The single biggest decision in your project isn't the pattern or the fixtures — it's scope. Convert the wet area only, or redo the whole room? Here's how we help homeowners decide at the kitchen table.
What each one actually means
A conversion replaces the tub and wet walls: tear-out, moisture-proof backing, new base, acrylic walls, fixtures, glass. The vanity, floor, and paint stay. A full remodel does the wet area plus flooring, vanity, storage, lighting, paint, and trim — the whole room finishes at once.
The honest comparison
| Conversion only | Full remodel | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Toledo-area range | $8,000 – $13,000 | $13,000 – $18,000+ |
| Timeline | Shorter — usually days | Longer — the extra trades add days |
| Disruption | Contained to the wet area | Whole room out of service longer |
| Best when | Floor and vanity are still in decent shape | Everything is dated, or moisture damaged the floor anyway |
Choose the conversion if…
- The tub is the problem — the rest of the room still works
- Your flooring and vanity are less than ~15 years old and sound
- Budget matters and you'd rather do the wet area right than the whole room thin
Choose the full remodel if…
- The floor is soft, stained, or dated — if it's coming up anyway, do it once
- The vanity is failing or was never sized right for the room
- You're planning aging-in-place changes — one project, one disruption, one cohesive room
- You'd regret a beautiful new shower standing next to a 1978 floor
The mistake we see most
Splitting the difference badly: spending full-remodel money but spreading it thin, so nothing gets done right. If the budget covers a proper conversion but not a proper full remodel, do the conversion properly and phase the rest. We'll design the phases at your estimate so nothing gets torn up twice.