One alcove in Auraria is about to earn its keep again. The Denver crew handles demo, plumbing, walls and glass.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Maybe you are tired of stepping over that high porcelain barrier every single morning just to get washed. This daily struggle often leads to slipped ankles or wet bathroom floors that take forever to dry. By choosing to swap that deep basin for a modern walk-in setup, you instantly gain a safer and much more open space.
This smart swap makes your morning routine feel like a breeze instead of an obstacle course. Because let us face it, nobody actually has time for a long soak anymore. You need speed, safety, and a splash of modern style to kickstart your busy day.
If you want to see how this change fits your specific home layout, our local team is ready to visit and provide a free estimate. We love helping folks figure out the best way to open up their cramped washrooms. You can get a clear picture of the project cost without spending a single dime upfront.
Think about how much space that old dusty basin actually takes up in your small room. When you tear out that bulky unit, you suddenly unlock a ton of extra floor area. Which means you can finally stretch your arms without hitting a cold plastic wall.
Actually, many homeowners realize they only used their deep tub once or twice over the last five years. It just sits there collecting soap scum and dust while taking up valuable real estate. Upgrading to a low-profile pan with sleek glass doors turns that wasted square footage into a highly functional area.
On top of that, cleaning becomes a whole lot easier when you do not have to bend down and scrub deep corners. Modern acrylic surrounds resist mold growth much better than old tiles with crumbling grout. You save hours of hard scrubbing every single week, leaving you more time to enjoy your life.
When you start planning this project, you will encounter a massive variety of wall panels and base pans. Choosing high-quality acrylic or solid surface composites ensures your new stall stays waterproof for decades. These modern materials do not chip or crack like old-school fiberglass units often do.
To help you compare the most popular options, we put together a simple table detailing the pros and cons of each choice.
| Material Type | Main Benefit | Maintenance Level |
|---|---|---|
| High-Gloss Acrylic | Super easy to wipe down | Very low |
| Natural Stone Composite | Stunning high-end appearance | Medium |
| Classic Ceramic Tile | Infinite custom design options | High (grout cleaning) |
Naturally, selecting the right material depends heavily on your budget and how much time you want to spend cleaning. Acrylic remains the crowd favorite because it offers incredible longevity without requiring special sealers. Our team can bring physical samples right to your door so you can feel the quality yourself.
Stepping over a wall that is fifteen inches high when your feet are wet is a recipe for disaster. By installing a low-threshold pan, you reduce the step-in height to just a few inches. This simple adjustment prevents nasty falls and keeps your bathroom safe for everyone in the family.
This design upgrade serves as a lifesaver for older relatives or anyone dealing with stubborn joint pain. You can even add sturdy grab bars that match your shiny new faucets so they look intentional rather than institutional. Security does not mean you have to sacrifice the modern look of your space.
Besides the physical safety, you also get peace of mind knowing your home is prepared for the future. Aging in place is much easier when your bathroom does not present daily physical challenges. We can show you how to place these safety features perfectly during our initial consultation.
Working in this historic neighborhood near downtown Denver means we understand the unique plumbing quirks of local properties. Since this specific academic and residential hub features zero permanent residents according to recent data, many of the buildings here serve students, commuters, and staff who need highly efficient facilities. Whether you own a rental property or a nearby home in the 80204 ZIP code, we know how to handle the local building codes.
Because properties in this part of the county often experience high daily traffic, durability is the number one priority. You need plumbing fixtures that can withstand heavy use without leaking into the floors below. Our team has spent years working around the unique water pressure levels of this beautiful Colorado region.
Since median household income levels in the surrounding metro area vary, we make sure to offer flexible options for every budget. You do not have to break the bank to get a beautiful, watertight wash space that lasts. We pride ourselves on being honest, down-to-earth neighborhood workers who respect your property and your time.
Converting your washing footprint requires some serious knowledge about drain sizes. Tubs usually utilize a one-and-a-half-inch drain pipe, while standard walk-in stalls require a larger two-inch pipe to prevent pooling. This means a proper remodel involves modifying the subfloor plumbing to ensure fast water drainage.
