Abington · Tub-To-Shower
Swapping an old tub for a shower in an Abington home built before the war or just after it? See what demolition tends to uncover and how permits work, then reach an independent remodeler.
Abington, Massachusetts
Pulling a tub out of an Abington bathroom is the easy part. What the remodeler finds next depends heavily on the house's age, and about 21.3% of the town's homes were built in 1939 or earlier, per Census estimates for 2019 to 2023. In those houses a conversion can uncover plaster on wood lath, a cast iron drain and trap, and several layers of old paint.
None of that rules out a shower. It just means the estimate should account for it. A good conversion in an older house replaces the drain section that serves the new shower, adds a waterproof membrane behind the new walls, and sets a proper pressure-balancing valve rather than reusing a decades-old mixer.
We don't do conversions ourselves. South Shore Bathroom Remodeling Finder helps Abington homeowners reach independent remodelers who work in town, so you can compare estimates and decide on your own terms.
If the tub only ever serves as a shower floor, a real shower gives you more standing room and an easier step in without changing the room's footprint.
Chipped or rusted enamel on an older tub usually means refinishing or replacing it. Converting instead can cost less in the long run than putting money into a tub you won't use.
Layers of caulk where the tub meets the wall often hide a gap that keeps letting water in. A new shower with a membrane ends the cycle.
A low threshold helps a household member with limited mobility, and grab bar blocking can go into the open walls during the conversion.
Local knowledge
Housing age and the town's own advice on hiring shape most conversions here.
Prewar Housing
Census estimates count 21.3% of Abington's 6,576 housing units as built in 1939 or earlier. Tubs in these homes often sit on old cast iron drains and against plaster walls, so a conversion usually includes some plumbing and wall repair before any tile goes up.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS
Lead-Safe Work
Massachusetts guidance warns that renovating homes built before 1978 can release lead dust from old paint. With a 1969 median build year, many Abington bathrooms fall in that window, so ask how the remodeler will contain and clean up demolition dust.
Source: Mass.gov
Check Before You Hire
The Building Department said in September 2024 that it can't recommend contractors and that residents should confirm a contractor's license and registration with the Commonwealth. For a conversion, that's the HIC registration plus the plumber's license.
Source: Town of Abington
Right now
A few quick checks make the first site visit more useful.
Think about where everyone will shower during the work. In a single-bath house, ask the remodeler how long the room will be unusable and plan around it.
Locate the main shutoff and any fixture valves so you can show the remodeler. If the tub area ever leaked, mention it and point out any ceiling stains below.
If this is the only tub in the house, think about whether you'll want one later for small children or resale. Some owners convert the upstairs tub and keep one elsewhere.
Pictures of the tub, valve, window, and floor help remodelers give rough guidance before a visit and keep bids based on the same starting point.
What to expect
Most conversions stay inside the old tub alcove. The remodeler removes the tub and surround, opens the walls to the studs, and checks the drain, framing, and subfloor. In older Abington homes, expect a conversation about replacing a cast iron trap or a section of old supply pipe while everything is open.
Plumbing changes need a plumbing permit, and new wiring for lighting or a fan needs an electrical permit; Abington's Building Department issues both through its online portal. The plumber's rough work is inspected before the walls close, and the shower pan should be water-tested before tile.
After tile and grout cure, the glass is measured and installed. Ask the remodeler which steps cause the longest waits so the schedule doesn't surprise you.
Hire smart
In Massachusetts, contractors who remodel an existing owner-occupied home of one to four units must be registered Home Improvement Contractors, and the plumbing and electrical parts of the job must be done by a plumber and an electrician who hold Massachusetts licenses, under permits.
Conversions in owner-occupied homes of one to four units need a registered Home Improvement Contractor. Look the remodeler up on the state's HIC search.
Get a written answer on how cast iron or galvanized pipe repairs would be priced if the remodeler finds them once the tub is out.
Ask who will set the valve and connect the drain, and check that person's Massachusetts license on the state's online search.
In a house built before 1978, ask how the crew will contain dust, protect the hallway, and clean up at the end of each day.
Costs
Keeping the drain where it is costs less than moving it. In prewar Abington homes, the condition of the drain, the plaster walls, and the subfloor can change the scope once the tub is out, so an allowance for those repairs belongs in every estimate.
Your choices drive the rest: a prefab base or a tiled floor, full glass or a curtain, a niche or a bench. Ask each remodeler for an itemized written estimate that lists permits and lead-safe work separately, and compare bids only on the same scope.
More help in Abington
Every page below is written for Abington homes. Or start from the Abington bathroom remodeling guide.
Learning Center
Massachusetts gives homeowners real protections on remodeling jobs, but only if the contractor is registered and the contract follows the law. Here is what to check before you hand over a deposit.
Read the guide
The decisions you make before demolition shape the cost, the schedule, and how the room works for the next twenty years. Here's what to settle first.
Read the guideQuestions
Still not sure? Send a short request and a local pro can answer the specifics.
In prewar homes, plaster on lath, cast iron drains, and old paint are common. In 1950s and 1960s houses, it's more often a steel or cast iron tub on a mortar bed, with signs of past leaks around the drain.
If plumbing or wiring changes, yes. The Building Department issues those permits through its online portal, and the contractor should pull them and schedule inspections.
Opinions differ, and it depends on who's likely to buy your house. If this is the home's only tub, talk it over with a local real estate agent before you decide.
It can be in homes built before 1978. Ask the remodeler how they'll contain and clean up dust, and follow the state's lead-safe renovation guidance.
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