Our Orchard Homes crew pulls the idle tub, keeps the alcove, and hands back a shower anywhere in Missoula County within days.
Written quote at no cost, one callback, no chasing afterwards.
If you feel trapped by a bulky, high-walled basin that you only ever use to stand in while washing, you are not alone. Many homeowners find themselves climbing over steep obstacles daily just to get clean. We can help you swap that outdated layout for a modern, walk-in setup that fits your life perfectly.
This simple change instantly creates a more open feel in your daily routine. By removing the old barrier, you gain precious floor space and make your morning rush much easier. Our local team comes right to your door to evaluate your space and give you a clear, free estimate.
Think about how much easier your life gets when you do not have to step over a giant ledge every single morning. This smart upgrade reduces the risk of slips and falls quite a bit. It is a practical move for anyone who wants to stay in their home safely as they get older.
On top of safety, you will notice that cleaning becomes a total breeze. Older porcelain basins love to collect soap scum and grime in hard-to-reach corners. A fresh, flat-pan setup with modern wall panels eliminates those annoying scrubbing sessions almost entirely.
Let us look at how these two setups compare in your daily life:
| Feature | Old High-Walled Basin | Modern Walk-In Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Step-In Height | Usually 14 to 18 inches | Often 3 inches or less |
| Cleaning Effort | High, lots of bending | Low, simple wipe-down |
| Visual Space | Cramped and closed off | Open, airy and bright |
When you look at the facts, the benefits of modernizing your layout are pretty clear. This change brings incredible convenience to your home. Our team can help you plan this transition seamlessly.
You might worry that a new setup will look boring, but the design choices are actually amazing. You can select gorgeous acrylic surrounds, textured stone patterns, or beautiful tile designs. These options let you express your personal style without breaking the bank.
Next, you get to pick the perfect hardware to match your home. From rain showerheads to handheld sprayers, the utility of your new space is completely up to you. We even install built-in benches and recessed shelving for your shampoos.
These features combine to create a highly functional space. You will enjoy a customized area that feels tailored to your exact needs. We make sure every detail aligns with what you want.
Many folks worry that a major bathroom renovation will drag on for weeks and make a huge mess. Happily, our experienced crew usually wraps up the main install in just a couple of days. We protect your floors and clean up every speck of dust before we leave.
First, we carefully extract the old cast iron or steel fixture without damaging your walls. Then, we inspect the underlying pipes to make sure everything is dry and structurally sound. After that, we install the new leak-proof pan and your chosen wall surrounds.
This fast turnaround means very little disruption to your busy household. You get a gorgeous new setup without the headache of a long construction project. We take pride in keeping our work quick and tidy.
We love working right here in this beautiful part of Montana. Serving the friendly community of Orchard Homes is a true privilege for our local crew. We understand the specific home styles in the 59804 area, from classic ranches to newer builds.
With a local population of about 5,859 residents, we treat every customer like our neighbor. We know that the median household income here is around $56,392, so we focus on high-value, affordable solutions. You get top-tier craftsmanship that respects your hard-earned budget.
Working with local pros means we know the regional plumbing codes inside and out. You will never have to worry about permit issues or cutting corners. We do the job right the first time so you can enjoy peace of mind.
If you plan to stay in your home for years to come, thinking ahead is very smart. Adding grab bars and non-slip flooring during this project keeps you independent. These features do not have to look clinical; modern safety hardware looks sleek and attractive.
Furthermore, a low-threshold entry makes the space accessible for everyone in the family. Whether you are recovering from an injury or just tired of high steps, this design makes sense. It is a true upgrade in utility and daily ease.
We work with you to place every seat and grab bar exactly where you need it. This personalization ensures you feel secure every time you step inside. Your satisfaction and safety are our main goals.
Many buyers these days actually prefer a spacious walk-in stall over a dusty old soaking tub they will never use. By making this swap, you make your home much more attractive on the market. It is a smart investment that pays off in both daily enjoyment and resale appeal.
Since most homes have at least one other full bathroom with a tub, keeping a second one is rarely necessary. Swapping the master bath fixture for a modern walk-in is a very popular trend. It gives the entire master suite a high-end feel.
You will love showing off the clean lines and bright look of your new bathroom. This simple renovation completely changes the energy of the room. It feels like a brand-new home once the work is done.
Are you ready to stop climbing over that high ledge and start enjoying your bathroom again? We are ready to help you make this exciting change. Our team provides completely free, no-obligation consultations to help you plan.
We will sit down with you, look at your current layout, and discuss your goals. You will get a detailed quote so you know exactly what to expect. There are no hidden fees or surprise costs with us.
Take the first step toward a safer, more beautiful home today. Contact us to schedule your free estimate and let our friendly crew handle the rest. We cannot wait to bring your vision to life!
Count the baths your household actually ran last year. In most homes we visit, the honest number is somewhere between zero and three, and yet every single morning somebody swings a leg over fifteen inches of porcelain rim to stand up and shower inside a fixture built for lying down. The tub charges rent daily and works a few evenings a year.
Nothing dramatic follows from that. Nobody is in danger because a bathtub exists, and if long soaks are part of your week, keep the tub and enjoy it with our blessing. The case for the conversion is plainer: when the tub has become a shower tray with high sides, you are paying, in caution and in cleaning, for a feature you retired years ago.
The swap itself is smaller than most people picture. The supply lines, the drain and the alcove walls are already exactly where a shower wants them, which is why this is a job measured in days. We are not building a new bathroom; we are letting the one you have stop pretending it still gives baths.
The same alcove, photographed the way the week actually unfolds. Weather never delays this one; it all happens indoors.
