We install tub-to-shower conversions for a living, so you'd expect us to tell you they're perfect for everyone. They're not. Here is every real downside we know of — because you deserve to hear them from the people asking for your business.
Downside 1: Losing your only tub can matter at resale
Buyers with young children often want at least one bathtub. If your home has a second bathroom with a tub, this is a non-issue. If the tub you're converting is the only one in the house, think about your timeline: staying 10+ years, prioritize your daily safety and comfort. Selling in 2–3 years in a family-heavy neighborhood, the calculation changes — and we'll say so at your estimate.
Downside 2: If you love baths, a shower won't replace them
Obvious, but worth saying plainly. Some homeowners convert, then miss soaking. If baths are part of your life, look at a tub replacement instead — a new, safer tub with a proper surround solves 'dated and worn' without giving up the soak.
Downside 3: A cheap conversion is worse than no conversion
The conversion horror stories you've heard — yellowed panels, leaks at year three, mold creeping from the seams — are real, and nearly all of them trace to two shortcuts: a liner installed over the old tub, or wall panels glued to bare drywall. Whoever you hire, make them tell you in writing what goes behind the walls.
Downside 4: There's a few days without a shower
Real tear-out and real waterproofing take real days. In a one-bathroom home that's a genuine inconvenience. We sequence the work to shorten the outage and tell you the window in writing — but anyone promising a full, done-right conversion with zero disruption is selling something.
Downside 5: Curbless isn't automatically better
Barrier-free entries are wonderful for walkers and wheelchairs, but they cost more (the floor must be rebuilt to slope) and in some tight rooms a low-threshold entry manages water better. The right answer depends on your mobility needs and your room — not on which option costs more.
So who is it actually for?
- You rarely or never take baths
- Stepping over the tub wall is getting harder — or already dangerous
- You have (or don't need) a second tub in the house
- You want a bathroom that's easier to clean and safer to use for the next 15+ years