Our New Athens crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Saint Clair County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
Are you tired of climbing over a high porcelain wall just to wash off the day? Replacing that bulky basin lets you enjoy a much safer daily routine.
That old tub takes up way too much room in your cramped bathroom. Removing it gives you back your floor space and makes the whole area feel bigger.
Homeowners in this lovely Saint Clair County community deserve a washing area that fits their current lifestyle. Upgrading your setup keeps your bathroom modern and highly functional.
Stepping over a massive acrylic ledge creates a daily trip hazard for tired legs. Swapping that out for a low-profile base protects you from nasty slips and falls.
Many folks find they never actually fill up the tub for a long soak anymore. Getting rid of the unused basin means less wasted water and much easier cleaning tasks.
Living where the median household income sits around fifty-nine thousand dollars means you watch your renovation dollars closely. Smart upgrades boost your home equity without breaking your bank account.
Properties in ZIP codes six two two six four benefit greatly from functional bathroom improvements. Buyers love walking into a sleek washing zone instead of an outdated bathtub.
Selecting your brand new shower layout feels like an exciting design puzzle. Custom glass panels bring a bright and airy vibe to your morning routine.
Tiled surrounds let you pick colors matching your exact personal taste. This approach transforms a dull bathroom into a stunning visual centerpiece.
Acrylic wall panels stand up against constant moisture without growing mold in the grout lines. Choosing solid surface materials gives you a lasting finish that demands very little scrubbing.
Sturdy glass doors swing smoothly and keep all the splashing contained right where it belongs. Investing in quality hardware ensures your new shower area functions flawlessly for decades.
Wrenching out that heavy iron tub requires real muscle and steady hands. Skilled workers protect your flooring while hauling the old heavy basin safely out the front door.
Hidden plumbing lines often show unexpected wear once the old enclosure disappears completely. Fixing these behind-the-wall surprises immediately prevents disastrous leaks down the road.
Tub drains usually sit right at the floor level rather than centered for a standing stall. Moving the drain placement ensures your new shower drains quickly and completely.
Mixing valve heights might need a slight adjustment for your new shower head placement. Getting this spacing right makes every shower feel customized for your exact height.
Stopping moisture intrusion before laying down tile work protects the structural wood beneath your feet. Professional waterproof membranes create an impenetrable shield against pesky leaks.
Leveling the subfloor prevents pooling water from ruining your gorgeous new tile layout. Taking time with these hidden details guarantees your remodel lasts for many years.
Dropping the shower pan into a thick layer of mortar provides rock-solid standing support. A well-installed base never flexes or creaks when you step inside.
Sloping the floor correctly towards the drain keeps water moving away from the bathroom door. Precision work here stops puddles from forming in awkward corners.
Recessed soap niches keep your shampoo bottles organized and off the shower floor. Building these cubbies right into the wall studs saves precious standing room.
Grab bars provide essential security without looking like hospital equipment anymore. Modern safety rails blend seamlessly with brushed nickel or matte black faucet finishes.
Rainfall shower heads deliver a soothing cascade that washes away your daily stress. Handheld wands attached to slide bars make rinsing the walls a total breeze.
Thermostatic mixing valves keep your water temperature rock steady even when someone flushes a toilet. This clever tech protects you from sudden freezing blasts or scalding bursts.
Steamy air needs a quick escape route to prevent paint peeling and mold growth. Upgrading your exhaust fan keeps the air fresh and dry after every single wash.
Bright LED pot lights illuminate every corner of your newly opened shower space. Good lighting makes shaving or washing your hair much easier on your eyes.
Water-resistant drywall boards give you a sturdy base for painting the remaining bathroom walls. Matching your new paint color ties the entire room together in style.
Caulking every seam carefully locks out humidity and keeps your investment looking pristine. Clean silicone lines make the whole installation look professionally crafted.
Hiring a nearby crew means fast response times and deep knowledge of regional housing quirks. Local tradespeople understand the unique plumbing challenges found in older homes around this population of two thousand two hundred thirty-nine.
Supporting hometown businesses keeps your money circulating within the local economy. Neighbors helping neighbors creates trust that big out-of-town corporations simply cannot match.
Dust barriers keep the rest of your living space clean while workers cut tiles outside. Good contractors clean up their workspace thoroughly before packing up for the day.
Clear communication regarding timelines helps you plan your household routines around the renovation work. Knowing what happens next eliminates unwanted surprises during the project.
Worries about messy construction projects often stop people from upgrading their outdated washrooms. Professional crews minimize disruptions so you can maintain your normal daily routine.
Budget fears disappear once you see itemized pricing with zero hidden fees attached. Knowing the exact costs upfront lets you plan your finances with total confidence.
Most standard tub swaps finish within just a few consecutive business days. You regain full access to your updated washing facilities faster than you might think.
Curing times for mortar and silicone sealants dictate when you can take your maiden voyage. Waiting patiently for adhesives to dry completely guarantees long-term durability.
Squeegeeing the glass panels after every use prevents stubborn mineral spots from building up. Taking thirty seconds to wipe things down saves hours of heavy scrubbing later.
Using mild cleaning products protects your acrylic finishes from harsh chemical scratches. Gentle soap and water keep your investment shining like new for years.
Leaving the shower door cracked open lets air circulate and dries out the interior space. Good airflow is your best defense against unwanted bathroom spores.
Checking the grout and caulk lines annually helps you catch minor cracks early. Patching small gaps immediately stops moisture from damaging the framing below.
Take a look at how different upgrades stack up against each other for your home.
| Project Type | Average Time | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Full Tub Replacement | Five Days | Maintains soaking capability |
| Walk-In Shower Swap | Three Days | Improves safety and floor space |
| Partial Tile Patch | One Day | Temporary cosmetic fix only |
Weighing the pros and cons helps you pick the path that suits your family best. Upgrading your washing space pays off every single morning you use it.
Transforming your bathroom elevates your daily routine from a chore into a pleasant experience. You deserve a functional space that makes getting ready a joy.
Reinventing your bathing area starts with gathering accurate information about your specific layout. Speaking with a knowledgeable local professional points you in the right direction.
Reach out right now to request your complimentary estimate and discuss your design ideas. Taking this simple action brings your dream bathroom one step closer to reality.
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 New Athens 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 Clair 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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