Floors along the hallway get covered, the water goes off for a few hours, and the bathtub is cut free and carried out, tile flange and all. With the alcove stripped, the plumber moves the drain to where the new pan wants it and sets the new valve at shower height. By supper the room is bare, clean and ready.
The base arrives first: an acrylic pan set dead level on a mortar bed, or a sloped, waterproofed floor when the plan says curbless. Then the walls close in, either grout-free panels bonded in a single afternoon or backer board ready for tile. Everything from here on is watertight before it is pretty.
The glass panel or door is drilled, hung and plumbed straight, the trim goes on, and the silicone lines are drawn last. Silicone wants a day to cure, so the first shower usually happens the following morning, which is exactly how we schedule the walkthrough.
Both are real showers in the same alcove. The difference is the entry, and what has to happen under it.
| What you weigh | Low curb | Curbless |
|---|---|---|
| What stands at the entry | A tidy threshold about 3 to 4 inches tall | Nothing. The bathroom floor rolls straight into the shower |
| Cost, installed | The friendlier bracket, most jobs land here | Roughly a third to a half more, the floor is rebuilt |
| What the crew rebuilds | The alcove only; the bathroom floor stays shut | Part of the bathroom floor, sloped and waterproofed |
| Water containment | The curb and glass do the holding | The slope and a linear drain do the holding |
| Suits best | Straight swaps on a budget and upstairs bathrooms | Wheels, walkers, and anyone planning to stay put for decades |
Undecided is a fine answer on the form. The site visit settles it with a tape measure, not a sales pitch.
Removal
Cut free, hauled out and off to recycling, with floors and doorways shielded on the way. The loudest hour of the conversion, and it wraps before most jobs have begun.
Plumbing
Tub drains sit at one end; showers drain where the pan says. We move what needs moving and swap the old valve for a pressure-balanced one.
The base
A level acrylic pan for most swaps, a mortar-built sloped floor for curbless plans. Either way it is tested with water before anything covers it.
The walls
Grout-free panels go up in an afternoon and wipe clean forever. Tile takes longer, costs more, and looks like whatever you can imagine.
The glass
A fixed panel keeps things open and easy to clean; a hinged door closes the warmth in. Both are tempered, both are set dead straight.
The finish
Shelving, the hand shower, clean caulk lines and a walkthrough. We leave the cure time in writing so the first shower is not a gamble.
| The job | Usual range | Inside the number |
|---|---|---|
| Standard tub-to-shower conversion | $3,100 - $5,600 | Tub out, low curb pan, wall panels, new valve, glass panel. |
| Curbless conversion | $4,900 - $8,800 | The floor is rebuilt flush and sloped to a linear drain. |
| Glass: fixed panel or hinged door | $450 - $1,400 | A single panel sits at the low end, a framed door at the top. |
| Walls: PVC panels or tile | $1,100 - $3,900 | Panels finish in a day; tile adds days and takes any look you want. |
| Tear-out only | $450 - $950 | The tub gone and the alcove left clean for another trade. |
| Small job minimum | around $2,400 | Even the simplest swap books a licensed plumber and a full crew. |
Wall condition, drain position and the glass you choose move every line. The visit pins the figure down, and the figure then holds.
A bathtub drains at one end through its own trap; most showers want the drain nearer the middle, or along one edge when the plan is curbless. Sometimes the existing trap is close enough to reuse and sometimes it has to travel a foot or two, which means opening a strip of floor. We can usually tell which from the basement or the crawl space during the visit, and the paperwork you sign already names which one you are getting.
Houses older than the seventies like to add a surprise: galvanized supply lines rusted nearly shut, a cast iron trap that crumbles at a touch, or framing that got damp decades ago and kept it quiet. None of it is rare and none of it is ruinous, but it is your call, not ours. When something like that turns up, work pauses, you get photographs and a price for the fix, and nothing is billed until you have said yes to it. A conversion should never be the job where the invoice writes itself.
QIs losing the only bathtub a resale mistake?
AAgents around Orchard Homes repeat one rule: a family house shows better with a tub somewhere in it. If this is your only tub and small children are in your plans, we put that on the table during the visit and you decide with open eyes. If another bathroom keeps its tub, or the buyers you expect are shower people, the argument evaporates.
QHow long do we go without washing?
AThe toilet and sink stay usable every evening, and the water is only off for stretches on day one. The shower itself is ready once the silicone cures, so figure on missing roughly three days of showers at home. Plenty of clients time the job before a weekend away.
QDoes all the old tile come off the walls?
AOn the alcove walls, yes, because the new waterproofing needs to start from the studs, not from forty-year-old grout. Tile outside the alcove stays put, and we cut a clean line where the two meet.
QCan the new shower use the tub drain?
AThe pipe itself is nearly always reusable; the position is the question. A low curb pan can often sit its drain within reach of the old trap. Curbless floors want a relocated or linear drain, and that difference is priced before demo, never discovered after.
QDo we need a permit for the swap?
AA like-for-like fixture swap usually rides on a simple plumbing permit, and moving the drain can add an inspection. We file whatever your jurisdiction wants and fold the cost into the written price.
QWhat if there is rot behind the tub?
AIt happens, mostly around the old tile flange. You get photographs the hour we find it, a firm price for the repair, and the choice to proceed or pause. The framing fix is usually a morning, not a remodel.
The map carries the geography; the link lists underneath spell out every town our crews can reach from this one.
For the bigger map: county seat pages start at Missoula County; the statewide picture lives on Montana; the wider region is the West; background reading sits on Wikipedia.
One three-day job stands between this bathroom and its best fixture.
Get my free quote