Shower Installation, Bathtub Replacement & Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Houston, TX

A shower that drips all night, a tub with a spreading rust stain, a bathroom nobody has updated since the house was built. These are some of the most common calls we get. Houston bathrooms come with problems the national how-to articles never mention: slab foundations that put your drain under four inches of concrete, humidity that turns a small leak into mold in weeks, and hard water that eats shower cartridges. At Repipe Solutions, our licensed plumbers handle shower installation in Houston, bathtub replacement, repairs, and tub-to-shower conversions, built for how Houston homes are actually made.

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Shower & Bathtub Experts in Houston

We’re a licensed plumbing company, not a bath-remodel franchise, and on this kind of work that matters: the part of a shower or tub project that goes wrong is almost never the pretty part. It’s the valve behind the wall, the drain under the slab, and the waterproofing you’ll never see. Because we work on full plumbing systems every day, we handle those correctly, pull the permit when plumbing is altered, and give you honest repair-versus-replace numbers before you spend anything.

Shower & Bathtub Repair in Houston

Most problems trace back to a handful of failure points. Here’s what we repair and what’s actually going wrong behind the wall.

Shower Repairs

Leaking valves and worn cartridges (Houston’s hard water scales them up until they stick), failed diverters, shower pan leaks staining the ceiling below, cracked grout letting water rot the wall, and low pressure. In older homes with galvanized pipe, low shower pressure is often the first sign the whole supply system is failing, and as a repipe company we’ll tell you honestly which one you have.

Bathtub Repairs

Leaking tub drains and overflow gaskets (the most common source of mystery ceiling stains under second-floor baths), corroded spouts, slow drains cleared properly instead of with caustic chemicals, failed caulk, and small stress cracks in fiberglass or acrylic. A flexing floor pan or spider-cracked bottom means the tub is at end of life, and we’ll say so before you pay for a patch.

Repair Or Replace? Honest Signs

Replace when you see rust bleeding through enamel, a tub floor that flexes underfoot, recurring pan leaks, tile walls that sound hollow or feel spongy, or a valve so corroded that trim parts no longer exist. Repair makes sense for isolated cartridge, diverter, drain, and grout problems on an otherwise sound fixture. We give you both prices and let you decide.

Our Shower & Bathtub Services in Houston

From a one-hour cartridge swap to a full custom conversion, here’s what we handle for Houston homeowners.

Shower Installation & Replacement

Prefab kits, custom tiled showers, and low-threshold walk-ins. Full replacement includes demo, framing and slab inspection, new pan, updated valve and supply lines, waterproofing, walls, glass, and trim.

Bathtub Installation & Replacement

Alcove, drop-in, freestanding, and walk-in tubs. Like-for-like swaps usually take 1 to 2 days. Changing sizes or moving the drain adds slab work, and we quote that honestly up front.

Tub-to-Shower Conversion

Our most requested bathroom upgrade. Real conversions upsize the drain to code and are permitted and inspected. See the step-by-step below for what a legitimate conversion involves.

Walk-In Showers & Aging In Place

Curbless zero-entry showers, fold-down benches, blocking-backed grab bars (a grab bar screwed only into drywall is a fall waiting to happen), handheld heads, and thermostatic anti-scald valves.

Tub-To-Shower Conversion, Step By Step

Realistic timeline: 2 to 4 days for an acrylic-wall conversion with no drain relocation, 5 to 8 working days for custom tile with slab work. Anyone promising a one-day conversion is either covering the old tub with a liner or skipping the drain conversion entirely.

1. In-home assessment and free quote. We measure, locate the drain and valve, and confirm what’s under the tub: slab or framed floor.

2. Permit. Altering drain or supply plumbing requires a plumbing permit in the City of Houston and most surrounding cities. We pull it, and your conversion passes inspection instead of surfacing as a problem when you sell.

3. Demo. Tub out, wet wall opened, old valve exposed. Day 1.

4. Plumbing rough-in. Code requires a 2-inch drain for a shower; tubs use 1½-inch. On a slab, upsizing that drain means saw-cutting and jackhammering a section of concrete, re-routing the drain and trap, and repouring. This is the step that separates a real conversion from a cover-up. Days 1 to 2.

