Bathroom Remodel Cost in Tempe, AZ
The figures below are complete installed prices from RDC's published bathroom ranges. They apply in Tempe the same as anywhere else in the Valley; what changes the total is the scope, the tile and what is found once the old bathroom is opened up.
| Tempe bathroom scope | Installed range | Time on site |
|---|---|---|
| Tub-to-shower conversion | $9,000 – $14,000 | 5 to 10 business days |
| Shower tile refresh, no layout change | $4,000 – $8,000 | About one week |
| Smaller bathroom, gutted and rebuilt | $13,000 – $18,000 | Two to three weeks |
| Primary bathroom with a custom shower | At or above $18,000, up to $25,000+ | Three to four weeks |
Please note: Tempe ranges are a starting point only. RDC sets the price for each bathroom after measuring it, and the written estimate is the figure to rely on.
Why Tempe Bathrooms Start With a Walkthrough
Tempe was largely built out before most of the Valley. Much of its housing is 1950s to 1970s ranch homes near ASU and in the older neighborhoods, alongside condos, townhomes and a large share of rental property.
A bathroom in a house that age has usually been updated before, sometimes more than once, by owners who each did it differently. What sits behind the tile or under the tub is only certain when demolition starts. That is why RDC prices a Tempe bathroom from an on-site visit, with demolition, plumbing, waterproofing, tile, glass and fixtures written as separate lines, rather than from a phone call.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion in Tempe
Replacing a bathtub with a shower is the most contained way to change a Tempe bathroom. The tub and its surround come out, licensed plumbing partners move the drain and set a new valve, and the shower is built from the slab up.
- The floor of the shower. A sloped tile pan with either a low curb or, where the drain can be dropped, a curbless entry. That choice is made before demolition, because a curbless entry has to be built into the pan.
- The walls. Tile set over a Schluter-Kerdi bonded waterproofing membrane, not a loose liner.
- The extras worth adding now. A niche for bottles and wood blocking behind the wall for a future grab bar cost little while the wall is open and a lot later.
The full cost breakdown is on the tub-to-shower conversion cost page.
A shower mid-build: the pan and floor go in before the wall tile.
Walk-In Shower Remodeling in Tempe
A walk-in shower in Tempe usually means one of two jobs. In a primary bathroom, the old shower, and often a tub beside it, becomes one larger tiled shower with a bench, a niche and frameless glass. In a hall bathroom, the existing shower footprint stays and everything inside it is rebuilt.
Either way the order of work is the same: demolition to the studs, plumbing, framing and blocking, the bonded membrane with its cure time, tile and grout, then glass measured off the finished tile. A tile and shower refresh inside the existing layout typically runs $4,000 to $8,000; a full rebuild with a custom shower runs $10,000 to $25,000 or more. Layouts, benches and glass options are on the custom walk-in shower page, and step-free designs are covered on the aging-in-place shower page.
Tempe Water Hardness and Your Shower
In its 2023 water quality report, the City of Tempe lists average hardness of 10.9 grains per gallon, with measurements from 9.5 up to 29. The city explains that its water is a blend of Salt River, Verde River and Colorado River supplies, and that the Verde carries more of the hardness minerals, so the mix, and the hardness, shifts with the season.
For a shower, the practical result is mineral film on glass and in grout joints. Three choices keep it manageable: large-format wall tile so there is less grout, epoxy or sealed grout instead of plain cement grout, and a frameless glass panel with no tracks for scale to build up in.
Rental Bathrooms in Tempe
Many Tempe bathrooms belong to landlords rather than the people showering in them. For a rental, the goal is a bathroom that survives tenant turnover without a call in between. That points to porcelain tile over a bonded membrane rather than a surround that can be damaged and cannot be patched, neutral tile that will not date the unit at the next listing, and fixtures that are easy to source again. Scheduling between tenants matters too: a tub-to-shower conversion fits a 5 to 10 business-day gap, which is worth planning before the lease ends.
How a Tempe Bathroom Remodel Runs
- First days. Demolition and haul-away, then plumbing rough-in by licensed plumbing partners.
- Next. Framing, blocking, and the bonded membrane, which cures before tile.
- Then. Wall and floor tile, grout, the vanity and fixtures.
- Last. Frameless glass is templated from the finished tile and installed about a week later.
Start at the Showroom
Compare tile, vanities and fixtures at full size at the RDC showroom, 1610 E Bell Rd Suite 101, Phoenix. RDC then visits the Tempe home, measures and writes the estimate. Both are free. Tempe projects can also be paid monthly through RDC financing.
Related: flooring and tile for Tempe homes and rentals, the Valley-wide bathroom cost guide, and all bathroom remodeling services.