Tub to Shower Conversion cost in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA · updated August 2026
$7,000
Typical local cost
$3,400 – $15,500
Typical range
- per conversion
- $3,400 – $15,550
- Permit
- Usually yes
- Typical timeline
- 3-7 days of work
Installed, local pricing
$90 – $315 in fees
3-7 days of work, 2-5 weeks including permitting
Des Moines runs -3% against the U.S. average · data confidence Medium · modeled estimate, not a quote
Most Des Moines homeowners pay around $7,000. The local adjustment for this trade is x0.971 — driven mainly by Polk County labor rates and 40% exposure to local code requirements.
Estimate your Des Moines job
Priced with this market's cost index, so the calculator, the size table and the ranges on this page all agree.
Tiles needed
57 tiles
Includes 12% waste
- Boxes to buy
- 8 boxes
- Thinset (50 lb bags)
- 2 bags
- Grout (25 lb bags)
- 1 bags
- Tile cost estimateMaterial only
- $252 – $907
Estimates only. Local pricing, site conditions and code requirements change the real number.
Cost by project size
Generated from the same unit pricing the calculator uses.
| Project size | Estimated range |
|---|---|
| 1 conversion | $3,400 – $15,600 |
| 1 conversion | $3,400 – $15,600 |
| 1 conversion | $3,400 – $15,600 |
| 1 conversion | $3,400 – $15,600 |
| 1 conversion | $3,400 – $15,600 |
Based on Des Moines pricing of $3,400–$15,550 per conversion.
Where the money goes
- Labor
- $4,300
- 60% of median
- Materials
- $2,700
- 37% of median
- Permit & fees
- $205
- 3% of median
Des Moines project costs-3% vs U.S. average
Based on Polk County labor rates, local material logistics and permit-fee posture for this trade.
What the project looks like start to finish
Typical sequence for this scope. Timing varies with contractor backlog and plan-review queues.
01
Planning & quotes
Scope, material choice, contractor selection
02
Permit application
Filed with City of Des Moines building department
03
Materials & staging
Order lead time on non-stock materials
04
Installation
3-7 days of work, 2-5 weeks including permitting
05
Inspection
Plumbing rough-in, Shower pan water test, Final inspection
06
Closeout
Final sign-off, warranty and documentation
Des Moines labor intelligence
What the trade charges here, and how much of your price it is.
Loaded hourly rate
$88–$113
Plumbing crews in Polk County · -5% vs U.S. ($105/hr)
Typical crew
2 × 2.5 days
On-site time for a typical tub to shower job here.
Labor in the price
$4,300
62% of the median — the rest is material, disposal and permit.
Because labor is 62% of this job, Des Moines wage levels move the price far more than material prices do. A quote well under this labor figure usually means a smaller crew, a longer schedule, or unlicensed help.
Basis: Hometriva labor model: national plumbing crew rates adjusted by the Polk County labor factor (x0.948). · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hometriva methodology
Why Des Moines differs from the national average
The local delta, broken into dollars by driver.
Trade labor rates-$225
Polk County crews price 5% below the national average, and labor is 62% of this job.
Code and inspection load+$75
Tub to Shower Conversion carries 40% exposure to local code requirements, and this jurisdiction's review load indexes at x1.03.
Material and delivery-$50
Materials are nationally traded, so they move less — but delivery into this market runs 2% under baseline.
Basis: Decomposition of the modeled Des Moines median against the U.S. median for this scope. · City of Des Moines building department, Hometriva methodology
Des Moines vs Iowa vs the U.S.
Change the inputs, see your number
The same local model, run against your job instead of the average one.
Simulated tub to shower conversion in Des Moines
$7,205
Likely range $3,605 – $15,705
Simulated from the same local model as the numbers above — it changes the inputs, not the pricing method.
What makes the number move
- Drain relocation from tub to shower position
- Tile versus acrylic shower base and walls
- Glass enclosure type
- Accessibility features such as grab bars and a bench
- Subfloor or slab repair after demolition
Who issues each permit
Tracked per discipline — the building permit issuer is not always the body that reviews electrical, plumbing, zoning or fire.
| Discipline | Issuing authority |
|---|---|
| building | City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate |
| electrical | City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate |
| mechanical | City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate |
| plumbing | City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate |
| zoning | City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate |
| fire | City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate |
Permit requirement in Des Moines
In most cases yes — Polk County and the City of Des Moines generally require a permit for tub to shower conversion. Height, size and location on the lot determine the exact review, so confirm with the building department before you start.
- Permitting authority
- City of Des Moines building departmentModeled estimate
- Permit fee
- Estimated allowance $90–$315Modeled from comparable fee schedules — not an official quoted fee.
Inspections
- Plumbing rough-in
- Shower pan water test
- Final inspection
Local conditions that change this job
Only the exposures that materially affect tub to shower conversion.
Humidity
High62/100
Deep frost line and derecho wind history change footing depth and roofing decisions relative to milder Midwest markets.
Nearby market comparison
| Market | Local factor | Median | Per conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines (this page) | x0.971 | $7,000 | $3,400 – $15,550 |
| Omaha | x0.960 | $6,900 | $3,350 – $15,350 |
| Minneapolis | x1.175 | $8,500 | $4,100 – $18,800 |
| Kansas City | x0.993 | $7,100 | $3,500 – $15,900 |
What Des Moines homeowners actually paid
Real reported invoices from this market, aggregated. Add yours — it takes 20 seconds and no personal details.
Quotes homeowners were given in Des Moines
Quotes run ahead of final invoices. Reporting yours shows the local spread and where there is room to negotiate.
How Hometriva estimates Des Moines tub to shower costs
Hometriva does not publish invented city prices. The Des Moines estimate for tub to shower conversion is produced by this chain, and every input is stored separately:
- National baseline$7,200
Typical U.S. cost for tub to shower conversion on a single-family home.
- Local labor factorx0.948
Des Moines-area trade labor rates, weighted at 62% of this job.
- Material factorx0.978
Material and delivery pricing into Polk County, weighted at 38%.
- Regulatory factorx1.029
Local code, product-approval and inspection load, applied at 40% for this project type.
- Applied multiplierx0.971
Blended Des Moines adjustment specific to tub to shower conversion.
- Permit component$90 – $315
Budgeted separately from the contract price because it is paid to the jurisdiction.
Because labor, material and regulatory factors are weighted per project, tub to shower conversion in Des Moines carries a different local adjustment than other trades in the same market.
Reviewed by
Hometriva Cost Data Desk
Maintains the unit-cost baselines, local adjustment factors and material pricing. Reviewed for tub to shower conversion pricing in Des Moines, IA.
- • National unit-cost baselines against current trade pricing
- • Local labor and materials factors for the market
- • Material installed-cost ranges and service life
Last reviewed August 2026 · Editorial standards · Report an error
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to convert a tub to a shower?
Usually yes. Moving or replacing the drain and valve is regulated plumbing work, so most Florida building departments require a plumbing permit and a shower pan water test.
Sources
Sources & verification
- City of Des Moines building department
- Des Moines permit portal
- Iowa Department of Public Safety
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Last verified August 2026. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing — they are not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.