If a contractor tells you they can just hook up the new pan to the old small drain, you should run away fast. This shortcut leads to standing water and soap scum building up around your ankles while you wash. We do things the right way by expanding the line to keep your water flowing freely away from your home.
Selecting the right door style can completely change how large your bathroom feels. Frameless glass doors allow natural light to bounce around the room, making a tiny space feel twice as big. If you have limited clearance, a smooth sliding door prevents the glass from bumping into your toilet or vanity.
Alternatively, some folks prefer a completely open curbless design with a simple splash panel. This European style looks incredibly sleek and allows for effortless wheelchair access if needed. We can measure your layout down to the millimeter to ensure a perfect, leak-free fit.
Many homeowners worry that their bathroom will be out of commission for weeks on end. Fortunately, our experienced crew can usually complete this specific swap in just a couple of days. We protect your floors with heavy drop cloths and clean up every speck of dust before we leave.
First, we carefully demolish the old heavy cast iron or steel basin without damaging your surrounding walls. Then, we inspect the wood framing underneath for any hidden water damage or rot that needs fixing. Once the foundation is solid, we install the new plumbing, the sturdy pan, and your beautiful new wall panels.
Finally, we seal every single joint with premium silicone to guarantee a completely watertight seal. This careful process ensures you will not have to deal with mystery leaks dripping into your ceiling downstairs. You get to enjoy your brand-new, modern wash space without any of the stress or mess.
Now is the perfect time to stop dreaming about a gorgeous new washroom and finally make it happen. You can wave goodbye to that high, slippery tub wall and hello to an open, modern oasis. Our friendly team is ready to guide you through every step of the selection process.
To help you take the first step, we offer completely free, no-obligation quotes right at your property. We will sit down with you, look at your current plumbing, and help you choose the best layout for your daily needs. Contact us today to schedule your visit and discover how easy upgrading your home can be!
Count the baths your household actually ran last year. In most homes we visit, the honest number is somewhere between zero and three, and yet every single morning somebody swings a leg over fifteen inches of porcelain rim to stand up and shower inside a fixture built for lying down. The tub charges rent daily and works a few evenings a year.
Nothing dramatic follows from that. Nobody is in danger because a bathtub exists, and if long soaks are part of your week, keep the tub and enjoy it with our blessing. The case for the conversion is plainer: when the tub has become a shower tray with high sides, you are paying, in caution and in cleaning, for a feature you retired years ago.
The swap itself is smaller than most people picture. The supply lines, the drain and the alcove walls are already exactly where a shower wants them, which is why this is a job measured in days. We are not building a new bathroom; we are letting the one you have stop pretending it still gives baths.
The same alcove, photographed the way the week actually unfolds. Weather never delays this one; it all happens indoors.
Floors along the hallway get covered, the water goes off for a few hours, and the bathtub is cut free and carried out, tile flange and all. With the alcove stripped, the plumber moves the drain to where the new pan wants it and sets the new valve at shower height. By supper the room is bare, clean and ready.
The base arrives first: an acrylic pan set dead level on a mortar bed, or a sloped, waterproofed floor when the plan says curbless. Then the walls close in, either grout-free panels bonded in a single afternoon or backer board ready for tile. Everything from here on is watertight before it is pretty.
The glass panel or door is drilled, hung and plumbed straight, the trim goes on, and the silicone lines are drawn last. Silicone wants a day to cure, so the first shower usually happens the following morning, which is exactly how we schedule the walkthrough.
Both are real showers in the same alcove. The difference is the entry, and what has to happen under it.
| What you weigh | Low curb | Curbless |
|---|---|---|
| What stands at the entry | A tidy threshold about 3 to 4 inches tall | Nothing. The bathroom floor rolls straight into the shower |
| Cost, installed | The friendlier bracket, most jobs land here | Roughly a third to a half more, the floor is rebuilt |
| What the crew rebuilds | The alcove only; the bathroom floor stays shut | Part of the bathroom floor, sloped and waterproofed |
| Water containment | The curb and glass do the holding | The slope and a linear drain do the holding |
| Suits best | Straight swaps on a budget and upstairs bathrooms | Wheels, walkers, and anyone planning to stay put for decades |
Undecided is a fine answer on the form. The site visit settles it with a tape measure, not a sales pitch.