5. Pan and waterproofing. Shower base set or tile pan built with a true membrane, flood-tested where the inspector requires it. Days 2 to 3.

6. Walls. Acrylic and solid-surface systems go up fast. Custom tile takes longer because thinset and grout need cure time. Days 3 to 7.

7. Glass, trim, and final inspection. Doors installed, fixtures trimmed, caulk cured before first use.

One Resale Note

Appraisers generally advise keeping at least one bathtub in the house. Converting a primary or hall bath is a value-add when another tub remains; converting the only tub can narrow your buyer pool. We’ll flag it before you commit.

Walls And Tubs: What We Install

Material matters more than most homeowners expect. Here’s the honest rundown on both halves of the decision.

Tile Walls

Unlimited design flexibility and the highest resale appeal, but the most labor, and it depends entirely on the waterproofing behind it. In Houston humidity we build tiled showers over a true membrane system. Grout is not waterproofing.

Acrylic Panels

Install fast, often in a day or two, no grout lines to scrub or fail, and good mold resistance. Quality varies enormously between big-box panels and heavier dealer-grade systems.

Cultured Marble & Solid Surface

Seamless large panels with a stone look and minimal maintenance. Priced above acrylic and usually below full custom tile.

Fiberglass

The budget tub. Light and easy to install, but it flexes and dulls sooner. Typical life is 10 to 15 years.

Acrylic

The mainstream choice. Warmer to the touch, glossier, more scratch-resistant than fiberglass, and still light enough for second floors.

Enameled Steel

Inexpensive and durable, but noisy under running water, cold to the touch, and chips rust.

Cast Iron

The longest-lived tub made, routinely 50-plus years, and it holds heat beautifully. It’s also 300 to 500 pounds, so getting it into the room is a multi-man job. On slab, weight is a non-issue structurally.

The Valve Behind The Wall Matters More Than The Trim

Texas code requires anti-scald protection on new shower valves. Here are the two ways to get it.

Pressure-Balancing Valves

Moen Posi-Temp, Delta Monitor 14, Kohler Rite-Temp. A sliding spool keeps the hot/cold ratio constant, so when someone flushes a toilet and cold pressure drops, the valve compensates instantly and nobody gets scalded. The standard, cost-effective answer, and the fix for showers that run cold on every toilet flush.

Thermostatic Valves

Delta 17T, Moen ExactTemp, Kohler thermostatic systems. These hold an actual set temperature and control volume independently. The right choice for high-flow custom showers, multiple heads, and households with young kids or elderly members.

A Future-Proofing Tip We Use Constantly

Delta’s MultiChoice Universal rough-in accepts pressure-balancing, dual-function, or thermostatic cartridges in the same valve body, and Moen’s M-PACT system works the same way. Spec one of these and you can upgrade the trim and function later without ever reopening the wall. Not sure what your valve swap would cost? Try our shower valve cost calculator.

Built For Houston Homes

Three local realities shape every bathroom project here, and we plan for all of them.

Slab Foundations

Your tub drain runs through the slab. Any conversion or relocation that moves it means controlled saw-cutting, jackhammering, re-piping, and a proper repour. We do this routinely. Crews that don’t will talk you into leaving the drain where it is even when it compromises the layout.

Humidity And Mold

Gulf Coast humidity means marginal waterproofing fails faster here than almost anywhere. We use membrane waterproofing behind tile and mold-resistant backer, and we’ll tell you if your bath fan is undersized. A shower rebuild without ventilation correction is a mold problem on a timer.

Hard Water

Houston’s water scales up glass doors, shower heads, and, the expensive one, valve cartridges, which is why so many showers here get stiff handles within a few years. We can pair any bathroom project with a water softener, or at minimum spec cartridges that are cheap to service.

Shower & Tub Brands We Install And Service

We’re brand-independent and stock common Moen, Delta, and Kohler cartridges on the truck. We install customer-supplied fixtures too, and we’ll flag any model with poor parts availability before it goes in your wall.

Delta Moen Kohler American Standard Sterling Jacuzzi

What Shower & Bathtub Work Costs In Houston

Every job is quoted free, in person, with no trip charge. Final pricing depends on drain location, wall system, glass, and fixture selection. The quote you get is the price you pay.

