Our Oblong crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Crawford County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
You probably feel tired of climbing over that high porcelain barrier every single morning just to wash up. This common frustration bothers many homeowners who want a quicker and safer way to clean themselves without the hassle of a deep basin. By swapping that outdated basin for a sleek walk-in stall, you instantly create a spacious setup that fits your daily routine much better.
Fortunately, our local team handles these exact transformations right in your home to make life easier. We travel directly to your property to look at your current setup and talk about what fits your budget. Best of all, we provide a free estimate so you know exactly what to expect before we even touch a single wrench.
Making this change does more than just update your visual style. It actually saves you from slips and trips while giving you back your peace of mind. Let us take a closer look at how this smart upgrade changes your daily routine for the better.
Think about how much space that old dusty basin wastes in your small washroom. By removing that heavy cast iron or acrylic beast, you open up the entire room and make it feel twice as large. This gives you extra elbow room so you do not feel trapped while soaping up.
Safety stands out as the absolute biggest plus for most folks who make this switch. A low-profile threshold means you only have to lift your foot an inch or two to step inside. This simple difference reduces the risk of nasty falls on wet tile floors quite a bit.
Besides the safety aspect, cleaning becomes a breeze when you lose those deep corners where grime loves to hide. Modern non-porous acrylic surrounds resist mold and mildew much better than old grout lines. You will spend far less time scrubbing on your knees and more time enjoying your weekends.
First, we need to inspect the condition of your subfloor and the old pipes hiding behind the wall. Sometimes old steel pipes or rotting wood require a bit of extra attention before we can place the new pan. We make sure everything is rock solid and dry so you do not get leaks down the road.
Next comes the fun part where we help you choose the style of your new enclosure. You can go with a sleek sliding glass door or keep it open with a simple curtain rod setup. We also install sturdy grab bars and built-in benches to make your daily wash as relaxed as possible.
To help you compare the main options, here is a quick guide on the different setups we often install for local homeowners:
| Base Type | Step-In Height | Best Benefit For You |
|---|---|---|
| Low-Threshold Pan | 3 to 5 inches | Very easy to install and fits almost any budget |
| Barrier-Free (Curbless) | 0 inches | Perfect for wheelchairs and maximum safety |
| Deep Shower Base | 6 inches | Keeps water contained perfectly without splashing |
After we agree on the layout, our crew works quickly to minimize the mess in your home. We cover your carpets and carry away the heavy debris so you do not have to clean up after us. Within just a couple of days, your brand new setup is ready for its very first run.
Choosing the right wall surround material ensures your new space looks great for decades. Acrylic panels offer a seamless look that prevents water from sneaking into your drywall. On the other hand, traditional ceramic tile gives you that classic custom look if you prefer something more detailed.
Waterproofing represents the most critical step of the entire installation process. We apply premium moisture barriers behind the walls to stop rot before it ever has a chance to start. This extra care protects the structure of your house and keeps your indoor air healthy and fresh.
Do not forget about the fixtures like rain heads, handheld sprayers, and thermostatic valves. A handheld wand lets you wash hard-to-reach spots easily and makes cleaning the walls incredibly simple. These small details turn a basic wash into a truly luxurious daily escape.
Living in Crawford County means we understand the unique character of homes built in this beautiful part of Illinois. Whether you live in a historic farmhouse or a cozy ranch style home, we know how to handle older plumbing systems. Our team has helped many of the 1,313 residents living here upgrade their spaces without any unexpected headaches.
We know that the median household income here sits around $39,514, which means value and honest pricing matter a lot to you. That is why we focus on durable, cost-effective solutions that do not drain your savings account. We serve the entire 62449 area code with pride, bringing reliable craftsmanship right to your doorstep.
Working with a local team means you get personal service from people who treat you like a neighbor. We do not use high-pressure sales tactics or rush you into making a decision. We simply explain your options, point out the pros and cons, and let you decide what works best for your family.
Sometimes we find hidden water damage once we pull out the old molded fiberglass basin. This can feel scary, but our experienced team knows exactly how to sister joists and replace rotted wood quickly. We fix these structural issues correctly so your new floor base stays level and safe forever.
Another common puzzle involves relocating the drain line to line up with the new pan outlet. Since old tubs usually have drains on one far side, we sometimes have to adjust the subfloor plumbing. We handle all of this complex pipe work ourselves to ensure everything drains fast without gurgling.
We also make sure your existing mixing valve gets upgraded to meet modern safety codes. Anti-scald pressure-balancing valves keep the water temperature steady even if someone runs the kitchen sink. This protects your kids and grandkids from sudden bursts of hot or freezing water.
Upgrading your washroom should not feel like a giant chore that you keep putting off. By letting our friendly crew handle the heavy lifting, you get a beautiful and safe space without the stress. We take pride in our clean work sites and our polite, helpful communication throughout the entire project.
Remember that we offer a completely free in-home consultation to discuss your specific ideas. We will measure your space, show you samples, and give you a clear written estimate. This lets you make an informed choice for your home without any obligation or pressure.
Ready to finally say goodbye to that high tub wall and enjoy a spacious, modern walk-in experience? Contact us today to schedule your free estimate and let us help you create a safer, more beautiful home.
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 Oblong 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 Crawford 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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