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Redoing your shower involves more than choosing new tile or fixtures. Decisions about layout, waterproofing, drainage, and materials all affect how the space functions and how long it lasts. While many design choices come down to personal preference, structural factors like plumbing placement and ventilation often have a bigger impact on the final result.
Our guide outlines what to know for your shower remodel, including the role of cost, layout, size, and other details. We also cover key considerations to help you avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions during your remodel.
How Much Does a Shower Remodel Cost?
Bathroom renovations, particularly shower remodels, can be significant investments. The cost varies widely depending on the scope of work, materials chosen, and your location. On average, a shower remodel can range anywhere from $8,500 and $10,000. In many cases, layout changes, waterproofing, and custom features have a greater impact on cost than the shower’s size.
In our 2026 survey of 1,000 homeowners nationwide who recently completed a bathroom renovation, materials were the biggest cost driver (74%), followed by labor (49%) and then plumbing or electrical work (36%). These factors often apply directly to shower remodels, where layout changes and upgrades can influence cost more than size alone.
“As with any renovation, an experienced GC [general contractor] can help you decide where to spend and where to save,” says architect Jerry Allan of Afton, Minnesota. Allan adds that clients often come to him with online inspiration photos, unaware of the complexities involved in achieving their desired look.
Even if you’re simply rebuilding your existing shower with better waterproofing and updated finishes, you should first understand best practices and product choices.
Designer: Michelle Dirkse. Shower fittings: Signature Hardware. Photo by Aaron Leitz.
How To Figure Out Shower Size
When determining the size of your new shower, consider both your available space and personal preferences. While standard shower sizes provide a helpful starting point, layout constraints and plumbing placement often play a larger role in determining what will actually work in your space. A standard tub alcove, typically three by five feet, can be converted into a spacious shower. Even a three-foot-square space can work well for a shower enclosure.
South Carolina designer Sandra Gaylord advises that you don’t need to go wider than 42 inches. For those considering a shower for two, a minimum length of 60 inches may accommodate dual showerheads.
Gaylord recommends placing mixer controls toward the room side of the shower or on the wall opposite the showerhead when possible. This arrangement allows for turning on the water without getting soaked and enhances the overall aesthetic.
Determine Your Drain Location
Drain placement is one of the most important early decisions in a shower remodel, since moving it later can significantly increase both cost and complexity. The location of your shower drain affects not only the layout of the space but also how easily the project can be completed. Keeping the drain in its existing position can help simplify installation, especially if you’re maintaining the shower’s current size and shape.
For standard-sized showers, consider a prefabricated shower pan with a built-in slope toward the drain for efficient water drainage. Newer drain systems offer greater flexibility in placement, making it easier to adjust the layout when needed.
When planning your shower layout, consider the placement of additional features such as:
- Shower valve and showerhead height
- Body sprays
- Built-in niches for toiletries
- Grab bars for safety and convenience
- A bench, if space allows
- Steam unit components, if desired
Two Ways To Waterproof Your Shower
Proper waterproofing is critical in any shower remodel, since failures in this area can lead to hidden damage behind walls and floors. Proper waterproofing will protect the wall and other components behind the shower.
Two This Old House-approved waterproofing methods involve using a mortar bed and membrane or prefabricated foam components.
Mortar Bed and Membrane
This traditional method involves:
- Installing a custom-soldered copper pan
- Packing it with a thick mortar bed
- Applying two coats of a two-part liquid waterproofing membrane
- Skim-coating the walls with thinset twice
While time-consuming, taking about three days with drying time, this method has proven reliable and is the favorite of experienced tilers like Mark Ferrante and his son and partner Erik, who have tiled showers for Silva Brothers for 30 years and have “never had one leak.”
Prefab Foam Components
For a faster installation, consider using lightweight prefabricated components like the Kerdi-Board system from Schluter. This method offers:
- Foam wall and floor panels with a pre-applied waterproof membrane
- Quick installation time (about 6 hours for a 36-by-36-inch stall)
- Immediate readiness for tiling
This method is preferred by tiling pro Alex Perez, who works with This Old House home builder Jeff Sweenor, who appreciates the faster and more streamlined installation process.
