By Bruno Venichand, J. Perry & Sons — Florida CGC1540699
Seen the ads for a one day bathroom remodel and wondered why a contractor would ever need three weeks for a shower? It's a fair question. If you've been looking up "1 day bathroom remodel cost", "bath fitter cost" or "rebath cost", you're comparing two very different jobs: an acrylic liner set over or in place of your old tub and walls, and a full bathroom remodel where the shower comes out to the studs and is rebuilt with waterproofing and tile. This article lays out what each one does, what each one leaves behind the walls, and how to decide which one fits your bathroom.
J. Perry & Sons is a licensed Florida general contractor (CGC1540699). We build showers in tile, not liners, but some bathrooms are fine with a liner, and we'll say which. For the rest of our bathroom work, see bathroom renovation.
What a one day bathroom remodel usually is
The one-day category is mostly acrylic liners, sometimes called bath wraps or acrylic surrounds. Bath Fitter and Re-Bath are the names people search most, and we mention them only so you know which category we mean. We're not describing any company's product, warranty or price here. Each company works its own way, so ask them directly what their system includes.
In general terms, molded acrylic or PVC panels are made to fit and go in over the existing tub and walls, or the old tub comes out and an acrylic tub or shower base takes its place. Seams are closed with silicone or trim. The bathroom is usable again quickly, and that speed is the main selling point.
What usually stays is everything you can't see: the framing or block, the backer board, the drain line, the valve body in the wall and the floor under the tub.
What a full bathroom remodel includes
A full bathroom remodel, or a full shower replacement, starts by taking all of that out. On our jobs the order is:
- Protection. Dust walls go up and the floor is covered from the bathroom door to the shower.
- Demo to the studs or block. Old tile, backer board and the tub or pan come out, so we can see the framing, the drain and the valve.
- Plumbing by a licensed plumber. A new valve body, a drain that fits the new shower, and a repair of any corroded line found during demo.
- Pan and slope. The shower floor slopes at least 1/4 inch per foot toward the drain, built into the pan, never made up in the thinset.
- Waterproofing. A bonded membrane (a waterproof layer stuck directly behind the tile) over the pan, the walls and every pipe penetration. We run it to the ceiling in most showers.
- 24-hour flood test. The pan is filled with water and left a full day before any tile goes on.
- Tile, grout and sealant, then the glass is measured and installed.
We pull the permits for this work and follow your city's inspection requirements from demo to final.
Trying to figure out which route your bathroom needs? Call (561) 556-7509 and describe what you see in the shower today. We'll tell you whether a tear-out is worth it.
Call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project with photos, the city, approximate dimensions, and material selections.
What each option hides, and what it shows
Here's the part the ads leave out. Tile and grout are not waterproof, and in an older shower water has often been getting behind the tile for years. You see it as hollow-sounding tiles, soft drywall by the tub, grout cracking in the same corner, a musty smell, or a stain on the ceiling below.
A liner covers those signs. It doesn't dry the wall or replace the rotted board behind it. If the wall is solid and dry, that's fine. If it isn't, the damage keeps going behind a surface you can no longer see, and you find out later, when the repair is bigger.
A full tear-out shows you everything. Sometimes demo finds nothing worse than tired board. Sometimes it finds a leaking valve, rotted framing or a corroded cast-iron drain, things you want found while the wall is open. Then fresh waterproofing goes on, gets tested, and the tile goes on top.
So the real comparison isn't one day vs three weeks. It's covering what's there vs knowing what's there.
When a liner is a fine choice
We'd rather you spend money where it does some good, so here's when the liner category can make sense:
- The walls are solid. No hollow tiles, no soft spots, no staining, no musty smell, and no history of leaks.
- It's a short-term property. A rental, or a home you're selling soon, where you want a clean look without opening walls.
- The tub stays. The plumbing is in good shape and you only want the surface refreshed.
- Speed is the priority. You need the bathroom back fast and you're happy with the look and feel of acrylic.
A full remodel is the better call when there are signs of water behind the walls, when you want a walk-in, curbless or bench shower, when the valve is old, or when you want tile and glass. If you're staying for years, open it up once and do it right.
Wondering whether your walls are solid? Send us your project with photos of the shower, close-ups of any cracked grout or loose tile, and the age of the house.
