Short Answer
Shower pan replacement costs about $900 to $2,300 nationally, with an average near $1,600, according to Angi, HomeGuide, and Modernize. Prefab acrylic and fiberglass pans sit at the low end. Custom tile pans built on a mortar bed run $900 to $3,500 because the floor tile and part of the wall tile come out too.
Repipe Solutions is a licensed Houston plumbing company, and a shower pan leak rebuild with us runs $1,200 to $3,500. This guide puts that next to the national numbers, explains what changes the price, and answers the question most cost guides skip: what happens to your tile.
The biggest factor is not the pan you buy. It is what kind of shower you have. Swapping a molded base in a fiberglass stall and rebuilding the floor of a tiled shower are two very different jobs, even though both are called “replacing the shower pan.”
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Shower Pan?
Most national cost guides land in the same range, because several of them draw on the same data.
| Source | Typical Range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Angi (February 2025) | $900 – $2,300 | $1,620 |
| Modernize (August 2026) | $530 – $2,700 | $1,600 |
| HomeGuide (October 2023) | $900 – $2,300 | $1,600 |
| Homewyse (September 2026) | $1,582 – $3,065 per pan | Not stated |
| Repipe Solutions (Houston) | $1,200 – $3,500 for a pan leak rebuild | – |
Homewyse runs higher because it prices a mid-range pan with mortar work included and leaves out plumbing changes and permits. If your quote looks high next to a national average, the first thing to check is whether it includes tile work.
How Much Does Each Type of Shower Pan Cost?
Pan material changes the price more than size does. These figures are from Angi, and This Old House lists nearly identical ranges.
| Pan Type | Typical Cost | What It Is |
|---|---|---|
| Fiberglass | $150 – $450 | Lightweight molded base |
| Acrylic | $200 – $600 | Molded base, stiffer than fiberglass |
| Hot mop | $225 – $500 | Layers of felt and hot tar under a tile floor |
| Poured mud | $350 – $650 | Sloped mortar bed for a tile floor |
| Cast iron | $800 – $1,300 | Heavy enameled base |
| Custom tile | $900 – $3,500 | Site-built mortar bed, liner, and tile |
Size matters less. Angi lists a 32 by 32 inch prefab pan at $150 to $250 and a 48 by 48 inch pan at $200 to $700, while custom sizes run $900 to $2,000.
What Happens to Your Tile When a Shower Pan Is Replaced?
For a prefab base, often yes. Modernize notes that because the pan is a separate unit, “you can typically replace just the pan,” depending on the shower and the damage. The wall panels or tile usually need to come loose along the bottom edge.
For a tiled shower, the answer is different, and most cost guides leave it out. In a tile shower, the “pan” is a waterproof liner buried under a mortar bed and floor tile. The International Residential Code requires that liner to extend at least 2 inches above the finished threshold, which means it turns up behind the wall tile. To replace it, the floor tile, the mortar bed, and usually the bottom row or two of wall tile have to come out.
That is where tile costs enter the quote. HomeGuide puts retiling a shower floor at $500 to $1,000, and matching older wall tile can be the hardest part of the job.
What Extra Costs Come With Shower Pan Replacement?
| Add-On | Typical Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Removing the old pan | About $250 | Angi |
| Subfloor or base repair | $225 – $650 | Angi, This Old House |
| Moving or adding plumbing | $600 – $1,600 | Angi |
| Waterproof membrane | $0.50 – $2.00 per sq ft | HomeGuide |
| Retiling the shower floor | $500 – $1,000 | HomeGuide |
| Permit | $30 – $500 | Angi, This Old House |
| New glass door | $600 – $1,350 | Angi |
Subfloor damage is the line item nobody can price until the old pan is out. If a pan has been leaking for a while, ask for the quote to say how hidden damage will be handled and priced.
Is It Cheaper to Repair or Replace a Shower Pan?
Repair is cheaper, but only when the pan is not the actual problem. Grout, caulk, and the drain connection can all leak into the same spot as a failed pan. If the leak turns out to be grout or caulk, a regrout or recaulk with Repipe Solutions runs $250 to $850 instead of $1,200 to $3,500 for a pan rebuild.
That is why the source should be confirmed before anyone quotes a new pan. Our guide to a leaking shower pan walks through how to tell the pan from the drain, valve, and grout.
| If the Problem Is | Likely Job | Repipe Solutions Houston Price |
|---|---|---|
| Grout or caulk | Regrout or recaulk | $250 – $850 |
| Failed liner or pan | Shower pan leak rebuild | $1,200 – $3,500 |
| Whole shower worn out (prefab) | Prefab shower installation | $2,500 – $6,500 |
| Whole shower worn out (tile) | Custom tile shower installation | $5,500 – $15,000+ |
Why Does the Slope and Flood Test Affect the Price?
A tile shower floor has to slope toward the drain. The International Residential Code requires a slope of at least 1/4 inch and no more than 1/2 inch per foot. An old floor that was built flat or pitched the wrong way keeps water sitting on the liner, which is one reason a patch over a failed pan rarely holds.
A new liner should also be flood-tested before tile goes on. The code test calls for at least 2 inches of water held for at least 15 minutes with no leakage. Building the slope correctly and testing the liner adds time to the job, but it is what keeps you from paying for the same repair twice.
When Does Shower Pan Work Need a Houston Permit?
Swapping a pan in place may not need one, but altering the plumbing does. In the City of Houston and most surrounding cities, a plumbing permit is required when drain or supply plumbing is altered, for example when a drain has to move to fit a new prefab base. Nationally, Angi puts permit costs at $30 to $500.
How to Get an Accurate Shower Pan Quote
- Ask whether the price is for a prefab swap or a tile floor rebuild.
- Ask what happens to the wall tile, and whether matching tile is included.
- Ask how hidden subfloor damage will be priced if it is found.
- Ask whether the new pan will be flood-tested before tile goes on.
- Ask whether a permit is needed and who pulls it.
Repipe Solutions quotes shower pan work for free, in person, with no trip charge, and new pans are flood-tested where the inspector requires it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to replace a shower pan?
Nationally, most shower pan replacements cost $900 to $2,300, with an average near $1,600 according to Angi and HomeGuide. In Houston, a shower pan leak rebuild with Repipe Solutions runs $1,200 to $3,500.
Why is a tile shower pan more expensive to replace?
The liner sits under the mortar bed and floor tile and turns up behind the wall tile, so the floor and usually the bottom row of wall tile have to come out and be replaced.
Is a cheaper prefab pan a good replacement for a tile pan?
It can be, as long as the drain lines up with the new base or can be moved. Angi lists acrylic pans at $200 to $600, but moving plumbing to fit one adds $600 to $1,600.
How long does a shower pan last?
Angi estimates 10 to 15 years for a typical shower pan. A tile pan built with the correct slope and a tested liner is less likely to fail early.
Do plumbers replace shower pans?
Yes. The drain connection, the liner, and the flood test are plumbing work, which is why many plumbers handle shower pan replacement from start to finish.
Need a Shower Pan Replaced in Houston?
Repipe Solutions confirms the leak, quotes the job in writing, and rebuilds or replaces the pan. See our shower pan repair and replacement services in Houston or contact Repipe Solutions for a free quote.
Featured photo: “Tile shower pan floor with drain” by Red Moon Sanctuary via Openverse, licensed under CC BY 2.0, converted to WebP.