Bathtub to Shower Conversion Without Removing the Tub: a Walk-in Shower in About Three Hours

A tub to shower conversion that keeps your tub: a walk-in shower in about three hours

A bathtub to shower conversion does not have to mean tearing out your tub. Trenworks converts the bathtub you already own into a walk-in shower by cutting a low step-through opening in the tub wall (a bathtub cutout) and finishing it with a sealed, reinforced insert. You keep your tub, your tile, your plumbing and your floor. The work takes about three hours, and you shower the next day.

It is the fastest and least disruptive way to convert a tub to a walk-in shower, and with the optional removable door cap your tub still works as a tub whenever you want it to.

Two ways to convert a tub to a shower

When people search for a tub to shower conversion they are usually shown one thing: a full remodel. The tub comes out, the walls come down, the plumbing is moved, a shower base and new walls go in. That is a real option, and for some bathrooms it is the right one. It is also the most expensive and slowest way to solve the actual problem, which is the 16 to 22 inch tub wall you have to lift a leg over.

The cutout conversion solves that problem directly. The front wall of the tub is cut down to a step of about five to six inches from the bathroom floor (three to four inches from inside the tub), 24 inches wide, and finished with a sealed insert. Everything else stays exactly as it is.

The honest summary: if you want a brand new tiled shower stall and have the budget and the weeks to spare, a full remodel gives you that. If what you want is to stop climbing over the tub wall, safely, this month, a cutout conversion gets you there in an afternoon for a small fraction of the cost.

How the conversion works: about three hours on site

From the time we arrive to the time we leave is typically about three hours. The seal cures overnight: you can shower after 24 hours, and bathe with the door cap on after 48.

Step 1 — Measure and mark. We outline the opening on the tub wall with a template sized to your tub, so the finished step lands at about five to six inches from the floor across a 24 inch opening, and the corners stay strong.

Step 2 — Cut and prep. A clean, dust-controlled cut is made inside a shrouded work zone. Edges are smoothed and the surface is prepared for bonding.

Step 3 — Reinforce, insert and seal. The Canadian-made cutout assembly goes in: reinforcement is built into the tub wall around the opening, the moulded insert matched to your tub is bonded to the cut edge with a waterproof adhesive, and the opening is finished with a continuous seal inside and out. We vacuum and leave the bathroom cleaner than we found it.

The technique works on the tub materials found in almost every Ontario home: fibreglass, acrylic and enamelled steel, including one-piece tub and shower units and deck-mounted soaker tubs. A cast iron tub without a liner can be cut, but we assess it from photos first; a cast iron tub with an acrylic liner cannot be cut at this time. Glass tub doors usually come off first: our installers remove the lighter kind during the visit, and heavy tempered glass doors are taken out beforehand by a glass technician you hire.

Keep your tub: the removable door cap

This is the part a full remodel can never give you back. The removable door cap sets down over the cutout and latches watertight with two thumb latches in about two seconds, restoring a full bathtub. Lift it out and you have your walk-in shower again.

Cap off → walk-in shower for everyday use, no high wall to climb.

Cap on → a deep bath for a soak, for bathing grandchildren, or for guests.

The cap weighs about seven pounds, needs no tools and no plumbing, and its waterproof seal is guaranteed for life. It can be added at the time of the conversion or years later, and it protects the resale value of the home because a future buyer still gets a working bathtub. Read how the door cap works.

Who a cutout conversion is right for

• Seniors aging in place who can still step in with a hand on a grab bar but struggle with the height of the tub wall.
• Anyone recovering from surgery or living with arthritis, balance problems or a bad hip or knee, who needs a safer bathroom this week, not after a renovation.
• Family caregivers who want assisted bathing to be less of a lift for both people.
• Condo owners and tenants, where the plumbing and the walls cannot be touched and a remodel is not an option.
• Homeowners on a budget who want the safety upgrade without paying for a showroom bathroom.
• Landlords and care homes that need an accessible unit without weeks of downtime.

Where it is not the answer: a cutout does not create a roll-in shower. If someone needs wheelchair roll-in access or a fully barrier-free wet room, that is a remodel job, and we will tell you so when we see your photos.

Converting a tub in the city? See our bathtub to shower conversions in Toronto page. Want the walk-in access and still a tub to soak in? Read about the walk-in tub conversion for Ontario seniors, or the step by step in how to convert a tub to a walk-in shower without removing it.

What comes with every professional installation

• Free stainless grab bar or anti-slip treatment, installed on the same visit, so the new walk-in shower is safe from day one.
• Five-year warranty on parts and labour, and a lifetime seal warranty on the door cap.
• Our own installers, not subcontractors, across the GTA, Durham, York, Peel, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara and Kitchener-Waterloo.
• Exact pricing from photos before anything is booked. No surprise charges on the day.

