or double recessed niches for toiletries — tiled to match or contrast the surround
- Built-in bench — tiled, floating, or full-width across one wall
- Linear drain flush with large-format tile for a seamless floor appearance
- Shaving ledge or foot-rest built into the tile wall
Fixtures
Shower valve, wall-mount head, rain head, hand shower on slide bar — in your choice of matte black, brushed nickel, brushed gold, or polished chrome. We help you coordinate with your existing bathroom finishes.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in San Antonio
Scope | Typical Range | Notes |
Standard conversion (60″x30″, mid-range tile, frameless pivot door) | $7,500–$10,500 | Most common |
Mid-range (large-format tile, niche, frameless panel + door) | $10,000–$13,500 | Popular upgrade |
Premium (linear drain, bench, ceiling-height glass, multi-head) | $13,000–$17,000 | Luxury scope |
Accessibility conversion (curbless, grab bars, fold-down bench) | $9,000–$14,000 | Aging-in-place |
Financing available for qualifying projects. All pricing includes labor, permit, waterproofing, tile installation, glass fabrication and installation, and fixtures. No hidden costs after the estimate is signed.
Book a Bathroom Remodeling Consultation
Serving San Antonio and Surrounding Areas
Bath by Design SA serves homeowners throughout the greater San Antonio metro area — Stone Oak, Alamo Ranch, The Dominion, Helotes, Shavano Park, Boerne, New Braunfels, Converse, Universal City, Schertz, and Cibolo.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion: FAQ
How long does a tub-to-shower conversion take?
Most conversions take 3–5 business days from demo to final walkthrough. Larger footprints, custom tile layouts, or plumbing complications may extend to 7–10 days. We provide a specific timeline in your written estimate.
Can any bathtub space be converted to a shower?
In the vast majority of cases, yes. Standard alcove tubs, drop-in tubs, and corner tubs can all be converted. The main variable is your existing plumbing layout — we assess this during the free in-home visit and confirm what’s feasible before you commit to anything.
Will removing my tub hurt my home's resale value?
In the master bathroom specifically, walk-in showers are strongly preferred by buyers in the current San Antonio market. If your home has a tub in a secondary bathroom, removing the master tub generally does not hurt resale. If the master tub is the only tub in the home, we’ll discuss this during the consultation to help you make the right decision for your situation.
Do you handle the plumbing and permits?
Yes. Bath by Design SA handles all plumbing work and pulls all required City of San Antonio permits as part of every conversion project. We don’t advise skipping permits — unpermitted plumbing work creates real problems at resale and during insurance claims.
What size shower can I fit where my tub was?
A standard 60″ alcove tub space converts to a shower approximately 60″ wide by 32–36″ deep — significantly larger than a standard 36″x36″ shower stall. Many clients are pleasantly surprised by how spacious their converted shower feels compared to what the tub alcove looked like before.
Book a Design Consultation
Prefer to talk now? Call (210) 683-8917