How Long Does a Shower Remodel Take? A Detailed Timeline

Getting Your Consultation Scheduled

Once you decide that you want to learn more about a bathroom remodeling company, you’ll probably fill out a form to schedule a consultation. There may be slight variations in how different companies handle this part, but many (ZINTEX included) will get back to you quickly with a phone call.

If you fill out the form in the middle of the workday, you could receive a call in as little as five minutes. If you fill out the form after hours, you should receive a call on the next business day.

During that phone call, you’ll find a date and time for your in-home consultation. This will reflect your household’s schedule more than anything else, but there is almost always design consultant availability within the next two or three days.

Average time from form fill to consultation date: 1-3 days.  

Completing Your Consultation

What happens on the day of your consultation? If you’re meeting with a ZINTEX design consultant, it’s important that all homeowners are present. Make sure to take this into account when selecting your consultation date.

Your consultation is designed to:

• Address all of your shower remodel questions
• Assess your current shower
• Discuss your needs and goals
• Look at product and design options

You can learn more about what to expect during your consultation from this guide.

Average design consultation time: 1-2 hours.

Planning for Your Shower Remodel Lead Time

Most shower remodeling companies are quick to tell you that they can complete your new tub or shower in as little as one day. Of course, you want to know how long contractors will be in your home (and we’ll address that below).

However, if you’re a thorough planner, you also want to know how long it’s going to take from the time you sign your contract to the time you’re enjoying your new shower. This is what we call the lead time, and it varies from company to company and order to order. Lead time allows your bathroom remodeler to order and receive all products needed for your new shower and to inspect them for quality control.

Most companies are working with a standard lead time of 4-8 weeks. If you partner with ZINTEX, our lead times tend to run about 3-6 weeks for more customized designs. We also offer our unique Quick Ship Program, which allows you to get your shower in three weeks or less if you stick to specific designs and features.

Average shower remodel lead time: 3-8 weeks.

Completing the Steps of Your New Shower Installation

Now, let’s take a look at how long it actually takes to complete your shower installation. Having completed over 15,000 bathroom remodels, we can say with confidence that most new showers take about 1-3 days to install from demo to cleanup. What will be happening in your home during that time? Here’s a closer look.

Step 1: Preparation and Demolition

 First, your installation team will prepare your bathroom area and demolish the existing tub or shower. Depending on the scope of the project, this should only take a few hours. Your installation team should handle all waste disposal and work to keep the demolition zone as contained as possible. This is often one of the loudest parts of installation, so make sure you, your family, and your pets are prepared for the temporary disruption. 

Step 2: Structural Upgrades and Repairs

Once the old materials are out of the way, it’s time for your installation team to take a look at what was going on under those old shower walls. Most of the time, upgrades and repairs take an additional 2-4 hours, but this all depends on how much work your bathroom actually needs. An experienced design consultant can make a strong guess as to what state your pipes or support beams are in, but it’s only once those features are exposed that your team can fully assess the work needed.

Bonus tip: If you’re hiring a solo contractor, they may need to call in additional professionals to handle things like plumbing repairs. This can add to your timeline and your final bill. With a company like ZINTEX, we can take care of almost anything in house.

Step 3: New Material Installation

Having addressed any outdated plumbing, structural issues, or water damage, your installation team can move on to the installation of new materials. This is going to include every component of your new walk in shower, from the base and waterproof backing system to the acrylic wall panels and any accessories you’ve included in your design.

Most of the time, you can expect new material installation to happen in one or two days. This is where experience can really lend itself to timeliness. The more times your installer has built a shower just like yours, the faster they can complete the puzzle that is installing each component correctly.

Step 4: Bathroom Cleanup

New shower installation can be messy work. While a good installation team will work to contain the mess as much as possible, there will still be some waste and debris they need to address before leaving.

The post-installation cleanup process shouldn’t take more than an hour or so. By the end of it, your bathroom as a whole should look as clean as it started and your new shower should look pristine and ready to use. 

Step 5: Remodel Walkthrough

Finally, your installer should have you come and look at your new shower and talk you through the different features you can now enjoy. For example, they may have you test out the new grab bars to make sure they’re installed at the height and angle that is safest and most comfortable for you to use.

The remodel walkthrough should last until you feel satisfied that you understand each feature and have all your questions answered. Your installer should address how long you need to wait before using your shower (this is longest when you go with tile and grout because the exposed grout needs about 48 hours to cure). They should also share aftercare tips like proper shower cleaning methods. 

Are You Ready to Start Your Shower Remodel?

Money isn’t the only concern homeowners have when deciding if they’re ready to commit to a shower remodel. Whether you’re looking for a walk in shower or tub and shower combo, you also need to know how long it’s going to take. With this guide, you can account for not just the installation dates, but the entire process from start to finish.

What’s next? It’s time to find out if ZINTEX Remodeling Group is the right shower remodeling company for you, and the best way to do so is to schedule a free, in-home consultation: