When homeowners in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and across Eastern Iowa start thinking about updating a bathroom, the questions usually don’t start with tile patterns or fixture finishes.
They start with cost.
Bathroom upgrades can be a big investment, and most homeowners want to understand what they’re actually paying for before they ever invite a contractor through the door.
At Hometown Restyling, we partner with Bath Planet to deliver high-quality, low-maintenance bathroom solutions that can often be completed in as little as one day. We hear the same cost questions week after week from homeowners across Eastern Iowa.
In this week’s StraightTALK, we’re answering five of the most common questions homeowners ask about bathroom costs, including what drives the price up in each category.
How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost?
A tub-to-shower conversion typically costs between $5,000 and $18,000 installed, depending on the shower type, materials, size, and whether plumbing changes are needed. Bath Planet acrylic conversions often fall in the $10,000 to $18,000 range and can be completed in a single day in many cases.
This is one of the most popular bathroom upgrades we do at Hometown Restyling. Many homeowners have a bathtub in their bathroom that they rarely use. Converting that tub footprint into a functional, easy-to-clean shower creates a space that feels bigger, looks updated, and works harder for everyday use.
The process typically involves removing the existing tub, inspecting the subfloor and surrounding wall area, making any necessary plumbing adjustments, and installing the new shower system. Bath Planet’s acrylic systems are custom-fabricated to fit your specific space, which means less construction disruption and a faster installation timeline than a full-tile shower build. You can explore Bath Planet’s full range of shower colors and finishes to see the options available.
“We’ve worked with Hometown on several different things, and their recommendation was high for Bath Planet. The installation team arrived at 7:30 as agreed and finished by 3:30 in the afternoon. They found an issue with our floor after they removed the other unit, so they fixed it as well before putting the new product in. We’re very satisfied with the way it came out.” ~Martha, Cedar Rapids
What drives the cost of a tub-to-shower conversion up?
Several factors can push a tub-to-shower conversion above the base price range:
Plumbing Relocation
If your existing drain location doesn’t align with the new shower design, or if your water lines need to be repositioned, that work adds cost. Moving a drain line alone can add several hundred dollars or more to the project.
Shower Size Expansion
Some homeowners want to go bigger than the original tub footprint, which requires subfloor work, new framing, additional waterproofing, and more material. Staying within the existing tub footprint is the most cost-effective approach.
Hidden Water Damage
When tubs are removed, it’s not uncommon to find moisture damage in the surrounding walls or subfloor, especially in older Eastern Iowa homes. Repairing that damage before installing the new shower is essential for long-term performance, but it does add to the project budget.
Glass Enclosure Selection
Shower curtains are simple and budget-friendly. Framed glass doors add polish. Custom frameless glass enclosures deliver a high-end look but come with a higher price tag. The enclosure you choose can add anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to the total.
Upgrades and Accessories
Niche shelving, built-in benches, adjustable showerheads, and decorative trims all influence the final number. These add real functionality and comfort, but each upgrade adds to the total investment.
StraightTALK Remodeling Tip
If you want to keep your tub-to-shower conversion as cost-effective as possible, keep the plumbing where it is. Moving fixtures is one of the fastest ways to push a project over budget. Talk with your contractor upfront about what can stay in place and what needs to change.
How much does a walk-in shower cost?
A walk-in shower costs between $6,000 and $18,000, depending on size, materials, configuration, and whether structural changes are required. Bath Planet acrylic walk-in showers typically fall in the $7,000 to $18,000 range, depending on the options you choose.
Walk-in showers have become one of the most sought-after bathroom features in Eastern Iowa homes. The open design makes bathrooms feel more spacious. For homeowners who are replacing an aging shower or converting a tub, a walk-in upgrade often transforms the look and feel of the entire bathroom.
Bath Planet walk-in showers are built from non-porous acrylic panels that resist mold, mildew, and staining, which is a major advantage over traditional tile and grout in Iowa’s humid summers. They’re custom-fabricated to fit your specific bathroom dimensions, which means a cleaner installation and a longer-lasting result. You can explore Bath Planet’s full walk-in shower lineup to see styles, configurations, and design options.
What drives the cost of a walk-in shower up?
Custom Size and Configuration
Standard footprints are the most affordable. If you want a larger shower (for comfort, accessibility, or design), the materials, waterproofing, and labor all increase accordingly.
Material Choice
Bath Planet’s acrylic systems offer a beautiful, easy-to-maintain finish at a competitive price point. Homeowners who choose custom tile walk-ins will typically pay more due to higher labor time, higher tile material costs, and the added complexity of properly waterproofing a tiled installation.
Glass Panels and Door Systems
A fully frameless glass enclosure for a walk-in shower is a premium upgrade. Semi-frameless and framed options cost less while still looking clean and polished. The style and size of your glass directly affect the final price.
Shower Features
Rainfall showerheads, handheld wands, built-in benches, recessed niches, and multi-spray systems all add to the cost, but they also provide significant daily enjoyment to the space. These are often the upgrades homeowners are most glad they chose.
Structural Prep Work
Creating a properly sloped, waterproofed walk-in shower floor requires skilled work. If the existing subfloor needs reinforcement or if the drain needs repositioning for a curbless entry, those costs are added to the base installation.
StraightTALK Remodeling Tip
Walk-in showers are one of the best bathroom investments you can make for how the space looks and feels day to day. If you’re on a budget, choosing a Bath Planet acrylic system over a fully tiled custom build can save thousands of dollars without sacrificing beauty or durability, and it installs in a fraction of the time.
How much does a handicap accessible, barrier-free, or low-barrier shower cost?
A handicap-accessible or barrier-free shower typically costs between $7,000 and $20,000 installed, depending on size, features included, and the extent of structural modifications required. More comprehensive accessibility remodels, including widened doorways, reinforced walls, and multiple safety features, can range from $10,000 to $30,000 or more.
This is a question we hear more and more often from Eastern Iowa homeowners who want to make their bathrooms safer as they age in place, or who are adapting a bathroom for a family member with mobility needs. The good news is that accessible bathroom design has come a long way. Today’s barrier-free, low-threshold showers can be beautiful spaces rather than clinical-looking installations.
Bath Planet offers barrier-free shower options specifically designed for accessibility and aging in place. These showers feature low or no-threshold entries that eliminate the step-over hazard, reinforced wall backing for grab bars, built-in seating options, non-slip textured flooring, and handheld showerheads that make bathing easier for people of all mobility levels. You can view Bath Planet’s full accessories lineup, including grab bars, fold-down benches, and safety features, to understand what’s available.
The terminology in this space can be a little confusing, so it’s worth clarifying:
StraightTALK Definitions:
- A barrier-free shower has zero threshold. The shower floor is flush with the bathroom floor. This is the most accessible option and is ideal for wheelchair users or those who want maximum long-term usability.
- A low-barrier shower has a small curb, typically half an inch or less. It still dramatically reduces trip risk compared to a standard shower curb or tub edge, while being slightly more straightforward to waterproof.
- A handicap-accessible shower is a broader term that typically includes some combination of the above, plus safety features such as grab bars, a fold-down bench, and a handheld showerhead.
Hometown Restyling has a certified Aging in Place specialist on staff who can help design a shower that meets your current needs and can adapt for the future, without making your bathroom feel like a hospital room.
What drives the cost of a barrier-free or accessible shower up?
Subfloor and Drain Work
Creating a true zero-threshold entry requires the shower floor to slope precisely toward the drain while remaining flush with the bathroom floor. This often requires subfloor modifications and careful drain placement. This work adds to the cost but is essential for proper water management.
Reinforced Wall Backing
Grab bars must be anchored into solid blocking inside the wall. If the existing walls don’t have that blocking in the right places, it needs to be added before the new shower system goes in.
Size Requirements
Accessible showers need to be larger than standard showers to allow for safe maneuvering, especially if a wheelchair or shower chair is involved. Larger dimensions mean more material and more installation time.
Expanded Scope
For homeowners who need wheelchair access, additional modifications often come with the project: widening the bathroom doorway, adjusting the toilet height, or reconfiguring the floor plan. Each of those additions affects the total cost.
Specialty Fixtures
Fold-down shower benches, adjustable height showerheads, anti-scald valve systems, and ADA-compliant grab bars all contribute to both the safety and the cost of an accessible shower.
StraightTALK Remodeling Tip
If you’re planning a barrier-free shower for aging in place, it’s worth thinking about both your current needs and your future ones. A thoughtfully designed accessible shower can serve you comfortably for decades.
How much does a shower door cost to add to a tub or shower?
Adding a shower door to a tub or shower typically costs between $500 and $2,500 installed, depending on the door style, glass type, hardware finish, and the complexity of the opening. Framed sliding doors on a standard tub are on the lower end of that range, while custom frameless enclosures for a walk-in shower can reach the higher end or more.
A glass door is one of the most beautiful finishing touches you can add to a bathroom. It makes the space look cleaner and more polished, and it dramatically improves water containment. There are three main door types to consider:
- Framed sliding doors are the most common and affordable option for tub-and-shower combinations. They feature aluminum frames along all edges, slide along a track, and typically cost $500 to $2,000 installed for a standard opening.
- Semi-frameless doors have frames along the top and sides but use thicker, frameless glass for the door panel itself. They sit mid-range in both cost and aesthetics, generally running $600 to $2,500 installed.
- Frameless doors use thick tempered glass (typically 3/8 to 1/2 inch) with minimal visible hardware. They deliver a sleek, high-end look and are especially popular paired with walk-in showers and tile surrounds. Expect to invest $1,200 to $2,500 or more for a standard frameless installation.
What drives the cost of a shower door up?
Door Style and Glass Type
Frameless doors require thicker, heavier glass and more precise installation than framed alternatives. That precision and the material cost of quality tempered glass account for much of the price difference.
Hardware Finish
Chrome is typically the most affordable finish. Brushed nickel, matte black, and oil-rubbed bronze all carry a premium. The quality of hinges, handles, and seals also affects both price and long-term performance.
Opening Size and Wall Conditions
Standard tub openings are straightforward. Non-standard widths, out-of-plumb walls, or very tall ceilings all require custom glass cutting and more complex installation, both of which add to the cost.
Shower Configuration
Adding a glass door to an existing tub-shower combination is different from enclosing a walk-in shower with multiple glass panels. Multi-panel systems can add significantly to the total, but they also create a pleasingly dramatic look.
Hidden Conditions
If the wall tile or surround isn’t solid, level, and properly prepared, installing a shower door correctly becomes more difficult and more expensive. A poorly hung door will leak, bind, and wear out prematurely.
StraightTALK Remodeling Tip
When comparing shower door quotes, pay attention to what’s included. Some estimates cover the door and installation, but not the hardware. Others may not include the cost of adjusting the existing wall tile or surround to accept the new door frame. An itemized estimate helps you understand exactly what you’re paying for and compare quotes accurately.
How long does a Bath Planet bathroom installation take?
Most Bath Planet shower and tub installations are completed in one to two days, which is significantly faster than a traditional bathroom renovation. Simple replacements within an existing footprint can often be done in a single day. Larger or more complex projects (including barrier-free showers or tub-to-shower conversions with plumbing changes) may take two to three days.
This is one of the most commonly asked questions, alongside questions about Bath Planet costs, and it’s one of the biggest reasons homeowners choose this approach over a traditional tile renovation. Nobody wants to be without their bathroom for two weeks while tile is installed, grouted, and cured.
Bath Planet’s products are manufactured off-site from high-quality acrylic and custom-fitted to your existing bathroom dimensions. That means that when the installation team arrives, the work focuses on prep, installation, and finishing, not on days spent setting tile and waiting for mortar to cure.
Here’s how the timeline typically breaks down:
- Standard tub or shower replacement: Most projects are completed in a single day. The team arrives, removes the old unit, inspects and prepares the walls, and installs the new acrylic surround and fixtures.
- Tub to shower conversion: May take one to two days, depending on plumbing specifics and the configuration of your bathroom.
- Barrier-free or accessibility-focused installations: Structural prep work, such as adding wall blocking for grab bars or modifying the subfloor for a zero-threshold entry, may extend the timeline by two to three days.
“We used Bath Planet through Hometown Restyling. The installation team was very professional and did awesome work. I was very impressed, and the quality of the work done was very good.” ~Lori, Cedar Rapids
What drives the installation time up?
Plumbing Changes
Any time the drain or water supply lines need to be repositioned, additional time is required for both the plumbing work itself and proper testing before the new shower system is installed.
Water or Structural Damage Discovered During Removal
If the old tub or shower surround concealed moisture damage in the walls or subfloor, that needs to be addressed before installation proceeds.
Subfloor Work for Barrier-free Entry
Creating a properly sloped, waterproofed zero-threshold shower floor takes careful preparation. And getting it right is more important than getting it fast.
Custom or Complex Configurations
Larger showers, multi-panel glass enclosures, and installations with multiple specialty features simply require more time on site.
StraightTALK Wrap-Up
At Hometown Restyling, we’ve been serving Eastern Iowa homeowners since 1986. Our team works with you to understand your goals, evaluate your space, and recommend the right solution for your home and budget. We also offer flexible financing options to make your project more affordable.
Here’s a quick summary of what we covered:
- Tub to shower conversions through Bath Planet typically run $10,000 to $18,000, with plumbing relocation and glass enclosure options being the biggest variables.
- Walk-in showers generally fall in the $7,000 to $18,000 range depending on size, features, and material.
- Barrier-free and accessibility-focused showers range from $7,000 to $20,000 depending on how comprehensive the modifications need to be.
- Shower door additions run $500 to $2,500 installed, with frameless glass at the higher end.
- Most Bath Planet installations are completed in one to two days, which is a practical advantage for busy households.
All Bath Planet products installed by Hometown Restyling are backed by Bath Planet’s lifetime warranty, plus our own lifetime workmanship guarantee, one of the strongest coverage combinations you’ll find in Eastern Iowa.
If you’re ready to explore what a Bath Planet bathroom upgrade could look like for your home, reach out to schedule a free consultation. We’d be glad to walk through your options and give you a clear, honest picture of what it will cost.
And if you want to dig deeper into other types of bathroom remodeling in Eastern Iowa, check out our related article: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?