Shower Drains
The type and placement of your shower drain can affect both installation complexity and how easily tile can be installed. It’s easier to tile up to the straight edges of a square drain cover than to cut tiles to fit around circular ones.
Trough-style linear drains only require the shower floor to slope in one direction and are most often placed along the shower’s back wall.
Some linear drain covers accept tile, allowing them to blend more seamlessly into the floor design. Others, known as wall drains, are located behind a narrow gap at the base of the back wall.
Types of Shower Doors
Shower doors affect not just the look of your bathroom, but also how the space functions—especially in smaller layouts where clearance is limited. Frameless glass shower doors have become increasingly popular, offering a sleek and modern look.
However, there are several styles to consider:
Open and Shut
Frameless glass panels create an airy feel and can be adjusted to swing into the shower, allowing wet doors to drip inside the enclosure.
Shown: Dreamline Unidoor Frameless Hinged Shower Door in Oil-Rubbed Bronze, Kitchen & Bath Authority
Spray Screen
A hinged or stationary panel can serve as a splash guard in tight spaces, ideal for careful bathers.
Space-Saving Bifold
Folding doors are an excellent solution when there’s limited room for a fixed panel or door swing.
Shown: Basco Infinity Semi-Frameless Bifold Shower Door, Wayfair
Barn-Door Style
Sliding doors on a track eliminate the need for a space-consuming swing, offering a stylish and functional option.
Shown: Dreamline Enigma XO Fully Frameless Shower Door in Oil-Rubbed Bronze, Lowe’s
Windowpaned
Black grid patterns give doors an industrial edge reminiscent of factory windows.
Shown: Delta Everly Frameless Mod Soft-Close Sliding Shower Door in Matte Black with Ingot Glass, The Home Depot
No Shower Door
An open concept design can make a small space feel larger, with a ceiling-high glass sidewall to usher in light.
Similar to shown: Vigo Meridian Framed Fixed Glass Panel, Wayfair
Barrier-Free Shower Enclosures
Barrier-free shower enclosures can improve accessibility and create a more open, spa-like feel, but they require careful planning to manage water flow and drainage. Barrier-free shower enclosures offer both accessibility and a streamlined design.
When considering this option, keep in mind:
- The shower floor must be flush with the bathroom floor, requiring either lowered framing under the shower pan or a raised floor outside the shower.
- Extend the waterproofing membrane at least 4 inches up adjacent walls and a foot beyond the pan’s edge.
- Position the drain as far from the shower door as possible.
- Aim the shower spray away from the door to minimize water splashing outside the enclosure.
4 Things To Know About Shower Fittings
Shower fittings influence both performance and durability, making them one of the most important long-term investments in a shower remodel. When selecting fittings, consider how materials, construction, and features will affect reliability and ease of use over time.
1. Weight Matters
Weight can help you assess the quality of shower fittings. Plumbing pro Kevin Bilo notes, “A cast-bronze or -brass valve body is going to last longer and give you fewer problems than one with lightweight parts.”
The same applies to other fittings. Painted plastic won’t weigh as much, or hold up as well, as solid brass with an electroplated or PVD (physical vapor deposition) finish.
Bilo also recommends valves with ceramic-disc cartridges, which stand up to the gritty minerals that may flow through pipes better than old-style washerless cartridges.
2. Suss Out the Showerhead
Showerheads that use two gallons per minute or less earn the EPA WaterSense label.
Look for models with easy-to-clean silicone nozzles and spray controls that are simple to adjust. Pressure-compensating flow controls can help maintain a consistent feel, even with lower water usage.
3. Benefits of a Hand Shower
Hand showers can be mounted high or low and removed for targeted use, making them useful for both everyday showering and cleaning.
Many systems include a toggle between the hand shower and the main showerhead, while newer setups may allow both to operate at the same time.
Shown: Retrofit System 260, $966; Grohe
4. A Thermostatic Valve Gives Better Control
Thermostatic valves add cost but offer more precise temperature control than standard pressure-balance valves.
