Quick answer: Choose a curb-less shower if you rarely take baths or want a step-free entry. Keep a built-in tub if you have young kids or it is the only tub in the house. With us, a full 3-piece bathroom with either typically costs $12,000 to $22,000 before HST.
When you renovate a bathroom, the biggest layout decision is usually what happens in the wet area. Do you tear out the old tub and put in a walk-in shower with no curb, or keep a built-in tub? Both are good choices. They suit different households and different rooms.
This guide walks through how each one works, what it is like to live with, how the choice affects the work and the cost, and how to decide. We build both in bathrooms across Toronto and the GTA, so this is written from the job site, not a showroom.
The quick comparison
| Curb-less shower | Built-in tub | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | Walk straight in, no step | Step over the tub wall |
| Bathing | Showers only | Baths and showers |
| Look | Open, with glass and continuous tile | Classic, with a tiled surround |
| Cleaning | Glass to squeegee, no tub ledge | Tub to scrub, curtain or door to clean |
| Work involved | Sloped floor and more waterproofing | Tub set in place, tile surround above |
What a curb-less shower is
A curb-less shower, also called a zero-entry or barrier-free shower, has no raised lip at the entrance. The bathroom floor runs straight into the shower, and the shower floor slopes gently to a drain. Water stays in because of that slope and the glass panel, not a curb.
Why people choose one
- No step in or out. There is nothing to trip over, which matters for anyone who is unsteady on their feet, uses a mobility aid, or wants a bathroom they can stay in as they get older.
- It makes the room feel bigger. With clear glass and the same tile running through, the eye does not stop at a curb or a tub wall.
- Room for extras. A curb-less shower is a good place for a built-in niche for bottles, a bench, a rain head and a handheld on a slide bar.
What to watch for
- The floor has to slope to the drain. Because there is no curb, the shower area has to sit a little lower than the rest of the floor or slope carefully, so water runs to the drain instead of across the bathroom. How that is done depends on how your floor is built, which is something we check on the site visit.
- Waterproofing covers more area. The waterproofing membrane has to be right, and it often extends past the shower itself.
- Glass placement matters. The glass panel needs to be long enough to keep spray in, especially with a rain head.
What a built-in tub is
A built-in tub, often called an alcove tub, sits between three walls with tile above it. Most have a shower head and valve on the wall, so you get a tub and a shower in one spot. It does two jobs in a small footprint.
Why people keep one
- Baths. If you have young children or just like a bath, a tub is hard to give up, especially if it is the only one in the house.
- Two uses in one space. A tub with a shower over it fits in a standard 5 foot alcove, which suits smaller main bathrooms.
- Simpler floor work. The tub sits on the floor and the tile surround goes above it, so there is no sloped shower floor to build.
What to watch for
- The step over the tub wall. It is fine for most people, but it is a real barrier for someone with limited mobility.
- Curtains and doors. A shower curtain needs washing; a sliding glass door has tracks to keep clean.
- The surround still needs waterproofing. The tile around a tub gets wet every day, so the wall behind it needs proper waterproofing too.
How the choice affects the work and the cost
With us, a full 3-piece bathroom (tub or shower) typically runs $12,000 to $22,000 before HST, and a main 4-piece bathroom or ensuite $19,000 to $39,000. Both a curb-less shower and a built-in tub fit inside those ranges. What moves you up or down within them is mostly the amount of tile and waterproofing, the fixtures and glass you pick, and whether plumbing has to move.
A curb-less shower usually means more tile and more waterproofing than a tub surround, because the walls are tiled floor to ceiling and the floor is tiled and waterproofed too. Our tile and waterproofing work typically runs:
- Wall tile: $12 to $18 per sq ft
- Floor tile: $10 to $16 per sq ft
- Shower waterproofing: $5 to $9 per sq ft
For example, a 5 by 3 foot shower tiled to 8 feet has about 90 sq ft of wall tile. At those rates, the wall tile is about $1,080 to $1,620 and waterproofing the same walls is about $450 to $810, before the floor, the glass and the fixtures. Tile prices include installation and basic materials, but not the tile itself, so the tile you choose is a separate cost.
Converting a tub alcove into a curb-less shower can also mean moving the drain and reworking the floor, which adds labour. Keeping the tub where it is and replacing it with a new one usually keeps the plumbing simpler.
Which one fits your home?
Choose a curb-less shower if
- You rarely take baths, or there is already a tub elsewhere in the house.
- Anyone in the home has trouble stepping over a tub wall, or you are planning to stay in the house for the long run.
- You want the most open, modern look you can get from the room.
Keep a built-in tub if
- It is the only tub in the house and you have young kids.
- You enjoy baths.
- The bathroom is small and you need one fixture to do both jobs.
Have both if you have the space
In a larger main bathroom or ensuite, you do not have to choose. A separate glass shower plus a freestanding tub, like the ensuite in the photo above, gives you a walk-in shower for everyday use and a tub for when you want it.
How long the renovation takes
Once work starts, a full 3-piece bathroom usually takes 2 to 3 weeks and a main bathroom or ensuite 3 to 6 weeks. A curb-less shower can take a little longer than a tub swap because of the floor work and the extra waterproofing and tile. Permits and special-order items like glass can add lead time before we start.
Want to see what your bathroom might cost? Try our free estimate calculator for a rough range, or read how we run a bathroom job on our bathroom renovations page. We do every trade in-house, the owner personally oversees every job, and every job comes with our written workmanship warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Is a curb-less shower more expensive than a tub?
Usually a little, because it needs more tile and waterproofing and sometimes floor and drain work. Both fit within our typical full bathroom range of $12,000 to $22,000 before HST, and main bathrooms and ensuites run $19,000 to $39,000.
Can any bathroom have a curb-less shower?
Most can, but how it is built depends on your floor. The shower area has to slope to the drain without a curb, so we check the floor structure and drain location on the site visit before recommending it.
Does water get out of a curb-less shower?
Not when it is built right. The floor slopes to the drain and the glass panel is sized to keep spray in. The layout and the length of the glass are planned together.
How long does it take to replace a tub with a shower?
A full 3-piece bathroom renovation usually takes 2 to 3 weeks once work starts, and a main bathroom or ensuite 3 to 6 weeks.