Shower Remodeling Services
Shower Remodeling in Naperville, IL
From dated fiberglass surrounds to waterproofed tile showers — rebuilt properly, priced in writing, permitted with the city.
Your Shower Is the Hardest-Working Part of the Bathroom
It’s also where cheap work fails first. Across Naperville — the 90s subdivisions in Ashwood Park and Brookdale, the split-levels in Cress Creek, the townhomes near White Eagle — we pull out the same failed showers: fiberglass surrounds glued over greenboard, tile with no waterproofing membrane behind it, shower pans with no pre-slope so water sits under the tile, and valves that can’t be serviced without cutting open the wall.
A proper shower remodel isn’t cosmetic. It’s demolition to the studs, a licensed plumber setting a new valve and drain, a real waterproofing system (membrane, sealed seams, sloped pan, flood-tested before tile), then tile, grout, and glass. Done right, it lasts decades. Done cheap, it leaks into the subfloor in five years — and the repair costs more than doing it right the first time.
Shower remodel options
- Tile shower refresh: keep the footprint, gut the surround, new waterproofing, new tile, new valve and trim, new glass. The most common project we do.
- Shower enlargement: borrow space from a linen closet or an unused tub to build a bigger shower. Still within the bathroom footprint, so plumbing usually stays put.
- Curbed to curbless: remove the curb for a seamless entry. Adds roughly $3,000–$4,000 because the floor structure needs modification for drainage slope — worth it for forever homes.
- Valve and trim upgrades: thermostatic valves that hold temperature when someone flushes, hard-water-rated cartridges, handheld wands on slide bars.
Shower Remodeling Cost in Naperville
A shower-only remodel in Naperville typically runs $10,000–$22,000, depending on size, tile selection, and whether the pan gets rebuilt:
01
Surround refresh — $10,000–$14,000
Same footprint and pan, new waterproofing, new tile surround, new valve trim and glass. For showers with good bones and bad surfaces.
02
Full shower rebuild — $14,000–$22,000
Down to studs: new pan, new drain, new valve, full waterproofing system, tile, bench, niche, and glass. The right call for 20+ year-old showers.
03
Curbless add-on — +$3,000–$4,000
Linear drain, floor restructuring for slope, larger tile area. The premium entry for aging-in-place or a high-end look.
04
Glass — $1,600–$3,000
Frameless glass door or panel, measured and installed after tile. The finishing piece that makes or breaks the look.
The Naperville hard-water factor
At 8–17 grains per gallon, Naperville water leaves scale on everything. We spec valves with serviceable cartridges, showerheads designed for hard water, and grout and finishes that don’t show spotting. If you don’t have a water softener, we can rough in a softener loop during the remodel — far cheaper now than later.
Waterproofing: The Part You Can’t See (and Can’t Skip)
Every shower we build gets the same system: cement board or foam board, a bonded waterproofing membrane on walls, sealed corners and seams, a sloped mortar pan with a waterproofing layer, and a flood test — we plug the drain, fill the pan, and verify it holds water before any tile goes down. Then tile, then grout, then silicone at every change of plane.
This is also why a shower remodel needs a permit in Naperville: you’re touching plumbing (valve, drain) and the work gets inspected. We file the Residential Addition/Alteration Permit through the Civic Access portal and schedule the inspection at the right stage. Typical timeline for a shower rebuild is 5–10 working days once the permit clears.
Shower Remodeling FAQs
Can you retile my shower without replacing the pan?
Sometimes — if the pan is sound, properly sloped, and the drain is in good shape. But if the shower is 20+ years old, the pan is usually the problem (no pre-slope, cracked liner). We’ll test it and give you an honest answer; rebuilding a pan under new tile costs far less than fixing a leak later.
How long does a shower remodel take?
A surround refresh runs about a week; a full down-to-studs rebuild runs 5–10 working days. Custom glass is measured after tile and takes about 2 weeks to fabricate — we install a temporary curtain rod so you can use the shower meanwhile.
Do I need a permit for a shower remodel in Naperville?
Yes, when plumbing is touched — which covers valve replacement, drain work, and pan rebuilds. The city wants a Residential Addition/Alteration Permit via the Civic Access portal. We handle it.
What’s the best shower valve for hard water?
A pressure-balance or thermostatic valve with a replaceable cartridge from a major brand with local parts availability. We avoid off-brand valves with proprietary cartridges you can’t find in five years — at Naperville’s hardness, cartridges are a wear item.
Tile or acrylic surround — which is better?
Tile over a proper waterproofing system lasts longer, looks better, and adds more value — but costs more. Acrylic is cheaper and faster but can’t be repaired in sections and looks dated sooner. For a forever home, tile wins. For a rental or quick flip, acrylic has its place, and we’ll tell you so.
Will my bathroom be usable during the remodel?
The shower won’t be, but the toilet and sink will. Dust barriers and daily cleanup keep the disruption contained, and we give you the schedule in writing before we start.
Get a Written Price for Your Shower
One call. An honest assessment of your shower’s condition. A written line-item price within 48 hours of the visit.
Naperville Bathroom Remodeling · 1704 Quincy Ave, Naperville, IL 60540 · Open 7 days a week, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM