Tub to Shower Conversion in San Antonio: How It's Built and Who to Hire

A tub to shower conversion makes sense for a lot of San Antonio homes. Stepping over a tub wall every day gets harder with age, injuries or a wheelchair, and a well-built walk-in shower is easier to clean and easier to use. The difference between a shower that lasts and one that leaks into the subfloor comes down to what happens before the first tile goes on. This guide walks you through the build, the choices you'll make, the San Antonio permit rules and the questions that separate one tub to shower conversion company from another.

Why San Antonio homeowners convert a tub to a shower

Safety is the most common reason. A CDC study of nonfatal bathroom injuries found the highest injury rates in or around the tub or shower, and it named bathing, showering and getting out of the tub or shower as the most hazardous activities. Falls caused most of those injuries, and rates climbed with age. The CDC's suggestions were simple: non-slip strips in the tub or shower and grab bars inside and outside it.

Other common reasons homeowners in Stone Oak, Alamo Heights and across Bexar County make the switch:

• A tub that nobody uses takes up the best spot in the bathroom.
• A parent is moving in and needs a step-free or low-curb entry.
• An older fiberglass tub is cracked or stained and replacing it with another tub doesn't make sense.
• You want a larger shower with a bench, a hand-held head and a niche for bottles.

One honest caution: if you only have one tub in the house and you expect to sell to buyers with young children, think about keeping a tub in a hall or guest bath. Converting the primary bathroom and leaving a tub/shower combo in the second bath covers both needs.

How a tub to shower conversion is built in a San Antonio home

A full conversion is more than pulling out a tub and setting a shower pan. Here is the sequence on a typical project:

1. Demolition. The tub, surround and wall finishes come out down to the studs. This is when hidden water damage, soft subfloor or old leaks show up, so plan for the possibility.
2. Drain relocation. A tub drain sits at one end. A shower drain usually sits near the center or along one wall as a linear drain. If your house is on a concrete slab, moving the drain means cutting and patching the slab. In a pier-and-beam house, the plumber works from the crawlspace.
3. Valve and supply changes. The shower valve sits higher on the wall than a tub valve. A hand-held head on a slide bar, a second head or separate volume and temperature controls each need their own supply lines.
4. Framing and blocking. Solid wood blocking goes in for grab bars, a bench, a niche and glass hardware. Blocking is cheap now and expensive later.
5. Sloped floor and waterproofing. The shower floor is sloped to the drain and a continuous waterproofing system goes over the floor and walls. It should be inspected or flood-tested before any tile goes on.
6. Tile or panels. Tile gives you the most design freedom. Solid-surface panels mean fewer grout lines to clean.
7. Glass and fixtures. Custom glass is normally measured after tile is finished, so expect a gap of some days between tile and glass.

Some companies sell a faster approach that sets a pre-formed base and wall panels with less demolition. That can work on a sound substrate, but ask what happens to the old drain location, how the panels are sealed and what is underneath before you choose speed over a full tear-out.

Choices that shape your new shower

Most of the decisions happen before demolition, because the valve body and blocking go in before the walls close.

• Entry: A low curb is simpler and contains water easily. A curbless entry needs a recessed or built-up floor, a careful slope and more waterproofing, but it rolls in with a wheelchair or walker.
• Drain: A center drain works with most layouts. A linear drain suits curbless entries and large-format tile because the floor slopes in one direction.
• Controls: Put the valve where you can reach it from outside the spray. The U.S. Access Board's guide to the ADA Standards calls for a hand-held shower hose at least 59 inches long and limits accessible shower water temperature to 120°F, which are good reference points for any home shower.
• Seating: A built-in or fold-down bench is easier to plan now. The ADA reference height for a shower seat is 17 to 19 inches above the floor.
• Size: A standard 60-inch tub space converts neatly into a 60-inch-wide shower. The ADA transfer shower is 36 by 36 inches and a standard roll-in shower is at least 30 inches deep by 60 inches wide, useful benchmarks if a family member uses a mobility aid.
• Floor tile: Get the slip-resistance rating of the shower floor tile in writing. Smaller tiles with more grout lines also give your feet more grip.

Private homes aren't required to meet the ADA, but the numbers help you plan a shower that works for everyone who lives there. If accessibility is the main goal, our ADA accessible bathroom remodel guide goes deeper.

San Antonio permit rules for a tub to shower conversion

Inside the City of San Antonio, moving a drain and replacing a shower valve is plumbing work. The City's Development Services Department (DSD) allows a homeowner to apply for a plumbing permit only on an existing home that is their homestead, and only if they will personally do the work. Otherwise, DSD says to use licensed trade contractors for new electrical, plumbing and HVAC components, and the licensed plumber pulls the plumbing permit.

Tiling, painting and repairing sheetrock are on the City's No Permit Required list, but that list does not cover plumbing changes. Two more local points to know:

• If your home is in a Historic, Neighborhood Conservation or Corridor District, DSD warns that design and material restrictions can apply even to listed items.
• DSD issues general repair and small remodel permits over the counter at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center, 1901 S. Alamo St.

Suburban cities such as Boerne, Schertz and New Braunfels run their own permit offices with their own rules. Our San Antonio building permit guide covers the City side in more detail.

How to compare tub to shower conversion companies near you

When you search for tub to shower conversion near me, you'll see national franchises, one-day installers, handymen and general contractors. Each can be the right fit for a different job. Ask every company the same questions so you can compare bids side by side:

1. Will the tub and surround come out down to the studs, or will new panels go over existing walls?
2. Who pulls the plumbing permit, and is the plumber licensed?
3. Which waterproofing system will you use, and will it be flood-tested before tile?
4. Where will the drain go, and does that require cutting the slab?
5. Will you install blocking for grab bars even if I don't want bars yet?
6. Is the estimate itemized, and what is excluded, such as glass, fixtures, drywall outside the shower or paint?
7. How many days will the bathroom be out of service, and when are inspections?
8. What happens if demolition uncovers rot or a leak?

A company that answers clearly and puts the answers in a written scope is easier to hold accountable. Our guide to comparing remodeling companies and our site visit scope worksheet can help you prepare.

Paying for a tub to shower conversion in San Antonio

Price depends on scope: how far the drain moves, slab cutting, tile versus panels, glass type and what turns up behind the old tub. Our walk-in shower conversion cost guide and bathroom remodel cost guide explain what moves the number. If you are a veteran with a service-connected need, VA programs may help pay for an accessible shower; see our VA bathroom remodel guide before you sign anything, because VA wants to approve the work first.

Working with a veteran-owned contractor in San Antonio

214 Veteran Solutions is a veteran-owned general contractor based at 4931 Enterprise Dr in San Antonio. On a tub to shower conversion, we start with a free on-site consultation and site walk, then provide a detailed, itemized estimate and help with material selection. We handle permits where required and scheduling, and regulated plumbing and electrical work is performed by licensed trade contractors that we coordinate. Demo and rough-in, tile and fixtures, then a final inspection and walkthrough follow. You have one point of contact from demolition to the final walkthrough. See our bathroom remodel services for the full range of work.

Ready to trade the tub for a shower you can step into? Call (210) 796-3695, text (210) 429-7396 or request your free on-site estimate, and we'll walk the bathroom with you.