Our Marathon crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Brewster County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Ah, stepping into that old slippery basin can feel like scaling a mini mountain every single evening! Upgrading to a modern walk-in basin setup transforms your whole routine and gives your restroom a fresh look fast. Reach out today to grab your free estimate for a gorgeous bathroom makeover in your home.
Honestly, nobody likes scrubbing deep porcelain tubs on their hands and knees during a hot weekend. Moreover, high tub walls create real hazards for anyone dealing with sore knees or clumsy mornings... Switching things up gives you an easy step-in area with zero hurdles to trip over. On top of that, your entire bathing area opens up to look bigger and brighter instantly.
Suddenly, you notice how much extra floor space was getting wasted by that clunky old basin design. Naturally, replacing it with a sleek walk-in space creates a cozy sanctuary that feels completely refreshed. Right away, you get rid of dusty hard-to-reach corners where gross mildew loves to hide out. Plus, modern acrylic wall panels resist soap scum like a total champ!
First of all, getting a clear quote costs you absolutely nothing and takes very little time out of your day. Furthermore, our friendly local technicians pop over to measure your exact setup and inspect the existing plumbing lines under the floor. Then, we walk you through cool wall patterns, stylish pan colors, and fancy non-slip textures. In short, you learn every single detail before spending a single penny.
| Traditional Soaker Tub | Modern Step-In Basin |
|---|---|
| High walls to step over daily | Low curb or barrier-free entry |
| Requires tons of hot water to fill | Saves water and heats up instantly |
| Hard to clean deep corners | Easy wipe-down acrylic walls |
Usually, people get worried that remodeling takes weeks of noisy pounding and messy dust everywhere. Fortunately, modern conversion methods allow us to swap out your fixture in just a couple of days. Consequently, you can go back to enjoying your morning routine without living through an endless construction nightmare inside your house.
Besides looking super slick, safety upgrades make taking a quick splash way less stressful for everyone in the family. For instance, integrated grab bars give you solid handholds when the floor gets pretty wet from soapy water. Additionally, build-in corner seats give you a cozy spot to shave your legs or just relax under a warm spray.
Likewise, textured basin pans keep your feet planted firmly where they belong without any awkward sliding around. To be honest, I almost wiped out hard in my old slick basin last year, so this upgrade really hits home for me! Therefore, adding low thresholds ensures senior family members or energetic kids can hop in safely without any scary slips.
Living out here near the gateway to Big Bend National Park means dealing with unique hard water conditions that wreck old fixtures. Out in Brewster County, local homeowners know how tough mineral deposits can be on old cast iron tubs. With a modest population around 395 folks and a median household income hovering near $47,132, getting solid home value really matters to everyone around these parts.
Whether you live right in the middle of ZIP code 79842 or slightly out on a ranch road, high quality plumbing installations must withstand tough local water. Furthermore, updating your primary washroom adds immense re-sale appeal to your property down the trail. Because local buyers heavily favor modern walk-in spaces, this straightforward swap pays off big time for your home value.
Starting off, our team carefully protects your floors before ripping out the old heavy iron or fiberglass basin carefully. Next, we inspect the underlying subfloor and drain lines to catch any hidden water damage or sneaky mold leaks early. After fixing up the exposed wood, we align the new heavy-duty drain fitting perfectly with your home system.
Thereafter, we install engineered wall boards directly over your studs to lock out moisture completely for years. Simply put, this prevents water from creeping behind your drywall where nasty dry rot usually starts growing. Ultimately, the new solid base gets glued and leveled down so it stays rock solid under heavy daily foot traffic.
Basically, you get to choose every single detail from wall colors to tiny fixture finishes like brushed nickel or matte black. For example, recessed wall caddies keep your shampoos, soaps, and loofahs neatly organized instead of sliding off slippery tub edges. Additionally, sliding glass doors add a touch of total refinement while keeping every drop of water trapped right inside the basin.
In addition, handheld sprayer heads let you aim the water stream exactly where you want it most. Interestingly, my uncle swapped his setup last spring and swears his morning routine feels twice as fast now. That means you spend way less time rushing around in the morning and more time enjoying your coffee!
Clearly, proper water flow remains the absolute most critical part of a successful washroom overhaul project. As a matter of fact, older tub drains are usually smaller than modern high-flow shower outlets. Therefore, expanding your drain pipe to a standard two-inch line prevents annoying standing water around your ankles during your morning shower.
Additionally, replacing outdated brass valves protects your entire system against sudden pressure drops or burning hot water bursts when someone flushes. Above all, having fresh leak-free valves behind the wall brings massive peace of mind against expensive emergency repairs later on.
Thankfully, maintaining high-grade acrylic wall panels requires almost zero effort compared to ancient grout lines. Consequently, you can throw away those harsh toxic chemicals and stiff scrub brushes that wear out your arm muscles. Just a quick wipe with mild dish soap and warm water keeps the glossy walls looking brand new every single week.
Also, seamless wall surrounds eliminate tiny tile cracks where dark mold loves to set up camp permanently. Which means your indoor air stays cleaner and your bathroom smells completely fresh month after month. Frankly, trading hours of miserable bathroom scrubbing for simple low-maintenance surfaces is an absolute no-brainer for busy households.
Now, taking the next step toward a gorgeous leak-free bathroom transformation is easier than ever before. Indeed, our local installation specialists handle every single measurement, heavy tool, and trash haul-away with absolute care and respect. So why keep dealing with a high, dangerous tub wall that makes your daily wash feel like a chore?
Finally, reach out to our team right away to schedule your quick no-obligation home consultation and lock in a great price. Transitioning your old soaking tub into a modern step-in space improves safety, boosts home value, and makes your morning simple again. Fill out our fast form now to secure your free quote and get this exciting project rolling!
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 Marathon 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 Brewster County; the statewide picture lives on Texas; the wider region is the South; background reading sits on Wikipedia.
One three-day job stands between this bathroom and its best fixture.
Get my free quote