These systems allow you to set and maintain a consistent water temperature, improving both comfort and safety during use.
Shower Vents and Lighting
Proper ventilation and lighting are essential in a shower, helping control moisture, prevent mold growth, and improve visibility. Moisture that isn’t properly vented can condense on walls and ceilings, leading to peeling paint, mildew, and long-term damage.
The Right Light: Plan for one or two recessed ceiling fixtures in the shower ceiling. They must be UL-rated for wet locations, with sealed gaskets to stop moisture from getting into the ceiling cavity. Master electrician Heath Eastman recommends low-profile LED fixtures, which save energy and will operate for years before flickering out. Wire lights to a separate GFCI-protected switch outside the shower, and consider adding a dimmer for better control at different times of day.
Vent Fan Basics: A properly sized bath vent fan—with at least one CFM of airflow per square foot of bathroom floor—will suck out moisture that can otherwise condense on ceilings, walls, and mirrors, contributing to peeling paint and mildew growth. A fan located inside a shower enclosure must be wet-rated and installed with GFCI protection.
Look for quiet operation, with a sound level of one sone or less—so quiet you might forget it’s running. To eliminate that kind of guesswork, choose an Energy Star-certified fan that will turn on automatically when it senses rising humidity, with a timer you can set to run for at least 20 minutes once the water’s shut off. Want a vent fan with a built-in light? Eastman suggests wiring a separate switch for each function.
Shown: Panasonic’s WhisperSense DC fan with LED light has built-in moisture and motion sensors. $311; The Home Depot
Benefits of a Wet-Area Room
A wet-area design can make a bathroom feel more open and flexible, but it requires more extensive waterproofing and planning than a standard shower layout. The concept of a “wet room” is gaining popularity, where the entire bathroom is waterproofed.
A more practical option for many homeowners is creating a “wet area” that combines the shower and bath behind a transparent divider, allowing for a more open layout while still containing water.
This design requires:
- Waterproofing the entire area like a shower enclosure
- Separate drains for the tub and shower
- A vent fan coupled with a heating element can provide warmth and moisture control
- Consideration of in-floor radiant heat for faster drying of tiled floors
Shower Wall Options
Shower wall materials affect not just the look of your bathroom, but also maintenance, durability, and long-term performance. Modern shower designs are trending toward large-format materials for walls, including porcelain tiles, stone or stone-look slabs, and engineered surfaces. These options offer a more seamless appearance and can reduce grout-related maintenance compared to smaller tiles.
Large-format tiles are especially popular because they create fewer grout lines, which can help limit mold and mildew buildup and make cleaning easier. Engineered stone and solid surfacing materials also offer strong durability and moisture resistance, making them well suited for wet environments like showers.
Because natural stone is heavier and may require sealing, thinner engineered materials are becoming more common, offering a balance of durability and easier installation.
Slip-Proof Flooring
Flooring choice plays a major role in shower safety, since wet surfaces can quickly become slippery. While no material is completely slip-proof, selecting the right tile and finish can significantly reduce the risk of falls.
When choosing flooring, consider:
- Small tiles (1.5–2 inches): Provide more traction because of the increased number of grout lines
- Matte or textured finishes: Offer better grip than smooth, glossy surfaces
- Matte or textured finishes: Offer better grip than smooth, glossy surfaces
For larger tiles, look for a dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) rating of 0.42 or higher when wet.
Window Treatments
On occasion, a window interrupts an exterior shower wall. If you don’t want to close it up and sacrifice the natural light it provides, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva recommends installing a unit made of waterproof fiberglass and treating it on the inside just as you would on the outside of the house.
Once you’ve taken the steps below, he suggests installing a shower curtain above the window and closing it when the shower is in use, both for privacy and to protect the opening from water.
- Protect the rough opening by applying a waterproofing membrane to all exposed wood framing.
- Use cellular PVC trim to cover the window’s edges.
- Caulk around the trim with a mildew-resistant sealant, except along the bottom edge; that way, any water that gets past the trim can escape.
