Removing a bathtub and replacing it with a walk-in shower is one of the most popular bathroom renovations in Toronto right now. It creates more usable space, makes the room feel larger, and most adults use a shower almost exclusively anyway. But it is not the right decision for every home or every bathroom. Here is how to think through it.
The Case for Removing the Tub
In most Toronto master bathrooms, the tub occupies 15 to 20 square feet of floor space and gets used a few times a year. A walk-in shower in that same footprint, properly built with a curbless entry, a bench, a recessed niche, and a quality shower system, gets used every single day. The functional improvement is significant.
Visually, a well-built walk-in shower is the most impressive feature in a renovated bathroom. Large-format tile, minimal grout joints, frameless glass it photographs well, it feels luxurious, and it is what most buyers picture when they imagine a renovated master bath.
There is also a practical waterproofing argument. The original tub surround in many Toronto homes was tiled over plaster or cement board with no proper waterproofing behind it. Replacing it with a properly waterproofed walk-in shower Wedi Pro certified assembly, 10-year warranty is a meaningful upgrade in the integrity of the room.
When to Keep the Tub
If the bathroom you are renovating is the only bathroom in the home, keep a tub. This applies particularly if you have or plan to have children, or if you are thinking about resale. Buyers with young children specifically look for at least one bathtub in the home.
If you have another bathroom with a tub, the master bathroom tub is much easier to justify removing. The household still has a tub it just is not in the master.
The resale question is nuanced. In most Toronto markets, a master bathroom with a large walk-in shower is a selling feature, not a liability provided there is a tub somewhere else in the home. If removing the master tub means no tub exists in the house, that is a meaningful limitation for some buyers.
What the Conversion Actually Involves
A proper tub-to-shower conversion is not a simple swap. It involves:
- Removing the existing tub and surround completely
- Addressing the plumbing the drain location usually changes, the valve and shower system get replaced
- Rebuilding the substrate from scratch with proper waterproofing
- Installing the new tile, shower system, glass, and fixtures
For a curbless (zero-threshold) shower the most popular option the subfloor also needs to be recessed to accommodate a flush linear drain. This is more complex in homes with concrete subfloors or in bathrooms on upper floors, but it is achievable in virtually any Toronto home with the right approach. See our walk-in shower installation page for more detail.
What a Tub-to-Shower Conversion Costs
A straightforward tub-to-shower conversion in Toronto typically runs $15,000 to $28,000, depending on the size of the shower, the tile selection, the shower system, and whether a curbless entry is required. A premium conversion with large-format slab tile, frameless glass, a linear drain, and a multi-function shower system runs $25,000 to $40,000 or more.
These numbers assume the surrounding tile and vanity are staying. If the conversion is part of a full bathroom gut renovation, the cost is rolled into the overall project scope. See our tub to shower conversion page for more detail.
Impact on Resale Value
A well-built walk-in shower in a master bathroom is consistently one of the strongest selling features in Toronto real estate. The return on a quality conversion done properly with certified waterproofing and premium finishes is generally strong, particularly in the $900,000 to $2 million price range where buyers expect updated master bathrooms.
The caveat, as noted above, is whether a tub exists elsewhere in the home. If your home has only one bathroom and you remove the tub, you are limiting your buyer pool. If you have two or more bathrooms, converting the master tub to a walk-in shower is almost always the right call.
If you are considering a conversion and want to talk through the options for your specific bathroom, get in touch for a free in-home consultation.
