We love glass shower and tub enclosures. They’re beautiful, durable, and timeless (not to mention more sanitary than moldy, old shower curtains).
If you’re considering a glass shower or tub enclosure, you’ve come to the right place! You probably have some questions—a big one being how much a glass shower or tub is going to cost. (We get it: everybody has a budget!)
While we can’t give you an exact answer in just one blog post, we can give you a range, and we can help you understand where your project might fall in that range. Basically, the answer to the cost question depends on a few factors, including materials, space, and installation.
Keep reading to find out how much a new glass enclosure can cost!
Shower or Tub?
Are you simply replacing your plastic curtain with a glass tub enclosure, or are you doing a full-scale bathroom remodel with a glass walk-in shower? Obviously, the first option is going to cost less than the second.
Materials
When it comes to shower and tub enclosures, one of the key decisions you’ll make—and one of the biggest influences on the cost—is framed or frameless.
Framed enclosures have edges that are covered with rubber, metal, or another material to seal it. Frameless enclosures, on the other hand, do not have any seals. This difference makes frameless doors cost more than framed doors, with framed doors ranging from $80 to 500 and frameless doors averaging $700-1,200.
Why the difference in price? Frameless doors need to be made of thicker and heavier glass and need studier metal hardware in order to stay in place. Framed doors can be made of thinner glass and typical hardware, costing less.
In addition to framed versus frameless, you’ll also need to choose between different types of glass. This also affects the cost.
Regular, clear glass has a high iron content, which results in a greenish tint on the edges of the glass. Low-iron glass (as you might have guessed) has less iron than regular glass but still has a slight blueish tint on the edges of the glass. While low-iron glass is technically more clear than regular glass, it’s unlikely that you will notice much of a difference. Low-iron glass will cost you more than regular glass. Finally, ultra-clear glass, which has very low iron content, is noticeably more clear than regular glass and is the most expensive of these options.
Also, if you choose glass that is frosted, etched, sandblasted, or patterned, this will cost slightly more than clear glass (because of the labor needed to etch it).
Space
The cost of your glass project will also depend on the space itself and the level of customization you need.
Are you buying a standard or customized piece? For example, simply replacing a shower curtain with a glass panel for your tub will be cheaper than designing a custom shower enclosure. (You might need a custom piece of glass if your bathroom ceiling comes down at an angle or if you are designing a walk-in shower.)
Are you buying a simple panel or a more complicated door? Panels will be less expensive than sliding doors, round shower doors, net-angle shower doors, or bifold doors. (You might need a more complicated door if you have a corner shower.)
Installation
Professional installation of your glass shower or tub enclosure will—of course—be more costly than the DIY route.
However, there’s good reason to consider paying a professional. Improperly installed doors (particularly frameless doors) can leak or even break due to pressure on the glass—wasting your time and money!
Hiring a skilled professional gives you the peace of mind that your glass shower or tub enclosure will be installed properly—so there’s no breaking, leaking water, or other problems!
Call Us for Your Quote!
We would love to talk to you about your project: call us today for a free, no-obligation quote!
Our local, family-owned and -operated business has been helping Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky homeowners with their commercial glass, auto glass, glass shower and window needs for more than 70 years. Contact us today at our Elsmere or Covington locations.
