Tub to Shower Conversion in Denver, Built for Aging in Place

Cosmetic conversion or accessible conversion?

"Tub to shower conversion" covers two very different jobs, and Denver quotes for them are not comparable. A cosmetic conversion swaps the tub for a standard shower base with a curb you still step over; seats and grab bars are usually extras. An accessible conversion is built around the person bathing: a threshold of about 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches so a walker or wheelchair rolls in, a seat you can sit on from the start, grab bars anchored into blocking, and a handheld shower a caregiver can use. That is the only kind we install, and it is why our price is higher than a cosmetic swap.

If a family member already uses a walker, a shower chair or a wheelchair, or has fallen climbing over a tub wall, ask any company you call these four questions: what is the threshold height, is a seat included, are the grab bars anchored to blocking, and is the price written down before anyone visits.

What Denver homes change about the job

Much of Denver and the inner suburbs is 1950s brick ranches over basements. A basement under the bathroom makes it easier to move the drain for a barrier-free pan, because the plumber works from below. Split-levels in Arvada and Lakewood often put the bathroom over a lower-level ceiling, which adds drywall patching. Slab homes in newer subdivisions need the concrete cut if the drain moves, so we steer those toward a low-threshold pan that uses the existing drain. Older homes can also hide galvanized supply pipe or soft subfloor under the tub; the crew checks once the tub is out and tells you before anything changes.

Permits in Denver

Denver's rules are clear: replacing existing plumbing fixtures like for like does not need a permit, but new or relocated plumbing or electrical fixtures do, and those trade permits are usually issued online as quick permits. A conversion that moves the drain or the shower valve therefore needs a plumbing permit; one that keeps both where they are may not. Our crews pull the permit when the job needs one and schedule the inspection. Aurora, Lakewood and the other suburbs run their own permit offices with similar rules.

Help paying for it in Denver

• Veterans: the VA HISA grant pays up to $6,800 for a service-connected condition (or a 50% or higher rating) and up to $2,000 otherwise, filed through the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora. Our itemized quote is the estimate the VA asks for. HISA does not pay for spa, hot tub or jacuzzi features.
• Health First Colorado (Medicaid) members on a waiver such as EBD may qualify for the Home Modification benefit, which HCPF caps at $14,000; the case manager confirms how the cap applies. Our Colorado Medicaid waiver guide walks through the steps.
• Denver residents with a disability: the Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) has offered accessibility modification grants through its RHAMP program; its 2021 announcement listed grants up to $10,000 for items including roll in showers and ADA bathroom fixtures. Funding rounds change, so call DURA at 303-534-3872 to ask whether it is open before you plan around it.
• Taxes: part of the cost may count as a medical expense when a doctor recommends it; see is a walk in tub tax deductible for the IRS Publication 502 math.

All of these are "may qualify" programs. We help you check, and nothing ships until an approval you are waiting on is in hand.

Shower conversion or walk in tub?

If the bather can step over a door threshold, sit down unassisted and wants to soak, a walk in tub may be the better buy. If the bather uses a wheelchair or a walker full time, needs a caregiver's help, or simply wants a faster daily routine, a shower conversion is usually right. About a third of Denver families who call about a walk in tub end up choosing a shower. The walk in tub vs roll in shower guide compares them side by side, and our Denver page covers both.

Install day

A two-person factory-certified crew protects the floors, removes the tub and surround, sets the pan and walls, connects the drain and valve, installs the seat, bars and handheld shower, water-tests everything and cleans up. Most Denver homes are done the same day; tile removal or a moved drain can add a day, and you hear that before work starts. How long the whole project takes.