Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Styles & brands we work with
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterHow Much Does Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost in Long Beach?
A tub-to-shower conversion in Long Beach, CA typically costs between $3,500 and $10,000 in 2026, with most standard 5-foot alcove conversions landing in the $5,500 to $8,000 range. That price includes demolition of the old tub, new shower pan or waterproofed tile base, wall surround, valve and trim, and finish plumbing. What changes the final number most is whether you choose an acrylic system or a full tile build-out, and whether the existing drain has to be moved.
At Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach, every tub-to-shower conversion starts with a written price before any work begins. You’ll know the full number before the crew sets foot in your Long Beach home. No allowances that bloom into surprise change orders. Call (562) 512-7086 for a free estimate.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what the money actually goes toward in a typical Long Beach conversion. These are the line items your contractor should be able to name, not bury in a lump-sum “labor and materials” line.
| Line Item | Typical Long Beach Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Demo & haul-away of existing tub | $350 – $800 | Cast iron tubs cost more to remove than fiberglass; second-floor bathrooms add labor. |
| Shower pan or waterproofed tile base | $500 – $1,800 | Acrylic pans run lower; custom tile bases with Schluter or equivalent waterproofing run higher. |
| Wall surround (acrylic) or tile walls | $900 – $3,500 | 3-piece acrylic surrounds are the value option; full porcelain or ceramic tile walls with niche add cost. |
| Shower valve, trim, and showerhead | $350 – $1,200 | Kohler, Moen, and Grohe pressure-balance valves are standard. Thermostatic valves cost more. |
| Glass shower door or curtain rod | $300 – $2,200 | A framed sliding door is entry-level; frameless or semi-frameless glass is the high end. |
| Plumbing adjustments | $200 – $900 | Moving the drain or raising the showerhead height adds time. Older Long Beach homes often need this. |
| Permit & inspection fees (City of Long Beach) | $150 – $500 | Required for plumbing changes. We handle the paperwork. |
| Finish work: drywall, paint, trim, shower niche | $250 – $1,200 | Enclosing the old tub apron, patching walls, adding a niche for shampoo bottles. |
| Total typical project | $3,500 – $10,000 | Most 5-foot conversions in Long Beach finish between $5,500 and $8,000. |
Two things push that number toward the high end in Long Beach specifically. First, the age of the home. Much of the housing stock in neighborhoods like Bixby Knolls, Los Altos, and the Wrigley area was built between the 1940s and 1970s. Those bathrooms were framed for a tub, which means the existing drain, supply lines, and floor structure almost always need some adjustment. Second, we pull permits through the City of Long Beach on every conversion. It adds a few hundred dollars, but it means the work is inspected and the homeowner is protected if something goes wrong later.
What Affects Tub-to-Shower Conversion Pricing in Long Beach
- Tile vs. acrylic. A three-piece acrylic surround from a brand like Delta or Maxx can cut $1,500 to $3,000 off the project versus a full tile shower. Tile looks better and lasts longer, but it costs more in both materials and labor. We install both, and we’ll show you samples of each before you commit.
- Drain location. Standard tubs have a center drain. Many homeowners want the shower drain moved to one end or into a linear trough. Moving a drain in a slab-on-grade Long Beach home means cutting concrete, which adds real labor. In a raised-foundation home, it’s usually faster.
- Accessibility upgrades. If you’re adding a built-in bench, a low-threshold entry, or grab bars, the materials and blocking add $250 to $900 depending on how much structural work is behind the walls. A true curbless entry is the most involved option.
- Glass door choice. You can hang a curtain for under $100 or frame the shower with a custom frameless glass door at $1,800 to $2,200. The middle path, a semi-frameless slider at $700 to $1,200, is the most common choice for families in Long Beach because it contains water well and a child can open it.
- Wall condition behind the old tub. We don’t know what’s back there until demo day. In older Long Beach bathrooms, it’s common to find water-damaged drywall or rot around the old tub flange. Repairing that runs $200 to $700 and it’s not optional, but we’ll show you photos before we do any of it.
- Bathroom is the only full bath in the house. If this is your only tub and you have young children, consider that this conversion removes the home’s only bathing vessel. That doesn’t change the price, but it’s a real decision point. Some families add a deeper walk-in shower with a handheld sprayer to keep bath time possible for smaller kids.
How to Save on Tub-to-Shower Conversion
The biggest savings in a Long Beach tub-to-shower conversion come from leaving the plumbing where it is. Every inch you move a drain or shift a valve tells the tile work, the waterproofing, and the finish plumbing to change. The second-biggest savings is choosing a quality acrylic surround instead of tile. A Delta or Maxx surround with a Kohler or Moen valve and a mid-range glass door will reliably put a 5-foot conversion in the $5,000 to $6,500 range without giving up a genuinely good result.
