# Tub to Shower Conversion Cost in Massachusetts | Magno & Co

Page: https://magnoandco.com/blog-tub-to-shower-conversion-cost

> Tub to shower conversion cost in Somerville and Greater Boston: drain, valve, waterproofing, glass, resale, aging in place and which price level it hits.

Costs & Budgets

## Tub to Shower Conversion Cost: What It Involves in Somerville and Boston

Tub to shower conversion cost in Somerville and Greater Boston: drain, valve, waterproofing, glass, resale, aging in place and which price level it hits.

**Mateus Magno**
Licensed Construction Supervisor · November 2, 2026 · 4 min read

Quick answer

With Magno & Co, a tub to shower conversion in a typical Greater Boston bathroom usually lands in my mid-level range of $12,000 to $18,000 when the drain stays close and the floor is sound. If we gut the room or the floor and drain need major work, it moves into my $19,000 to $30,000 full renovation level, and curbless builds go past $30,000. Your exact price comes from a free walkthrough and a written line-item budget.

The tub to shower conversion cost my clients in Somerville, Cambridge and Medford typically pay comes down to what is under the old tub: where the drain sits, what shape the subfloor is in, and how much floor tile we have to patch. Most land in my mid-level range. Some turn into a full renovation once we open things up.

Here is what the job really involves, how I price it, and a few things to think about before you remove the only tub in the house.

## Tub to shower conversion cost: which of my levels it lands in

These are **what my clients typically pay with Magno & Co** for a standard 5x8 to 8x10 bathroom in Greater Boston. It is my own pricing, not a statewide average.

| Level | Typical price | When a conversion lands here |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2. Mid-level renovation | **$12,000 – $18,000** | Tub out, shower in the same alcove, drain shifted a short way, new valve, tile walls, new floor tile, glass. |
| 3. Full renovation (gut to the studs) | **$19,000 – $30,000** | The whole room is gutted to studs and subfloor, with new supply and drain lines, full waterproofing, tiled shower with glass, permits and inspections. |
| Beyond a full renovation | **$30,000+** | Curbless entry, moving walls or plumbing to a new spot, enlarging the room, heated floors, high-end stone. |

A conversion rarely fits the $5,000 to $12,000 refresh level, because the tub, the drain and the wet walls all change. Larger rooms, rot, structural repairs, lead-safe work in pre-1978 homes and high-end finishes cost more. For an outside reference, the [2025 Cost vs. Value report for Boston](https://www.jlconline.com/cost-vs-value/2025/new-england/boston-ma/) lists a midrange bathroom remodel at **$27,681**. All four of my levels are explained in [my bathroom renovation cost levels guide](https://magnoandco.com/blog-bathroom-renovation-cost-levels).

## What a tub to shower conversion actually involves

- **Demolition:** the tub comes out, along with the wall tile or surround around it. Old cast-iron tubs are heavy and often have to be broken up on site.
- **Drain relocation:** a tub drain sits at one end. A shower drain usually needs to move toward the center or to a linear drain at the back wall, which means opening the floor.
- **Subfloor and joists:** decades of small leaks often leave rot under the tub. I replace bad subfloor and sister weak joists before anything new goes in.
- **New valve:** the shower head goes higher than a tub spout, so the valve and pipes get rebuilt with a new anti-scald valve.
- **Waterproofing:** a full membrane system on the walls and shower floor, flood-tested before tile.
- **Glass:** a fixed panel or door, which must be safety glazing under section R308.4.5 of the [2021 International Residential Code](https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2021P2/chapter-3-building-planning).
- **Floor tile patching:** the shower usually takes a different footprint than the tub. If the old floor tile cannot be matched, it often makes more sense to retile the whole floor.

MAGNO & CO

Planning a project in Somerville?

Licensed builder & owner's rep · free walkthrough · written budget in about 48 hours.

[Book a free consultation](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ3YJnElSsR4HsHaWVd6BsIBm7JOsDl2n-1EMy9trS9rj8PCyepopoQtl6O7um0eJcFcp5XXYk-Z)[978-397-5700](tel:+19783975700)

## Should you replace your only tub with a walk-in shower?

If you plan to replace the tub with a walk-in shower and stay for years, do what works for your life. If you might sell soon, think about who buys in your neighborhood.

- Many families with small children want at least one tub in the house.
- Buyers of a one-bath condo in a triple-decker near Porter Square or Teele Square may care less.
- If you have two bathrooms, converting one and keeping a tub in the other is often the safe middle path.

Every market is different, so ask a local real estate agent before you decide. I can show you both layouts in the same room.

## Accessibility and aging in place

A lot of owners who convert a tub are planning to stay in their home as they get older. Stepping over a tub wall gets harder every year.

