Our Cowden crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Shelby County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Most of us struggle with that giant, outdated block of porcelain taking up half the bathroom space. You probably stub your toe on it weekly or feel like you are scaling Mount Everest just to wash your hair. By swapping that old basin for a modern walk-in stall, you instantly reclaim your peace of mind and make your daily routine safer.
This smart upgrade creates a open feel in even the smallest layout. If you are tired of scrubbing those deep, hard-to-reach corners, a sleek new setup solves that headache instantly. We help you make this transition smooth and painless without breaking your bank account.
Right now is the perfect time to rethink your home layout. You can grab a completely free estimate from us to see how simple this swap really is.
Think about how much easier your mornings will become. When you install a low-profile base instead of a high wall, you eliminate a major tripping hazard. This change keeps you safe and independent in your own home for years to come.
Cleaning becomes a absolute breeze when you make this switch. Old cast iron basins collect soap scum and grime in places you cannot easily reach. Our modern acrylic surrounds resist mold and wipe clean with a simple cloth.
On top of that, your master bath will look twice as big. Glass doors let light pass through the entire room. This layout trick turns a cramped space into a peaceful oasis.
First, we carefully remove your existing cast iron or steel basin. This step requires some heavy lifting but we handle all the messy disposal for you. We inspect the subfloor underneath to ensure no hidden water damage exists.
Next, our team reroutes your plumbing drains to line up perfectly with the new floor pan. We install high-quality valves and showerheads to give you amazing water pressure. This ensures your new setup functions flawlessly without any leaks.
Finally, we secure the wall panels and optional accessories like grab bars or built-in benches. You get a customized space built exactly for your daily needs. The entire process wraps up much faster than a full remodel.
| Feature | Direct Benefit to You |
|---|---|
| Low-threshold entry | Prevents slips and makes entering effortless |
| Non-porous acrylic walls | Saves hours of scrubbing and resists stubborn mold |
| Custom built-in seating | Allows you to relax safely while washing |
| Modern sliding glass doors | Creates a bright, open feel in tiny rooms |
You have total control over how the finished space looks. Whether you prefer a classic subway tile pattern or a sleek solid stone look, we have options for you. This allows you to match the existing decor of your home perfectly.
We offer various hardware finishes to complete the look. From brushed nickel to matte black, these small details pull the whole room together. You will feel proud to show off your updated bathroom to guests.
Storage shelves and corner caddies keep your shampoos organized. No more clutter sitting on the floor or hanging from the pipe. Everything stays neat and right where you need it.
Adding sturdy grab bars gives you extra stability when soapy water makes things slick. We anchor these directly into the wall studs so they never pull loose. This simple addition provides immense comfort to everyone in the household.
Slip-resistant textured floors prevent dangerous falls. You can step in with absolute confidence every single day. This peace of mind is truly priceless for senior family members.
Most home buyers today prefer a spacious walk-in stall over a dusty unused basin. Making this upgrade now ensures your property stands out if you ever decide to sell. It is a smart investment that pays off in daily enjoyment and future equity.
Modern fixtures also use water more efficiently. You will notice a pleasant drop in your monthly utility bills. Saving money while improving your daily routine is a clear win-win.
We love working in Shelby County because the people here appreciate honest, hard work. Our team understands the local housing styles in this quiet Illinois community of 514 residents. We treat your property with the utmost respect throughout the entire project.
Families with a median household income of $38,750 deserve top-tier service that fits their budget. We work hard to keep our rates fair and transparent. You will never face hidden fees or surprise charges when working with us.
If you live in the 62422 ZIP code, we are just a quick drive away. Being local means we arrive on time and finish the job without unnecessary delays. We take pride in helping our neighbors upgrade their living spaces.
When you contact us, we schedule a convenient time to visit your home. We measure your current layout and discuss what you want to achieve. This personalized approach ensures you get exactly what you need.
We provide a detailed written estimate with no strings attached. You can take your time to review the options and make your decision. We believe in zero-pressure visits because our quality speaks for itself.
Once you approve the plan, we order the materials and set a start date. We work quickly to minimize disruption to your household. You will be using your beautiful new space before you know it.
Do not spend another day climbing over a high, slippery wall just to get clean. You deserve a modern, safe, and beautiful space that makes life easier. Let our friendly local team handle all the hard work for you.
We are ready to transform your bathroom into a functional masterpiece. Our experts bring all the tools and experience needed for a flawless job. Your satisfaction is always our number one priority.
Click below or reach out online to request your completely free project quote. We look forward to meeting you and upgrading your home today!
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 Cowden 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 Shelby 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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