Removal
Cut free, hauled out and off to recycling, with floors and doorways shielded on the way. The loudest hour of the conversion, and it wraps before most jobs have begun.
Plumbing
Tub drains sit at one end; showers drain where the pan says. We move what needs moving and swap the old valve for a pressure-balanced one.
The base
A level acrylic pan for most swaps, a mortar-built sloped floor for curbless plans. Either way it is tested with water before anything covers it.
The walls
Grout-free panels go up in an afternoon and wipe clean forever. Tile takes longer, costs more, and looks like whatever you can imagine.
The glass
A fixed panel keeps things open and easy to clean; a hinged door closes the warmth in. Both are tempered, both are set dead straight.
The finish
Shelving, the hand shower, clean caulk lines and a walkthrough. We leave the cure time in writing so the first shower is not a gamble.
| The job | Usual range | Inside the number |
|---|---|---|
| Standard tub-to-shower conversion | $3,100 - $5,600 | Tub out, low curb pan, wall panels, new valve, glass panel. |
| Curbless conversion | $4,900 - $8,800 | The floor is rebuilt flush and sloped to a linear drain. |
| Glass: fixed panel or hinged door | $450 - $1,400 | A single panel sits at the low end, a framed door at the top. |
| Walls: PVC panels or tile | $1,100 - $3,900 | Panels finish in a day; tile adds days and takes any look you want. |
| Tear-out only | $450 - $950 | The tub gone and the alcove left clean for another trade. |
| Small job minimum | around $2,400 | Even the simplest swap books a licensed plumber and a full crew. |
Wall condition, drain position and the glass you choose move every line. The visit pins the figure down, and the figure then holds.
A bathtub drains at one end through its own trap; most showers want the drain nearer the middle, or along one edge when the plan is curbless. Sometimes the existing trap is close enough to reuse and sometimes it has to travel a foot or two, which means opening a strip of floor. We can usually tell which from the basement or the crawl space during the visit, and the paperwork you sign already names which one you are getting.
Houses older than the seventies like to add a surprise: galvanized supply lines rusted nearly shut, a cast iron trap that crumbles at a touch, or framing that got damp decades ago and kept it quiet. None of it is rare and none of it is ruinous, but it is your call, not ours. When something like that turns up, work pauses, you get photographs and a price for the fix, and nothing is billed until you have said yes to it. A conversion should never be the job where the invoice writes itself.
QIs losing the only bathtub a resale mistake?
AAgents around Auraria repeat one rule: a family house shows better with a tub somewhere in it. If this is your only tub and small children are in your plans, we put that on the table during the visit and you decide with open eyes. If another bathroom keeps its tub, or the buyers you expect are shower people, the argument evaporates.
QHow long do we go without washing?
AThe toilet and sink stay usable every evening, and the water is only off for stretches on day one. The shower itself is ready once the silicone cures, so figure on missing roughly three days of showers at home. Plenty of clients time the job before a weekend away.
QDoes all the old tile come off the walls?
AOn the alcove walls, yes, because the new waterproofing needs to start from the studs, not from forty-year-old grout. Tile outside the alcove stays put, and we cut a clean line where the two meet.
QCan the new shower use the tub drain?
AThe pipe itself is nearly always reusable; the position is the question. A low curb pan can often sit its drain within reach of the old trap. Curbless floors want a relocated or linear drain, and that difference is priced before demo, never discovered after.
QDo we need a permit for the swap?
AA like-for-like fixture swap usually rides on a simple plumbing permit, and moving the drain can add an inspection. We file whatever your jurisdiction wants and fold the cost into the written price.
QWhat if there is rot behind the tub?
AIt happens, mostly around the old tile flange. You get photographs the hour we find it, a firm price for the repair, and the choice to proceed or pause. The framing fix is usually a morning, not a remodel.
The map carries the geography; the link lists underneath spell out every town our crews can reach from this one.
One three-day job stands between this bathroom and its best fixture.
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