The Cost of Shower Installation: What Influences the Price?

Seo Analytics
Jul 29
5 min read

If you take a quick look online for the cost of a shower installation, you’ll get a massive price range. We’ve seen it estimated as low as $300 and as high as nearly $30,000. At first glance, that seems a bit crazy, and it doesn’t give you a good idea of how much you need to have available before you start your project.

Well, we’re going to go over what influences the cost of a shower installation to give you a better idea of what you’ll need to expect for your own project.

Let’s get started.

DIY vs Professional Installation

We’ll start with this, because almost any time you see someone listing a variety of great features for very little money, they did all the work themselves.

DIY shower installation is going to lower costs dramatically since you’re only paying for the materials and whatever tools you need. However, it’s a huge risk if you’re not a trained professional, and even a lot of pros will have their usual teammates help out to get the job done right.

Professional shower installation is going to cost more regardless of all the other factors we list, but it’s a lot safer, and you’re going to get far better results outside of very rare circumstances.

For the record, we always recommend professional installation of any bathroom features. You’ll be messing with plumbing, and you’ll oftentimes be working around electrical wiring. There are a lot of things that can go wrong, other than a lackluster result.

The Company You Hire

You’ll see some pretty noticeable price fluctuations for the exact same project just by getting quotes from different companies. There are a few reasons for this.

First, there’s the fact that teams have to compete for customers, and the best way to do that is to price their services competitively. So, you can see lower prices due to that. However, always compare what’s offered and the company’s reputation before choosing a lower-priced option. Sometimes, it’s lower-priced for a reason.

Then, there’s the quality of work. Good work costs good money. You can get a fair deal, and a good professional is always going to do what’s possible to work within your budget. If they can’t, they’ll let you know.

But here’s the thing: before any pricing even comes up, it’s worth reviewing a company’s portfolio of previously completed projects. A reliable installer should have a photo gallery on their website that gives you a clear sense of their experience and quality of craftsmanship. However, like we said earlier, a price that’s too good to be true is usually a red flag. You'll also need to consider any promotional offers that a company has. Sometimes, first-time customers or people who meet certain qualifications might get a reasonable discount, and that can impact your price considerably. The core qualities of a good company are much more important than potential discounts, though.

The Extent of the Project

When someone says “shower installation”, there can be a lot more in the project than simply putting a standard showerhead in and letting it pour into the existing tub with zero work beyond that.

Typically, this means replacing the old tub or walk-in shower, putting a new, more modern option in its place, and sealing it all up properly.

However, many people go all-in during the project and just opt for a full shower overhaul.

The cost of having an existing shower replaced is very affordable for the average homeowner. Beyond the cost of the tub, labor costs aren’t too high in most cases.

This usually lands the project in the one grand to three grand area. However, a full remodel can easily exceed $15,000 based on other factors we’ll be discussing and the much higher labor requirements.

You probably expected this, though.

The Shower Features Being Installed

Of course, it’s not all about the company or the extent of the project. The type of shower or other features you have installed will also dramatically affect the price. For example, a tub-to-shower conversion can be more complex and costly than a simple shower replacement due to plumbing and structural changes.

This is extremely exaggerated, but let’s say you wanted a golden walk-in shower with the most innate details worked into every inch of it. Someone has to pay for that, and that’s you. On the other hand, if you opt for a really cheap shower installation, the labor is likely to cost more than the shower itself.

Again, a shower installation might be part of a bigger project, and other purchases are impacted in the same way. For example, getting vinyl tiles is going to keep the price low, but having a heating system under a fine flooring material will skyrocket the price.

Try to develop a good understanding of how much each feature costs, where the money is going, etc. You’ll be able to tweak those factors a bit to get the most out of your budget.

Your Location

Your location matters, too. We’re the best shower installation service in Sacramento, California. We know our prices. However, if you’re in Mississippi or Illinois, you’ll likely pay less. If you’re in New York or Florida, you might pay more.

Whenever you’re searching for information about shower installations, make sure anything price-related is local. You’ll get a better representation of what you’re likely to pay instead of someone halfway across the country.

Unusual Challenges

For the most part, modern homes are fairly standardized. At least, they are when it comes to hook-ups and structural expectations. This makes it a little easier to know what the team is going into.

However, some homes pose unique challenges. Whether that’s a space issue that needs to be corrected or worked with, or there’s a non-standardized setup that the team needs to work around.

This might increase the price. Especially if the issue impacting the installation is something that requires work outside of the original project’s scope. For instance, a good company is unlikely to charge more because they had to work with a weird pipe.

However, if your tiles are falling apart and you opt for flooring to be added, or they have to repair the flooring of the bathroom due to unknown damages, that will likely add a bit to your quote.