Fiberglass Shower Stall to Tile Walk-In Shower: Cost & Time

A real Reisterstown remodel: 10 days, $14,000 to $16,000, step by step

Fiberglass shower stall with a framed sliding door in a Reisterstown, MD bathroom before the remodel

Short answer: to swap a fiberglass shower stall for a tiled walk-in shower, the stall comes out, the wall is opened to the studs, the shower is rebuilt and fully waterproofed, and then the tile, fixtures and glass go in. On a recent bathroom remodel in Reisterstown, we did all of that plus a new double vanity and tile floor in 10 days, for $14,000 to $16,000.

Fiberglass and acrylic stalls are in a lot of Baltimore County homes. They go in fast and cost little, but after enough years they look tired: a dull finish, stained corners and a framed sliding door with a track that never comes clean. Here is what replacing one with tile really involves, using that Reisterstown job as the example.

Step 1: Remove the stall and open the wall

A stall is fastened to the framing, so it comes out in pieces. Once it is gone, the wall behind it is opened to the studs. That is when you find out what you are working with: old plumbing, framing that is not straight, or water damage nobody knew about. In Reisterstown we took the shower, vanity, wall cabinet and flooring down to the studs and subfloor, then reworked the plumbing for a second sink and a new shower valve.

Step 2: Backer board and waterproofing

This is the step that matters most and the one you never see once the job is done. Tile and grout are not waterproof on their own. Behind the tile you need cement board and a waterproofing layer over every wall, the curb and any niche. On this job we rolled a red liquid waterproofing membrane over the walls and the shower floor before any tile went on. If a contractor cannot explain how your shower is waterproofed, keep looking.

This is also the time to add a recessed niche. It has to be framed in while the wall is open. Adding one later means tearing tile back out.

Step 3: Tile, fixtures and glass

With the shower sealed, the tile goes on. Large-format tile is popular because it means fewer grout lines to clean. This shower got marble-look porcelain walls with a black hex mosaic in the niche, a rain head plus a handheld wand, and a frameless sliding glass door on a matte black rail.

In a long, narrow bathroom, think about the door. A swinging door can block the walkway. A slider stays out of the way.

How long does it take?

A shower-only swap is shorter than a full remodel. Our Reisterstown job also included a double vanity, backlit mirrors, new lighting and a diagonal black tile floor, and it took 10 days from demolition to the final walkthrough. Tile, glass and fixtures can have lead times, so choose materials before the start date.

What does it cost?

The Reisterstown project came to $14,000 to $16,000 for the whole room. What moves the price up or down:

Shower only or the whole room: a vanity, floor and lighting add materials and labor.
Tile choice and pattern: tile prices vary a lot, and diagonal or detailed layouts take longer to set.
Glass: frameless glass costs more than a framed door.
Plumbing changes: moving a drain or valve, or adding a second sink, adds work.
Surprises behind the wall: rot or old leaks have to be fixed before new tile goes on.

For a ballpark on your own bathroom, try our free cost estimator or read how much a bathroom remodel costs in Maryland.

Tile shower or a new acrylic insert?

A new acrylic insert costs less and goes in faster, and some homeowners are happy with that. A tiled shower costs more up front, but you choose the size, the look and a built-in niche, and it does not look like a prefab unit. If you are already redoing the vanity and floor, tile usually makes more sense because the whole room ends up matching.

Should you redo the whole bathroom at once?

If the vanity and floor are as old as the shower, doing it all together is usually cheaper than two separate jobs. The crew is already there, the room is already open, and everything matches when it is done. That is what this Reisterstown homeowner chose. In a long, narrow room it also let us lay the black floor tile on a diagonal, set out with a laser line first, so the room reads wider.

See every before, during and after photo on the Reisterstown double vanity and walk-in shower project page.