Tub to shower conversion kit: do it yourself from $299

Prefer to do it yourself? The same cutout is available as a DIY walk-in tub conversion kit from $299: the Canadian-made insert sized to your tub, the cutting template, the adhesive and the instructions, with the removable door cap as an option. You bring the cutting tools, the machinery, the reinforcing material and a weekend (the reinforcement is customised to each tub, so it is not in the kit). Kits are pickup only in Ontario, never shipped: send us two photos of your tub and we will tell you which kit fits and where to pick it up. Read more on the $299 walk-in tub conversion kit page, or compare professional installation with the DIY kit.

Common questions

Is a cutout really a bathtub to shower conversion? Yes. The tub becomes a walk-in shower with a step of about five to six inches instead of the full tub wall, the original drain and shower head keep working, and the wet area stays sealed. What you do not get is a new shower base or new walls, and you do not need them for the shower to work.

How much does a tub to shower conversion cost? A full remodel is priced like a renovation: demolition, plumbing, tile and several trades. A cutout conversion avoids all of that. The DIY kit starts at $299, and a professional installation is quoted from two or three photos of your tub, usually the same day you send them, with no visit needed.

How long does the conversion take? About three hours in your home. The seal cures overnight: you can shower after 24 hours, and bathe with the door cap on after 48.

Will the cutout leak? No. The insert is bonded to the cut edge with a waterproof adhesive and sealed inside and out, and the opening is tested before we leave. Trenworks-installed cutouts carry a five-year warranty on parts and labour.

How durable is a converted tub? Trenworks builds reinforcement into the tub wall around the opening, so the step is solid, lasts and never needs upgrading. We have been converting tubs this way across Ontario since 2012, several thousand installations so far.

Can I still take a bath? With the removable door cap, yes. It latches over the opening in about two seconds and gives you a full-depth, watertight tub, then lifts out when you want the walk-in shower back.

Does it work in a condo or an apartment? Yes. There is no plumbing or wall work, no permit, no water shut-off and a few hours of noise, so nothing about the building changes. That is why a cutout is often the only tub to shower conversion a condo board or a landlord will allow.

Do I need a permit? Almost never. Nothing structural, electrical or plumbing-related changes, so most municipalities treat a cutout as a minor repair.

What tubs can be converted? Fibreglass, acrylic and enamelled steel tubs, one-piece tub and shower units and deck-mounted soaker tubs. A cast iron tub without a liner can be cut, but we assess it from photos first; a cast iron tub with an acrylic liner cannot be cut at this time. If you are not sure what yours is, send a close-up photo of the inside edge and we will tell you.

Is there a tub to shower conversion kit? Yes. The same cutout is available as a $299 DIY walk-in tub conversion kit for a handy homeowner or a contractor, with the removable door cap as an option. Kits are pickup only in Ontario, never shipped, and the right kit is confirmed from photos of your tub.

Compare your options

Weighing a cutout against the other ways to make a bathtub safer? These side-by-side guides lay out the differences:

• Bathtub cutout vs walk-in tub
• Bathtub cutout vs bath lift
• Tub cutout vs walk-in shower
• Professional installation vs DIY kit
• Bathtub cutout vs a full tub to shower remodel
• Convert a tub to a walk-in shower without removing it

Service area

We convert bathtubs to showers across southern and central Ontario from several offices, with standard pricing in these regions:

• Greater Toronto Area — Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa
• York & Simcoe — Aurora, Newmarket, Innisfil, Barrie, Orillia, Bradford, Alliston
• Peel & Halton — Milton, Georgetown, Halton Hills, Caledon
• Niagara & Hamilton — Hamilton, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Grimsby
• Kitchener-Waterloo & Guelph — Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph
• Durham & Kawartha — Port Perry, Lindsay, Peterborough, Cobourg

Outside this area? Send us photos anyway. We travel further for clusters of bookings and can usually quote anywhere in Ontario.

“I expected dust everywhere and at least a day of cleanup. The installation technician drop-sheeted around the bathtub area, did the cut, fit the insert, vacuumed and was gone in under four hours. You could not tell anyone had been working in there — floor was spotless. The finished edge looks like it came that way from the factory. Job was clean, the price was very reasonable, and the shower has been watertight since day one.”

— Steve B., Innisfil, ON

Get a free quote from photos

You do not need an in-home visit to get an accurate price. Two or three phone photos — the tub from the side, the inside, and the faucet end — are enough for us to quote exactly. Most quotes come back the same day.

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