Our Howells crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Colfax County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Maybe you feel tired of stepping over that high, slippery wall every single morning just to wash off. That old, deep basin takes up so much space in your bathroom and you barely even use it for soaking anymore. By swapping that outdated setup for a sleek, walk-in stall, you instantly create a modern space that feels twice as large.
Fortunately, our local team specializes in this exact swap to make your daily routine safer and much more enjoyable. We visit your home to look at the plumbing, measure your layout, and give you a free estimate on the spot. Since we focus on these custom bathroom upgrades, we know exactly how to handle the tricky behind-the-wall plumbing without any hassle.
Think about how much easier your mornings will become when you can just step right into a spacious stall. This smart remodel removes the major tripping hazard of a high ledge, which is a lifesaver if you plan on staying in your home for years. Beyond the obvious safety perks, removing that bulky basin gives you room for built-in seating, modern grab bars, and beautiful tile work.
Additionally, modern lives move fast, and almost nobody has time for a long soak these days. Most folks just want a quick, refreshing wash in a space that feels open and clean. Our custom installations replace that old fiberglass unit with low-maintenance materials that resist mold and wipe clean with very little effort.
To help you compare your options, we put together a quick look at how these two setups match up in daily life:
| Feature | Old High-Walled Basin | Modern Walk-In Stall |
|---|---|---|
| Step-in Height | Usually 14 to 18 inches | As low as 1 to 3 inches |
| Required Floor Space | Bulky and cramped | Open and spacious |
| Cleaning Effort | High scrubbing required | Simple wipe-down surfaces |
Now, seeing those differences makes it easy to understand why so many homeowners are making the switch. You deserve a bathroom that fits your actual lifestyle, not one designed decades ago. We love helping folks plan these quick transformations because the daily benefit is so massive.
Because every house has its own quirks, we customize every single project to match your specific walls and drain locations. Many older homes in the local area have unique plumbing setups that require a skilled eye to update correctly. Our experienced installers know how to inspect your subfloor for hidden water damage before we ever place your new base down.
This attention to detail ensures your new setup will remain leak-free and sturdy for decades to come. We also help you select the perfect hardware, wall panels, and glass doors to match your personal style. Whether you want a minimalist look or a classic tiled finish, we bring your vision to life without any stress.
If you live in this charming community of 702 residents, you know the value of honest, hard work. With a local median household income of $59,773, investing in your property is a smart way to build real equity. We love serving our neighbors throughout the 68641 area with top-tier craftsmanship that stands the test of time.
When we design your new setup, we look at the exact footprint of your existing plumbing fixtures. This careful planning means we can often use your current drain lines, which saves you a ton of money on demolition and pipe rerouting. We maximize your available square footage so your bathroom feels incredibly airy and bright.
On top of that, we can add custom recessed shelving to hold all your shampoos and soaps neatly. This keeps your new space clutter-free and looking like a high-end spa. You will love how much wider your entire bathroom feels once that old plaster or acrylic wall is gone.
While aesthetics are important, keeping you and your family safe on wet surfaces is our highest priority. We offer textured floor pans that provide excellent slip resistance underfoot. Which means you can wash with absolute peace of mind, knowing your footing is completely secure.
Furthermore, we securely anchor heavy-duty grab bars directly into your wall studs for maximum support. These bars do not look like clinical hospital equipment anymore; they come in beautiful finishes like brushed bronze and matte black. You get all the safety benefits while keeping your space looking incredibly stylish.
Naturally, you might worry about the mess and noise of a major home improvement project. Our crew takes great pride in keeping our work area incredibly clean and organized from start to finish. We lay down protective drop cloths over your flooring and seal off the work zone to keep dust from drifting into your bedrooms.
Usually, we can complete the entire tear-out and new installation in just a couple of days. This fast turnaround means your daily routine suffers very little disruption. We handle everything from pulling out the old heavy cast iron to sealing the very last joint of your new glass enclosure.
To give you a clear picture of how we bring these projects together, here is our typical process:
| Phase | What We Do | Your Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Consultation | We measure your space and discuss your design goals. | You get a clear, free estimate with no hidden fees. |
| 2. Demolition | We carefully remove the old fixture and inspect the wood underneath. | We catch and repair hidden water damage early. |
| 3. Plumbing | We update the drains and valves to match your new layout. | You enjoy strong water pressure and perfect drainage. |
| 4. Install | We secure the new base, walls, fixtures, and doors. | Your beautiful new wash space is ready to use quickly. |
This structured approach keeps our projects on time and within your budget. You will never have to guess what comes next or deal with unexpected delays. We keep you informed every step of the way so you feel completely confident in our work.
If you are ready to stop struggling with that old, awkward basin, we are here to help you make the change. Our friendly team loves helping homeowners design beautiful, accessible spaces that make daily life simpler. We bring all the samples right to your door so you can see how the colors look in your actual home lighting.
Remember, we provide completely free, no-obligation estimates to help you plan your project budget. There is zero pressure to buy; we just want to give you the honest facts and creative ideas for your space. We treat your home with the exact same respect we would show to our own families' properties.
So, why wait another day to start enjoying a safer, more modern bathroom? Contact us right now to book your free home consultation and take the first step toward a gorgeous new setup. We look forward to meeting you and transforming your space into something truly special!
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 Howells 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 Colfax County; the statewide picture lives on Nebraska; 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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