Service	Typical Houston Cost
Shower cartridge replacement	$150 – $350
Shower valve replacement (behind wall)	$400 – $950
Diverter repair/replacement	$125 – $350
Regrout / recaulk shower	$250 – $850
Shower pan leak rebuild	$1,200 – $3,500
Tub drain & overflow repair	$200 – $550
Prefab shower installation	$2,500 – $6,500
Custom tile shower installation	$5,500 – $15,000+
Bathtub replacement (like-for-like)	$1,800 – $5,500
Cast iron tub installed	$3,000 – $7,500
Tub-to-shower conversion (acrylic walls)	$4,000 – $9,500
Tub-to-shower conversion (custom tile)	$8,000 – $16,000+
Slab drain relocation (add-on)	$1,500 – $3,500
Walk-in tub installed	$5,000 – $15,000

Frequently Asked Questions About Shower & Bathtub Services in Houston, TX

How much does a tub-to-shower conversion cost in Houston?

Most of our conversions run $4,000 to $9,500 with acrylic or solid-surface walls, and $8,000 to $16,000+ for custom tile. Moving the drain in a slab foundation adds roughly $1,500 to $3,500. We quote exact numbers free, in your home.

How long does shower installation take?

A prefab shower or acrylic conversion typically takes 2 to 4 days. Custom tile takes 5 to 8 working days because waterproofing, thinset, and grout need cure time. Add a day or two if the slab has to be opened for drain relocation.

Do I need a permit to convert a tub to a shower in Houston?

If the drain or supply plumbing is altered, and in a real conversion it almost always is because showers require a 2-inch drain, a plumbing permit is required in the City of Houston and most surrounding cities. As a licensed plumbing company we pull the permit and schedule the inspection for you.

Does a tub-to-shower conversion hurt resale value?

Not if the home keeps at least one bathtub. A modern walk-in shower in a primary bath is a selling point, especially for aging-in-place buyers. Removing the only tub in the house can turn away families with young children, so we’ll flag that before you commit.

Why does my shower run cold when someone flushes the toilet?

Your valve either has no pressure-balancing protection (common in pre-1990s homes) or its balancing spool is stuck with scale. Replacing the cartridge or upgrading to a modern pressure-balancing valve fixes it and brings the shower up to current anti-scald code.

What's the difference between a pressure-balancing and a thermostatic shower valve?

A pressure-balancing valve keeps the hot/cold mix steady when pressure fluctuates. It’s the code-standard, budget-friendly choice. A thermostatic valve holds an exact set temperature and controls volume separately; it costs more but is worth it for multi-head showers and households with kids or elderly members.

Can you replace just the shower valve without redoing the whole shower?

Usually, yes. If there’s access from behind, a closet or adjoining wall, we swap the valve with no tile damage at all. Otherwise we open a small section and cover it with an oversized trim plate or a paintable access panel. No full remodel required.

How do I replace a shower cartridge?

Shut off water to the house, pull the handle and trim, remove the retaining clip, and extract the cartridge. Moen 1222s often need a puller tool, especially in Houston’s hard water where they seize. Match the replacement exactly and note the orientation, or you’ll reverse hot and cold. If it won’t budge, call us before the valve body gets damaged; a broken valve turns a $200 fix into a $900 one.

How do I fix a leaking shower head?

If it drips only right after use, that’s residual water and it’s normal. A steady drip when the valve is off means the cartridge or valve seats are worn, and replacing the head won’t fix it. Scale-clogged spray holes can be cleared by soaking the head in white vinegar.

How do I replace a shower head?

Unscrew the old head counterclockwise (use a cloth-wrapped wrench if stuck), clean the shower arm threads, wrap them with 2 to 3 turns of Teflon tape, and hand-tighten the new head. If the arm itself is corroded or the leak is at the wall, stop there. That’s a job for a plumber before you snap a pipe inside the wall.

Get A Free Quote On Your Shower Or Tub Project

One call gets you a licensed Houston plumber, a free in-home quote, and no trip charge. From our offices in Houston, Pasadena, and New Caney, we serve Katy, Pearland, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Cypress, Kingwood, Baytown, League City, Missouri City, Tomball, and all of Greater Houston. Contact us or call 832-662-4288 to schedule your shower installation in Houston with a licensed plumber.

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