What you shouldn’t do is skip the waterproofing or the permit to save a few hundred dollars. A shower that leaks into the wall cavity of a Long Beach home creates exactly the kind of problem that costs $8,000 to undo. We will not cut corners there, and we’d rather lose a bid than build a shower that rots the floor.
If you want to price out options before committing, call (562) 512-7086. Estimates are free, the written price comes before any work starts, and there’s no obligation. We’ll walk through what a conversion costs at the tile level, the acrylic level, and everywhere in between.
FAQs – Tub-to-Shower Conversion Cost
How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost in Long Beach?
In Long Beach, a tub-to-shower conversion costs $3,500 to $10,000 in 2026, with the typical 5-foot alcove conversion finishing between $5,500 and $8,000. The spread depends mostly on tile versus acrylic walls, whether the drain moves, and the glass door you choose. Call (562) 512-7086 for a written price on your specific bathroom.
Is it cheaper to convert a tub to a shower or to replace the tub with a new tub?
A tub-to-shower conversion costs $3,500 to $10,000, while a straight tub replacement with a new tub and surround typically runs $2,500 to $6,000. The conversion is slightly more because the shower base, waterproofing, and glass door are more involved than setting a new tub. If the goal is an easier entry and a more open bathroom, the conversion usually delivers more value for the extra spend.
Can you convert a tub to a walk-in shower in one day?
A true one-day conversion is generally only possible with an oversized acrylic wall system that covers the old tub footprint without relocating plumbing. That approach runs $4,500 to $7,000 in Long Beach but limits material choices. A full conversion with custom tile, a Schluter waterproofing system, and a glass door takes three to six working days. We’ll tell you the honest schedule before you sign anything.
Do I need a permit to convert a tub to a shower in Long Beach?
Yes. The City of Long Beach requires a plumbing and building permit for a tub-to-shower conversion because the drain, water supply, and shower valve are part of the change. Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach pulls the permit as part of the project, and the cost ($150 to $500) is included in the written price you receive before work begins.
How long does a tub-to-shower conversion last?
A properly waterproofed tile shower with a quality valve should last 20 to 30 years, while a good acrylic surround typically lasts 15 to 20 years. The usual failure point is the waterproofing layer behind the walls or the valve cartridge, not the visible finish. Our tub-to-shower conversions in Long Beach are waterproofed with Schluter systems and finished with Kohler, Moen, or Grohe valves, and every project carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right after the job is complete, we make it right.
Our Approach to Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Long Beach
Elmstead Remodeling, a Cedarwell company founded in 2005, provides general contracting, bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodeling, and whole-home remodeling throughout Long Beach. Graham Stein leads our Long Beach team, and the crew that walks through your door will be background-checked and in uniform, so you always know who is in your home.
Before any work starts, you’ll have a written price in hand. Not a range, not a verbal estimate. A written number that covers the demo, the plumbing, the waterproofing, the walls, the valve, the finish work, and the cleanup. We bring shoe covers and drop cloths on every visit, and we lay them down before the first tool comes out of the truck. If you have a newborn on a nap schedule or a dog that bolts when the front door opens, tell us, and we’ll plan the day around it. Quiet tools during rest hours where possible. Pet-safe product choices where there is a choice. And before the crew leaves each day, you get a photo of the clean-up as proof the home was left right.
That’s the Cedarwell Care Promise, and it’s how every Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach project runs. If the finished shower isn’t done right, the 365-Day Done Right Promise means we come back and make it right. No argument about whose fault it was. No deductible. You call, we fix it.
For a free estimate on your tub-to-shower conversion in Long Beach, call (562) 512-7086. A live person answers, 24/7. We’ll ask about your bathroom, your timeline, and your kids’ nap schedule, and we’ll give you a written price before any work starts.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach, serving Long Beach since 2005.
Pricing reflects the Long Beach market as of 2026. Elmstead Remodeling Long Beach offers free estimates – call (562) 512-7086.
What Our Customers Say
"Whole home refresh. The crew treated our belongings carefully, boxed and protected things, and swept nightly. Considerate of our schedule and quiet when we needed it. No mess left behind."
- Mauricio Peña"They opened up our kitchen and controlled the dust better than I thought possible. Floors protected, a photo of the cleaned space each day. Gentle on the house and on budget."
- Yasmin Croft"Kitchen remodel with two kids home. They walled it off in plastic and cleaned every day. Calm, respectful crew and the result is gorgeous."
- Priya Venkataraman