- **Low curb or curbless entry:** a low curb is affordable. Curbless is the easiest to use but pushes the job into my $30,000+ level because of floor work.
- **Blocking for grab bars:** I add solid wood blocking in the walls now, even if you do not want bars yet. It costs little while the walls are open.
- **Handheld shower and a bench:** easy to plan in, hard to add later.
- **Wider opening:** a fixed glass panel with no door leaves the most room to walk in.

**Builder's tip:** Before you pick a shower base or glass, measure the bathroom door and the stairs. In triple-deckers, a one-piece base or a large glass panel sometimes will not fit up the back stairs, and that changes the plan.

## Permits, plumbing code and lead paint

Moving a drain and replacing a valve is plumbing work, and Massachusetts governs it through its own [248 CMR plumbing code](https://www.mass.gov/lists/policies-regulations-and-statutes-for-plumbers-and-gas-fitters), done by a licensed plumber with a permit. For the full picture, read [do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Massachusetts](https://magnoandco.com/blog-do-i-need-a-permit-bathroom-remodel-massachusetts).

Most homes in Somerville and Medford were built well before 1978. The [EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule](https://www.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program) requires lead-safe work practices when renovating pre-1978 homes, and I am a certified Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor. More in my [lead paint renovation guide](https://magnoandco.com/blog-lead-paint-older-homes-renovation).

## Need a hand?

Every house is different, and nobody knows what is under a tub until it comes out. [Book a free walkthrough](https://magnoandco.com/contact) and I will check the drain, floor and layout, then send a written line-item budget, usually within 48 hours.

## Frequently asked questions

How much does a tub to shower conversion cost?

With Magno & Co, most conversions in a typical Greater Boston bathroom land in my mid-level range of $12,000 to $18,000. If the room is gutted or the floor needs major repair, it moves to $19,000 to $30,000, and curbless builds go past $30,000.

Does removing the only bathtub hurt resale value?

It can matter to buyers with young children, so if you plan to sell soon, ask a local real estate agent. If the house has a second bathroom, keeping a tub there is a common compromise.

Do you need a permit to convert a tub to a shower in Massachusetts?

Usually yes. Moving a drain or replacing a shower valve is plumbing work under the state plumbing code, 248 CMR, and needs a licensed plumber and a plumbing permit.

How long does a tub to shower conversion take?

It depends on what is found under the tub and how much tile changes. Drain moves, subfloor repairs and inspections add time, so I give a schedule with the written budget after a walkthrough.

**Planning a bathroom?** See [how I remodel bathrooms in Somerville](https://magnoandco.com/bathroom-remodeling-somerville) and [my published prices](https://magnoandco.com/pricing).

**Good to know:** this article is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change and every property is different — confirm the details for your home with your city's building department, or [ask me](https://magnoandco.com/contact). See our [Terms & Disclaimers](https://magnoandco.com/terms).

**About the author**

Mateus Magno founded Magno & Co in 2020. He is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor (CS-123658), registered Home Improvement Contractor (HIC #220484) and certified Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor who has renovated and managed over $5 million in projects across Greater Boston.

[More about Mateus →](https://magnoandco.com/about)

Keep reading

## More from the blog

[Costs & Budgets ### Cheap Bathroom Remodel: How to Get a Great Result on a Budget Cheap bathroom remodel ideas from a Somerville contractor: what to keep, what to replace, where never to cut corners, and when cheap wastes money. 4 min read · Read article →](https://magnoandco.com/blog-bathroom-remodel-on-a-budget) [Costs & Budgets ### Master bathroom remodel cost in 2026: a Greater Boston breakdown Master bathroom remodel cost in Somerville and Greater Boston: why primary baths run $19,000 to $30,000 and up, where the money goes, and how to phase it. 4 min read · Read article →](https://magnoandco.com/blog-master-bathroom-remodel-cost) [Costs & Budgets ### Half bath remodel cost: what a powder room really costs in Greater Boston Half bath remodel cost in Somerville and Greater Boston: what my clients pay for a powder room refresh or redo, and why adding a new half bath costs more. 4 min read · Read article →](https://magnoandco.com/blog-half-bath-remodel-cost)

## Have a question about your project?

Plans, a sketch or just an idea — talk to me. You'll get honest advice and a clear written budget and schedule.

[Book a free consultation](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ3YJnElSsR4HsHaWVd6BsIBm7JOsDl2n-1EMy9trS9rj8PCyepopoQtl6O7um0eJcFcp5XXYk-Z) [Call 978-397-5700](tel:+19783975700)

## Worked with Magno & Co?

A 1-minute Google review helps Somerville neighbors find a builder they can trust, and it means a lot to a small local business.

[Leave a Google review](https://g.page/r/CW23iOz7D9gnEAE/review) [Read our reviews on Google →](https://maps.google.com/?cid=2871062337128281965)

---
Magno & Co · licensed owner's representative and builder · 55 Davis Square, Fl 3, Somerville, MA 02145 · 978-397-5700 · info.magnoandco@gmail.com · MA CSL CS-123658 · MA HIC #220484 · https://magnoandco.com/