Bathroom Remodeling
Tub-to-shower conversions in Lancaster and Chester County, PA
If the tub has not been filled in years, it is probably time to turn it into a shower. We take the tub and surround out, move the drain and the valve for a shower, build a waterproofed pan in the five-foot alcove, tile it floor to ceiling with a niche and a bench if it fits, and close it with a glass door. It is one of the most common jobs we do and one of the most satisfying for the homeowners.
What a Conversion Involves
- The tub, the surround, and the wet wallboard behind it removed.
- The drain relocated to the center or to a linear drain at the wall, and a new shower valve set at the right height.
- A sloped pan with a bonded waterproofing membrane, flood-tested.
- Tile on the floor and the walls, a niche, a bench where the alcove allows one.
- A frameless glass door or a fixed panel, the trim, the paint, and often a new vanity and floor while the room is open.
How Long It Takes
A tub-to-shower conversion typically takes three to four weeks from the day the tub comes out, including the plumbing rework, the waterproofing, the tile, and the glass, which is measured after the tile is in. We give you the exact window before we start.
Alcove Showers Done Well
A standard tub alcove is sixty inches by thirty, and a shower in it is a real shower if it is laid out with care: the valve on the wall you reach from outside, the niche where it does not show from the door, a corner bench if the room is deep enough, a door that swings or slides depending on the room. Large-format tile makes a small shower feel bigger, and a pebble or hexagon floor keeps it safe.
Keep One Tub in the House
If the house has two bathrooms and children, we usually suggest converting the primary and keeping the hall tub. If it is the only bath, we talk it through with you: a shower is better for daily life and for most buyers, but some families will want a house to have at least one tub. Either way, it is your call and we build it right.
Questions
Questions We Get
Does the drain have to move?
Usually. A tub drains at one end. A shower drains at the center or along a wall, and the floor slopes to it. Moving it is part of every conversion we do.
Can the shower be curbless in a tub alcove?
Often, if the floor framing under the alcove can be dropped or the bathroom floor raised. We check the joists from below before we say yes.
Will insurance or Medicare pay for a conversion?
Generally not for the remodel itself, though some long-term-care policies and veterans’ programs have grants for accessible showers. We can build to those specifications, and the paperwork is between you and the program.
Process
How We Work
- We visit, measure, and talk through the scope before anything is priced.
- You get a written proposal, and we build to it.
- Where the work needs a permit, we walk you through it every step: the application, the drawings the township asks for, and the inspections.
- We are on site from the first day to the last, and the house stays clean while we work.
- We walk the finished job with you, fix anything on the list, and clean up.
Bathroom Remodeling
More Kinds of Bathrooms
Service area
Where We Work
Based in Christiana, we work across Lancaster County and Chester County.
Lancaster County
- Christiana
- Gap
- Quarryville
- Strasburg
- Lancaster
Chester County
- Parkesburg
- Coatesville
- West Chester
- Kennett Square
- Downingtown
- Malvern
- Chester Springs
- Frazer
Dalton remodeled our primary bathroom and did a wonderful job. All work was performed neatly and professionally.
— Julie EvansPrimary bathroom remodel5 stars on Google
Ready to Trade the Tub for a Shower?
Every great project starts with your vision for your home. Tell us what you’re thinking. We’ll get back to you within 48 hours.