Shower replacement cost for a full rebuild
What does the full route cost? These ranges come straight from our residential tile pricing. They cover labor and setting materials, with tile supplied by you unless we quote it supplied and installed. We don't publish or compare prices for liner companies; ask them for a written quote and set it next to ours.
| Full remodel scope | What goes into it | Installed range |
|---|---|---|
| Hall bath shower, 3x5, rebuilt | Demo to studs, new pan, waterproofing, wall and floor tile | $11,000–$16,000 |
| Tub alcove converted to a walk-in shower | Tub out, pan and drain, waterproofing, tile to ceiling | $15,000–$22,000 |
| Curbless instead of a curbed shower | Concrete cutting, drain, extra membrane | add $3,000–$4,500 |
| Shower walls | Wall tile over waterproofing | $22–$30 per sq ft |
| Mosaic shower floor | Small pieces following the slope | $32–$46 per sq ft |
| Tiled niche during a shower rebuild | Framed or prefab, waterproofed | $350–$525 |
About these prices. These ranges are starting points based on typical South Florida projects. Your final price depends on the condition of the property, access, the materials or system specified and the full scope of work. We confirm every number after we review your project in person or from the drawings, and the price in your signed proposal is the one that applies.
When you line up quotes, compare what's included: valve body or just trim, new drain or old, what's behind the new surface, and whether a permit is pulled. More on the tile side is on our residential tile installation page. Taking out a big jetted tub instead? Read our jacuzzi tub removal and walk-in shower guide.
Condo rules and permits, either way
Live in a condo? Check with the association before you book any bathroom work, one-day or not. Many buildings require an application, insurance certificates, set work hours and an elevator reservation, and some won't approve plumbing work without a licensed contractor and a permit.
The unit below matters too, since a leak from your shower ends up in your neighbor's ceiling. Many associations want a membrane under the whole bathroom floor and a sound underlayment under new tile. We read your building's rules before we price and prepare the product data for your application.
Permits are the other dividing line. Replacing a shower valve or moving a drain is permitted plumbing work in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade cities. On a full remodel we pull the permits and schedule the inspections, so you have a record of the work when you sell.
Got your association's renovation packet? Call (561) 556-7509 and we'll go through what it means for your bathroom.
How long a full remodel takes, and why we do tile
A typical shower rebuild runs about three weeks on our jobs: demo and plumbing rough first, then pan, waterproofing and the flood test, tile through the second week, and grout, glass and fixtures in the third. Zip walls and covered HVAC returns keep the rest of the house clean.
Why tile and not liners? Tile over a tested waterproofing system is what we build and stand behind, and it lets you choose the shower you want: walk-in, low curb or curbless, a bench, a niche, a handheld on a slide bar. It's also repairable. A cracked tile can be replaced and grout renewed without starting over.
Three weeks is real time without a shower, though. If it's the only one in the house, tell us at the first visit and we'll give you the out-of-service date before demo starts. Planning the main bath as well? Our master bathroom remodel cost guide covers the bigger room.
Prefer to send photos or plans? Send us your project
Frequently asked questions
How much does a one day bathroom remodel cost compared with a full remodel? We don't price liner systems, so ask those companies for a written quote. On the full remodel side, a rebuilt 3x5 hall bath shower runs $11,000–$16,000 and a tub-to-walk-in conversion $15,000–$22,000, with tile supplied by you. Final pricing is confirmed after we review your project.
Can you install an acrylic liner over my tile? No. We build tile showers over a bonded waterproofing system. If your walls are solid and a liner is what you want, a liner company is the right call.
Is shower replacement worth it if nothing is leaking? Not always. If the tiles are still bonded, the valve works and the grout is the only issue, a regrout with new sealant at the corners may be enough. Hollow tiles, soft walls or stains mean water is already behind the tile.
Do I need a permit for a full bathroom remodel? Yes, once the valve or drain is replaced. Cosmetic work alone may not need one. On our remodels we pull the permits and handle the inspections with your city or county.
How long is the bathroom out of service during a shower replacement? About three weeks for a shower rebuild, with glass and fixtures at the end.
Free estimate: call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
Call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project with photos, the city, approximate dimensions, and material selections.