Why so many Peterborough bathrooms still have a tub nobody uses
In a lot of Peterborough, Ontario homes the main bathroom was laid out decades ago around a standard alcove bathtub. It made sense at the time. Today that tub often does two things: it takes up a large share of a small room, and it asks everyone in the house to climb over a wall while standing on a wet surface.
A tub-to-shower conversion replaces it with a walk-in shower in the same footprint. The room instantly feels larger, the entry becomes safer, and the space finally gets used. What stops most people from booking it is not the idea — it is not knowing what the week actually looks like. This guide walks through our process from first visit to final walkthrough, so there are no surprises.
Step 1 — In-home design consultation
We come to your home, take measurements and look at the things that decide what is possible: the tub alcove dimensions, where the drain sits, how the supply lines run, the condition of the walls behind the surround, the floor structure, the door swing and the ventilation.
Then we talk about what you want. A curbless entry or a low threshold. Tile or acrylic wall panels. A bench, a niche, grab bars, a handheld sprayer, a rain head. Frameless glass, a fixed panel, or a simple screen. We work through the wish list against the room you actually have, and we are honest when something will not work well in that space.
You get a fixed-price quote for the scope we agreed on before we leave. Not a range that moves later — a price.
- Measurements of the alcove, drain, supply lines and floor structure
- A look behind the surround wherever we can, for water damage
- Entry type, wall finish, glass and accessories discussed on the spot
- A fixed-price quote before the visit ends
Step 2 — Custom design and material selection
Once the scope is set, you choose finishes. Tile gives you the widest range of looks and lets us do custom patterns, feature walls and detailed niches. Acrylic wall panels give you a grout-free, waterproof surface that is faster to install and far easier to clean — worth a serious look if the ongoing scrubbing is what pushed you into this project. We install both, and we will tell you which one fits the room and your maintenance tolerance.
You also choose glass, fixtures and accessories at this stage. We source from trusted local and national suppliers and order everything before demolition begins, so the job does not stall waiting on a back-ordered panel or the wrong finish of valve trim. Materials arriving ahead of the crew is one of the main reasons a conversion finishes on schedule.
Step 3 — Permits and preparation
Shower conversions need permits in Peterborough and most Kawartha municipalities, particularly when plumbing is being moved. We pull the permits, schedule the inspections and manage the paperwork as part of our service. You do not need to call the municipality or book anything.
Before the first tool comes out, we protect the route through your home, lay down floor protection, set up dust containment and confirm where materials will be stored. We clean up at the end of every working day. If it is your only full bathroom, we plan the sequence with you in advance so you know exactly which days the room is out of service.
Step 4 — Demolition and the build
Demolition is the fastest and noisiest part. The tub and surround come out, the walls are opened up, and we get a proper look at what is behind them. This is when hidden water damage, rotten framing or old plumbing shows up. Because we are a single crew rather than a chain of subcontractors, we can assess it and talk to you about it the same day instead of pausing the job for a week.
Next the plumbing is set. The drain is moved or adapted for the new shower, the valve is positioned at the height you will actually use, and any additional lines for a handheld or second head are run. Framing is corrected and reinforced where needed — this is also the point where backing goes in for grab bars or a bench, even if you are only thinking about adding them later.
Then comes the part that decides how long the shower lasts: waterproofing. The pan and floor slope are built, a bonded membrane goes over the floor and walls, and every corner, change of plane, niche and penetration is sealed and detailed. Tile and grout are a wearing surface, not a water barrier. What sits behind them is the actual shower.
With the assembly watertight, we install your tile or acrylic wall panels, set the niche and bench, and finish the surfaces. Custom shower installations and renovations take as little as two days and up to five days from demolition to completion, and you will have a specific timeline before we start.
- Tub and surround removed, walls opened and inspected
- Drain, valve and any extra supply lines set for the new layout
- Framing repaired, plus backing for benches and grab bars
- Pan, slope, bonded membrane and sealed corners and penetrations
- Tile or acrylic wall panels, niche, bench and finishing
Glass, fixtures and the details at the end
Glass is usually measured after the walls are finished, because it has to fit the space as built rather than the space as drawn. Frameless panels give the cleanest look and the most light; a fixed panel or screen is a practical choice in tighter rooms. Hardware finish is matched to your fixtures.
The last day is fixtures, trim, sealing, accessories and cleaning. Grab bars go onto the backing installed earlier. The shower gets its final seal and is left to cure before use — we will tell you exactly how long to wait before the first shower, because rushing that is one of the few ways to damage new work.
The final walkthrough
We walk through every detail together before we consider the job done. We check the glass alignment and swing, the seals, the drain, the slope, the niche, the grout or panel joints, the fixture operation and the finish on every surface. If something is not right, we fix it before we leave.
You also get the practical handover: how to clean the surface you chose, what not to use on it, how to look after the glass, and how to reach us if anything comes up afterwards. The same crew that built the shower is the crew standing there, which is the point of keeping everything under one roof.
Getting started in Peterborough and the Kawarthas
A tub-to-shower conversion is one of the few renovations that improves safety, daily comfort and the look of the room at the same time, in a footprint you already have. The process above is the same whether you are in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, Lindsay or anywhere else in the Kawarthas.
If you want to see the shower styles we build and what each entry type involves, start with our walk-in showers page. If grout maintenance is what you are trying to escape, read about acrylic wall panels before you choose your wall finish.