What’s in these numbers

Each total is a typical job, priced the way a contractor’s estimate is priced:

  • A one-piece fiberglass shower unit, or a tub and shower in one piece, set and connected, with the old one taken out.
  • Overhead and profit: 20%, the standard markup on a contractor’s estimate.
  • Sales tax on the materials, at the state’s average rate.

Not in them: the valve, trim and shower head, a glass door or curtain rod, moving the drain, floor and framing repair, and tile showers.

One-piece or tile

Shower What it is
One-piece fiberglass Base and walls molded as one unit
Sectional The same, in panels that go together in the room
Tile A shower pan or base, a waterproof layer on the walls, and tile over it

A tile shower is built from several parts, each priced by the square foot or the piece: the base or pan, the backer and waterproofing, and the tile. The tile installation cost guide prices tile floors; wall tile is a line of its own.

What moves the price

  • Grade. High-grade units cost more than standard ones.
  • Getting it in. A one-piece unit has to fit through the doors and halls; a sectional unit goes together in the room.
  • Plumbing. A new valve, or moving the drain, adds a plumber’s work.
  • The floor and walls. A leak behind an old shower can rot the framing and subfloor.
  • Where you live. Pick your state in the box above.

Common questions

How much does it cost to install a shower?

About $1,400 to $1,700 for a one-piece fiberglass shower with the old one taken out, typically $1,550.

How much is a high-grade shower unit?

About $1,600 to $1,900, typically $1,750.

How much is a tub and shower combination?

About $1,750 to $2,150 for a one-piece fiberglass tub and shower. The bathtub replacement cost guide prices tubs on their own.

The old shower leaked. What else is there?

Water behind the walls or under the floor is dried out, and what’s soaked comes out. The water damage restoration guide covers the drying.