Tub to Shower Conversion in Yakima, WA
What Changes When the Tub Comes Out
Converting a tub to a shower is popular here for a plain reason: the alcove is already the right size, so the shower fits without moving a wall. What it does not reuse is anything behind the surface. The tub drain sits at one end of the alcove and a shower drain generally wants to be centred, so the waste line usually moves, and that turns the project into permitted plumbing work with a rough-in inspection rather than a finish job. The wet wall comes off with the tub, which is the right outcome, because tiling a new shower against a surround that was built for a tub is how a conversion fails early. We rebuild that wall to a named membrane system and build the pan as part of the same assembly. Entry height is the other decision. A fully curbless conversion needs floor depth for slope, and not every alcove has it. Where it does not, a low threshold still removes most of the step-over that made the old tub unusable. We measure the framing first and tell you which of the two you are actually choosing between rather than selling the harder one.
The sequence is tub out, wall opened, drain and framing sorted, rough-in inspected, pan and membrane built, tile, then glass templated from the finished walls. Removing the tub is the point where surprises show up, so the scope states what we will do if the substrate behind the old surround has taken on water. We also confirm at the walkthrough whether this is the only bathtub in the house, because that affects resale and is worth deciding deliberately rather than mid-demolition.
What's Included in our Tub to Shower Conversion service?
Existing Alcove Conversion
Uses the tub footprint so the shower fits without moving a wall.
Drain Position Change
Shifts a tub drain to a centred shower drain, which is permitted plumbing work.
Low Threshold Entry
Cuts step-over height where a fully curbless build is not possible.
Proudly serving Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, West Valley, Terrace Heights and Moxee for 14+ years.
Comprehensive Bathroom Remodel Services in Yakima
Tailored to Your Needs
We scope bathroom work as ten separate jobs, from an accessible walk-in shower to a full bathroom addition. What separates them is not finish level but whether the fixtures move, because that decides the permit, the inspections and most of the cost. Start with the one that matches your project.
An accessible remodel rebuilds clearances, the shower entry and the grab bar backing.
A small bathroom remodel buys back usable space without moving the plumbing wall.
Bathtub replacement swaps the tub, the surround and the waterproofing behind it.
Tile installation is decided by the waterproofing layer set underneath it.
A bathroom addition is located by the waste line before anything else.
A walk-in shower is a waterproofed pan assembly with tile and glass over it.
A conversion reuses the alcove but rebuilds the pan, the wall and the drain detail.
Cost follows whether fixtures move, what the wall hides, and the permit scope.
Vanity installation is a fit problem between a new cabinet and old rough-in.
Repair starts by finding the failure point rather than resurfacing the symptom.
Bathroom Remodeling Across the Yakima Valley
Bathrooms only, across the Yakima Valley.
Service covers Yakima plus Selah, Union Gap, West Valley, Terrace Heights and Moxee. Those are not one jurisdiction. Selah and Union Gap each run their own permit counter, Terrace Heights and Moxee route through Yakima County, and West Valley sits inside the City of Yakima after annexation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bathroom Remodel can be complex, and we’re here to provide answers to common questions. Here are some frequently asked questions from our clients.
Frequently Asked Questions about bathroom remodel Yakima WA
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Yakima, WA?
There is no single price for a Yakima bathroom remodel. Cost follows whether the fixtures stay in their existing footprint, whether the supply and waste lines behind the wall get replaced, and what the permit scope turns out to be. A refresh that reuses the drain and a remodel that relocates it are not comparable jobs. We price after a walkthrough, not before one.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Yakima, WA?
In most cases, yes. Yakima County adopted the 2018 International Codes, and bathroom work that alters plumbing or electrical routing needs a permit and inspections. Inside the city limits that runs through the City of Yakima Building Division, while Terrace Heights and Moxee route through Yakima County and Selah and Union Gap each run their own counter. We pull it either way.
How long does a bathroom remodel take in Yakima?
Schedule follows the permit and inspection sequence, whether fixtures move, and lead times on tile and glass. A single-scope refresh inside the existing footprint moves faster than a remodel that relocates a drain or adds a fixture. Spring is the busiest stretch of the year here, so a March start booked in January runs a lot cleaner than one booked in March.
What is the most expensive part of a bathroom remodel?
Usually the part you never see. Moving a drain, opening the wall to replace tired supply lines, and rebuilding a shower pan with a proper waterproofing membrane all cost more than the tile and fixtures most people are picturing when they start. If the layout stays put, the money goes into finishes instead. Working out which of those two projects you actually have is the first thing we do.
Are bathroom remodels worth it?
It depends on what the bathroom is doing wrong. Replacing a failing shower pan, or a tub nobody in the house can step over safely, solves a real problem and holds its value. A cosmetic swap on a sound bathroom is a preference rather than a repair, and we will tell you so. We would rather scope the smaller job correctly than sell you the larger one.
Is it expensive to change the layout of a bathroom?
Moving fixtures is the single biggest cost lever in a bathroom. Relocating a toilet or a shower drain means opening the floor, re-routing the waste line, and adding a plumbing inspection that a same-footprint remodel never needs. Sometimes a few inches of gain is worth all of that and sometimes it is not. We measure and tell you which one you are looking at before anything gets ordered.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tub to Shower Conversion
How much does a tub to shower conversion cost?
Whether the drain moves is the biggest single factor. A conversion that centres the shower drain is permitted plumbing work with an inspection attached; one that can reuse the existing drain position is not. After that it is the entry height, the wall condition once the tub is out, and the glass. We give a number after seeing the alcove, not before.
Does a tub to shower conversion need a permit in Yakima?
If the drain moves or the supply lines change, yes. That covers most conversions, since a tub drain and a shower drain usually want to be in different places. Inside the city the permit runs through the City of Yakima Building Division, and through Yakima County for houses in Terrace Heights or Moxee. Selah and Union Gap each run their own counter.
Will removing the tub hurt the resale value of the house?
It can, if it is the only tub in the house. Buyers with young children tend to want at least one, and a house with none narrows that pool. If it is a second bathroom, or a primary suite where a separate tub exists elsewhere, the concern mostly disappears. We raise it at the walkthrough so the decision is made on purpose.
Can the new shower be completely step-free?
Only if the floor has depth to build slope to the drain. Where the joist bays allow it, the answer is yes and we will show you what it takes. Where they do not, a low threshold removes most of the step-over without the framing work. We measure before answering, because promising curbless and delivering a curb is not a conversation worth having later.
Convert Your Yakima Tub to a Shower
What Our Satisfied Clients Have to Say About Yakima Bathroom Remodel
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