Shower and Tub Installation in New Orleans: Walk-In Showers, Conversions & Freestanding Tubs

A shower or tub that leaks behind the wall, holds water in the wrong places, or wasn’t waterproofed properly is a problem you won’t see until the damage is already done. Tile looks fine on the surface while moisture works its way into the framing underneath. That’s why shower and tub installation in New Orleans isn’t just about picking pretty tile. It’s about what goes behind it.

Turnkey Renovators installs walk-in showers, tub/shower combos, freestanding soaking tubs, and tub-to-shower conversions across Greater New Orleans. Every installation includes full waterproofing, proper drain slope, and tile work built to handle the humidity levels in this climate. Fifteen years of bathroom renovation work in Louisiana homes means we’ve installed showers and tubs on concrete slabs, in century-old shotgun doubles, and in brand-new construction.

• Walk-in tile showers with frameless glass, niches, and bench seating
• Tub-to-shower conversions and freestanding tub installations
• Full waterproofing, updated valves, and proper drainage on every project

Plan your new shower or tub installation in New Orleans with TurnKey Renovators. Call 504-527-8711 for a free consultation, or schedule your free estimate online.

Shower and Tub Installation for New Orleans Homeowners

The shower or tub is the single highest-moisture area in any home. In New Orleans, where indoor humidity already sits between 50% and 75%, that moisture load is amplified. A shower that isn’t waterproofed with a membrane behind the tile will push moisture into the wall cavity every time someone takes a hot shower. Within a year, that moisture turns into mold on the framing. Within two, the drywall behind the tile softens and the tile starts to fail.

Proper installation means more than setting tile on a wall. It means a cement board substrate instead of standard drywall, a waterproof membrane on every surface inside the wet zone, a shower pan with the correct slope to the drain, and sealed grout that keeps water on the surface where it belongs.

The plumbing matters too. Updated mixing valves, pressure-balanced or thermostatic controls, and properly sized drain lines prevent the problems that cheap installs create down the road.

Common Reasons Homeowners Call Us for Shower & Tub Installation

• The shower leaks behind the wall. Staining on the other side of the wall, soft drywall, or mold along the baseboard outside the bathroom. The waterproofing has failed and the shower needs to come out.
• Tub nobody uses. A tub/shower combo that only gets used as a shower. Converting to a walk-in shower reclaims space and eliminates the step-over.
• Cracked or loose shower tile. Tiles that have separated from the substrate, grout lines that crumble when you touch them, or hollow sounds when you tap the wall. The adhesion has failed.
• Outdated fiberglass insert. A one-piece fiberglass or acrylic surround that’s yellowed, scratched, or cracked. Replacing it with custom tile transforms the look and durability of the bathroom.
• Adding a freestanding tub to a master bath. A design upgrade that requires new supply lines, drain placement, and floor reinforcement, depending on the tub weight and location.

What Shower & Tub Installation Includes

• Demolition and removal. Old tile, surround panels, tub, shower base, and damaged substrate come out. We inspect the framing behind the walls for moisture damage or mold before rebuilding. Surprises in this area are common in older New Orleans homes, and we address them before anything new goes up.
• Plumbing rough-in. New or updated mixing valve, showerhead supply, tub spout (if applicable), and drain assembly. Relocating a shower drain on a slab-on-grade home requires cutting into the concrete. We coordinate that within the project timeline. Pressure-balanced or thermostatic valves replace old two-handle setups that can’t hold temperature.
• Waterproofing. Cement board on all walls inside the shower or tub enclosure. A waterproof membrane is applied to the walls and floor before any tiles are installed. Shower pan liner or prefabricated pan with proper slope to the drain. This is the step most DIY installs and low-bid contractors skip. It’s also the step that determines whether the shower lasts 20 years or fails in 3.
• Tile installation. Walls, floor, niches, bench surfaces, and accent bands. Porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, large-format, and mosaic options installed with the correct thinset for wet-area applications and sealed grout.
• Glass enclosure or door. Frameless, semi-frameless, or framed glass panels and doors. Measured after tile is complete to get an exact fit. Curtain rods for tub/shower combos where glass isn’t preferred.
• Fixtures and accessories. Showerhead (rain, handheld, or combination), grab bars, built-in niches for shampoo and soap, corner shelves, and bench seating. Each gets planned during the design phase, so blocking is done on the wall before tile goes up.

How to Know Your Shower or Tub Needs Replacing

• Mold keeps returning on grout lines or caulk. Surface cleaning handles what you can see. The moisture source behind the tile is what’s feeding it.
• Tiles sound hollow when tapped. The tile has separated from the substrate. Water is getting behind it.
• Standing water doesn’t drain toward the center. The shower pan has lost slope or was never built with proper pitch. Water pools in corners or along the curb.
• Caulk at the tub-to-wall joint separates repeatedly. The joint is moving. Water gets behind the surround every time the caulk opens.
• The fiberglass surround is cracked, yellowed, or flexes when you lean on it. Fiberglass has a limited life, and once it starts deteriorating, patching doesn’t hold.

What Affects the Cost of Shower & Tub Installation

• Scope of work. A straight tub/shower combo replacement with a prefabricated surround is the most affordable path. A custom tile walk-in shower with frameless glass, a bench, and multiple niches costs more.
• Tile selection and coverage. Standard porcelain on walls and floor is the baseline. Large-format tile, natural stone, mosaic accents, and decorative patterns increase both material and labor costs.
• Plumbing changes. Keeping the drain and valve in the same location keeps costs lower. Relocating either one on a slab adds concrete cutting and pipe rerouting.
• Glass enclosure. A framed glass door is the entry point. Semi-frameless and frameless panels run higher, with frameless being the most popular choice in walk-in showers.

Detailed written estimate before work starts. No vague allowances.

Why New Orleans Homeowners Trust Us With Shower & Tub Installation

• 15 years of wet-area installation in Louisiana homes. We’ve torn out showers where the previous contractor installed tile directly on drywall with no waterproofing. We’ve replaced shower pans with zero slope. We know what failure looks like in this climate, and we build to prevent it.
• Full waterproofing on every installation. Membrane, cement board, sealed grout, and properly sloped pans. No exceptions, no shortcuts, no “it should be fine” decisions.
• Plumbing and tile handled by one team. The plumber and tile setter work on the same project schedule under the same project manager. No gaps between trades, no finger-pointing if something doesn’t line up.
• Licensed and insured. Residential License #890459.

Schedule Your Shower and Tub Installation Consultation

Whether you’re converting a tub to a walk-in shower, adding a freestanding tub to your master bath, or replacing a failing shower that should have been waterproofed the first time, it starts with a walkthrough and an honest assessment of what the project involves.

Call 504-527-8711 to schedule yours. Or request your free estimate online.