Our Crane Lake crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Saint Louis County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Maybe you are tired of climbing over that high, dangerous porcelain wall every single morning just to wash off. Fortunately, a fast and smart solution exists to turn your outdated soaking tub into a modern, walk-in washing space. This smart swap makes your daily routine much safer and incredibly fast.
By making this change, you instantly open up a tight room and give your home a fresh look. Getting rid of that old, unused basin also means less scrubbing on your hands and knees. You get to enjoy a bright, open area that fits your active life.
Our local crew specializes in this exact swap and we love helping neighbors get more out of their homes. To help you plan, we offer a completely free in-home consultation to look at your space. This visit gives you a clear price and a solid plan without any pressure.
Think about how often you actually sit down and soak in hot water these days. If you are like most folks in our busy world, you probably just want a quick, hot rinse before heading out the door. Which means that giant, dusty basin is just wasting valuable real estate in your home.
On top of that, those high walls present a major tripping hazard for kids and older adults alike. Slipping while trying to balance on one wet foot is a nightmare nobody wants to experience. By lowering the entry barrier, you create a secure environment that lets everyone wash with peace of mind.
This smart upgrade also boosts your property value because modern home buyers actively look for walk-in stalls. They prefer clean lines and easy access over old-school, deep basins that take forever to fill up. So you are not just fixing up your daily routine, you are investing in your future equity.
Let us be honest about how much everyone hates scrubbing those hard-to-reach corners and dirty grout lines. Old cast iron and acrylic basins collect soap scum and nasty mildew like a magnet. This hassle disappears when we install a sleek, non-porous wall system that wipes clean with a simple squeegee.
Consequently, you save hours of hard labor and keep your weekends for things you actually enjoy doing. You will not need to breathe in harsh chemical fumes or spend money on expensive specialty scrubs anymore. A quick spray of water is usually all it takes to keep everything looking brand new.
Small bathrooms often feel like dark, cramped closets because a giant tub eats up half the floor. Once we remove that bulky barrier, we can install a beautiful glass enclosure that lets light bounce around the room. Suddenly, your modest washing area feels twice as big and much more inviting.
This layout change allows you to add useful features like a folding bench or extra storage shelves. You can customize the new setup to match your specific daily needs and storage desires. It is amazing how much wider a room feels when you remove just one awkward obstacle.
You might worry that remodeling your primary bath will turn your home into a dusty, chaotic construction zone for weeks. However, our experienced crew has refined this specific demolition and installation process down to a science. We work fast and clean so you can get back to your normal routine quickly.
First, we carefully protect your floors and walls before we touch a single tool or carry any heavy materials. Then, we demo the old basin, inspect the hidden wood framing for water damage, and prep the plumbing. This careful prep work ensures your new system stands on a rock-solid, dry foundation.
| Project Step | What We Do | Your Direct Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Site Prep & Demo | Cover floors and remove old tub safely | No mess in your home and fast progress |
| Plumbing & Frame Check | Inspect pipes and repair any hidden rot | Total peace of mind against future leaks |
| Pan & Wall Install | Fit the new slip-resistant base and walls | A beautiful, modern look that is easy to clean |
| Fixtures & Glass | Mount the showerhead, hardware, and doors | Smooth operation and a watertight seal |
After the prep is complete, we install a high-quality acrylic pan and water-resistant wall surrounds that fit your style. We hook up the new shower valve and seal every single joint with premium, mold-resistant silicone. Finally, we clean up every speck of dust so your new space is ready to use immediately.
Every homeowner has a different vision for their perfect wash space, which is why we offer endless customization options. You can choose from a variety of wall patterns, including realistic faux stone, classic subway tile, or clean solid colors. This freedom lets you match the existing look of your home perfectly.
Next, you get to pick out the hardware finishes, like brushed nickel, matte black, or classic polished chrome. We also install handy accessories like built-in corner caddies, sturdy grab bars, and comfortable shaving steps. These small details make your daily routine feel like a high-end getaway.
For the ultimate upgrade, you can opt for a modern glass door that glides open without a sound. Or, if you prefer a simpler setup, a classic curtain rod works beautifully with our low-profile thresholds. We help you weigh the pros and cons of each option to find your perfect match.
One of the most important decisions you will make is the height of your new entry threshold. A low-profile curb offers a traditional look while still keeping water contained and reducing the step-in height. This choice works perfectly for most busy families who want a quick, painless upgrade.
Alternatively, a true barrier-free, zero-threshold design aligns perfectly flush with your bathroom floor for seamless wheel-chair access. This layout requires specialized drain planning but offers the absolute maximum level of safety and accessibility. We will look at your floor joists during our visit to see if this option works for you.
Replacing your old faucet is the perfect time to upgrade your actual water delivery system for better pressure. You can choose a luxurious rain head, a handy handheld sprayer, or even dual showerheads for a custom experience. These modern fixtures also use less water while delivering a stronger, more satisfying spray.
This upgrade keeps your utility bills down while actually improving the quality of your daily wash. We also replace your old, corroded drain lines behind the wall to ensure fast, clog-free drainage. You will never have to stand in a pool of lukewarm water again.
We take pride in serving our unique communities, including the beautiful, quiet wilderness areas of Saint Louis County. Living up here in Crane Lake, Minnesota, with our small population of around 70 friendly residents, means reputation is everything to us. We treat every single client like our closest neighbor because you literally are.
Operating in the 55725 ZIP code area means we understand the specific challenges of local homes, from well water issues to freezing winter pipes. We know how to build things to last through our brutal northern winters and humid summers. Our craftsmanship stands up to the test of time and the local climate.
Many local households, with a strong median household income, are looking to invest back into their properties to increase comfort and value. We respect your hard-earned money and promise to deliver top-tier service at a fair, honest price. You will never find hidden fees or surprise charges on our final bills.
Taking the first step toward your dream bathroom is much easier and more affordable than you might think. Our friendly local team is ready to drive out to your property and discuss your ideas in person. We will measure your space, show you physical material samples, and write up a detailed, free quote.
This pressure-free visit gives you all the information you need to make the best decision for your home. We love answering questions and helping our neighbors design spaces they absolutely love using every day... so why wait? Fill out our quick online form or send us a quick message today to schedule your free estimate and start your home transformation!
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 Crane Lake 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 Saint Louis County; the statewide picture lives on Minnesota; 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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