Our Broughton crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Hamilton County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Do you ever look at that giant porcelain tub and wish it would just disappear? Getting rid of that bulky basin in your home in that small corner of Hamilton County gives you way more room to move around every morning.
This specific project changes how you start your day by replacing that clunky, deep basin with a sleek walk-in space. By picking this path, you make your daily routine much safer and give your entire bathroom a fresh, modern vibe that feels like total relaxation.
Most people in that tiny spot of Illinois with a population of only 144 feel like their bathrooms are shrinking. When you pull out that old tub, you instantly reclaim floor space that was previously just dead weight. This lets you install a much larger area for washing up, which makes the whole room look bigger and feel way brighter.
Beyond just saving space, you gain significant accessibility. Climbing over a high edge every single morning gets old fast, especially if you want your home to be ready for the long haul. A low-threshold entry removes the risk of tripping, which means you stay safe while enjoying your daily scrub.
Since the median household income in this area sits around $26,250, you probably want a renovation that actually adds value to your property without breaking the bank. Replacing a relic of the past with a modern enclosure is a smart move for your wallet. It makes your house look better to future buyers if you ever decide to move away from those 62817 ZIP codes.
Basically, you start by clearing out the old hardware. We come in and remove the heavy porcelain monster, which is a lot of work but totally worth it. Once that big thing is gone, we check the plumbing to make sure everything under the floor is solid and ready for the new setup.
Next, we handle the waterproofing, which is the most important part of the whole job. You do not want water leaking into your floorboards, so we put in a heavy-duty pan and seal everything up tight. This gives you peace of mind knowing your house is protected from rot and mold forever.
Then, we install the wall panels or tile depending on what you want for your space. This part is where the design really shines, letting you pick colors that match your style. You end up with a beautiful, custom spot that makes you feel pampered every time you step inside.
| Feature | Old Tub Setup | New Walk-in Space | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Height | High wall to climb | Floor level entry | |
| Floor Space | Takes up huge room | Opens up floor plan | |
| Maintenance | Hard to scrub deep | Easy wipe down surfaces | |
| Daily Utility | Only for soaking | Quick and efficient |
One big thing people forget is how much easier cleaning becomes. Scrubbing a bathtub usually involves kneeling on the floor and reaching over a wide edge, which hurts your back after a while. With a modern, open design, you just use a long-handled tool to wipe down the walls, which saves your joints and your time.
Furthermore, you can add cool stuff like built-in benches or grab bars. These little additions make your morning routine feel like a spa visit. You get the benefit of a clean, organized, and super functional space that makes you feel great about your home every single day.
Perhaps you worry about the mess during construction. While we work, we make sure to keep the dust down and respect your living area. You will not have to worry about a disaster zone in your hallway because we keep things neat and tidy throughout the whole process.
Because we operate right here in this corner of the state, we know the local houses like the back of our hands. We have seen these floor plans before and we know exactly how to handle the plumbing quirks that come with older construction. You get a neighbor who cares about the result, not just some big company from out of town.
Besides, working with a local pro means you get a free estimate without any weird strings attached. You ask us to come over, we look at your specific bathroom, and we give you a clear price. This lets you plan your budget without any surprise fees popping up later on.
It is honestly just easier to deal with someone you can actually talk to in person. If you have questions about the materials or the timeline, we are right there to answer them. We want you to feel good about your choice, so we take the time to explain every single step of the project.
When you finally decide to move forward, the first step is just reaching out to see what is possible. You do not have to commit to anything right away. Just ask for that free estimate to get a real idea of what your dream space will cost.
You might be surprised by how affordable this can be when you focus on what really matters. Instead of thinking about the cost as an expense, look at it as an investment in your comfort. You are making your life better and your home more valuable at the same time.
Once you have your quote in hand, you can weigh your options and decide what works for your current situation. There is no pressure from our end, just help when you need it. We want to see you happy with a bathroom that you actually love using every day.
Many people wonder if they will miss the soaking option of their old tub. However, most folks tell us they hardly ever used it anyway. When you actually think about your daily habits, a quick, refreshing wash is usually all you really want or need.
Others worry about the time it takes to finish the job. While we are thorough, we work efficiently to make sure you get your bathroom back quickly. We understand that you need your home to be functional, so we stay on track and keep the schedule moving forward.
You should also think about the materials you pick for the walls. We can use materials that resist grime and soap scum, which means you spend less time cleaning and more time living. This is a massive benefit if you have a busy life and do not want to spend your weekends scrubbing tile grout.
Quality matters more than anything else when you are changing something as permanent as your plumbing fixtures. We make sure every seal is perfect and every pipe is secured. You get a reliable space that will not give you trouble down the road.
If you are ready to take the leap, just drop us a message. We will schedule a time to come out to your property and walk through the space with you. You will show us what you want, and we will tell you how we can make it happen.
Your bathroom deserves to be a place that feels great. With the right team and a solid plan, you can transform it into something that fits your life perfectly. Reach out today for your free estimate and start planning your upgrade.
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 Broughton 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.
For the bigger map: county seat pages start at Hamilton County; the statewide picture lives on Illinois; the wider region is the Midwest; background reading sits on Wikipedia.
One three-day job stands between this bathroom and its best fixture.
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