Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable Bathroom Remodeling Across Kirby
A full bathroom remodel in Kirby, TX typically runs between $9,000 and $28,000, with most homeowners landing around $14,000 to $18,000 for a complete gut and rebuild of a standard 5×8 hall bath. Walk-in shower installations start at $4,500, while a tub-to-shower conversion on a slab home usually comes in between $3,500 and $10,000 depending on what our crew finds behind the walls. We work all over Kirby, from the older streets off Binz-Engleman Road to the newer subdivisions east of I-10, and we answer the phone at (432) 547-6806 when you’re ready to talk numbers.
Kirby isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of town for remodeling. The housing stock ranges from 1950s slab-on-grade ranchers with original cast-iron plumbing to 8-year-old builder homes with fiberglass shower surrounds that are already showing their age. That spread means a bathroom remodel here demands a contractor who can look at a house and know what’s likely waiting behind the drywall before the first swing of a hammer. That’s the kind of local knowledge that keeps your budget honest and your schedule intact.
Key Takeaways:
- Full bathroom remodels in Kirby run $9,000 – $28,000; most homeowners spend $14,000 – $18,000.
- Kirby’s older slab homes often hide cast-iron waste lines and galvanized supply pipes that need replacement mid-project.
- Written pricing before work starts means the number you approve is the number you pay, no change-order surprises.
- HOA rules in newer Kirby subdivisions can affect vent terminations, fixture placement, and exterior changes.
Why Sawyer Remodel San Antonio Is Kirby’s Preferred Bathroom Remodeling Company
We’ve remodeled enough bathrooms in Kirby to know what’s behind the walls before we open them. That’s not a brag, it’s a pattern. The 1950s-to-1980s homes that dominate this area share the same DNA: slab-on-grade foundations on expansive clay, cast-iron drains that have been quietly failing for decades, and original terrazzo or hardwood floors that homeowners want to protect. When a Kirby homeowner calls us for a shower remodel, we write the scope with those realities on paper from day one, not as a “discovery” that turns into a surprise invoice later.
Every job runs under The Relay Visibility Guarantee. That means a live arrival time so you’re not burning a day waiting on a four-hour window, before-and-after photo updates so you can watch the work from your phone at work, and a written price that lands in your hands before any tool is picked up. The price on the invoice is the price you approved. That’s how we’ve built our reputation across Kirby and the surrounding east side.
Luca Romano leads our crew, and he’s the one who walks your job with you at the estimate. You’ll know exactly who is coming into your home: background-checked, uniformed technicians, not day-laborer pickups. And when you call at 7 p.m. with a question, a live person answers, not a voicemail queue.
Styles & brands we work with
Shower Remodel in Kirby
Shower Remodel work in Kirby covers everything from replacing a cracked fiberglass surround in a 2000s builder home to a full gut-and-rebuild with a custom tile shower and frameless glass enclosure in a 1960s slab rancher. Most Kirby homeowners reach out when the grout lines start failing, the pan leaks onto the hallway carpet, or they’re just tired of looking at a builder-grade plastic surround that’s pitted and staining. A shower remodel in Kirby runs $3,000 to $12,000, with walk-in shower installations landing at the higher end of that range once you factor in tile, waterproofing, and glass.
Why Slab Homes Change the Scope
On a slab foundation, the shower drain location is literally set in concrete. Moving a drain means cutting into the slab, which means pulling permits and answering questions about the foundation’s condition. Kirby’s expansive clay soil expands and shrinks with drought and rain cycles, and a shower remodel is often when settling cracks get noticed. We check the slab before we quote, so the price covers what’s actually there.
Builder-Grade Replacements vs. Full Upgrades
In Kirby’s newer subdivisions, many showers are fiberglass or acrylic units that a builder installed as a cost decision. If the pan is solid and the valve works, a surround replacement is a smart, fast job. If the trim is pitting and the valve cartridge is seized, we recommend replacing the valve assembly with a Kohler or Moen unit while the wall is open. It costs less than reopening the wall twice.
Tub to Shower Conversion in Kirby
Tub to Shower Conversion in Kirby is one of the most common projects we quote, and it makes sense: most of these homes have at least one bathroom with a tub nobody uses. Converting it to a walk-in shower opens up a small bathroom, eliminates a tripping hazard for older residents, and actually improves resale appeal in Kirby’s market. A tub-to-shower conversion runs $3,500 to $10,000, depending on whether we’re working around cast-iron plumbing, terrazzo floors, or a slab drain that’s set exactly where you don’t want it.
Working Around Cast-Iron Drains
Older Kirby homes frequently have cast-iron waste lines that have been rusting from the inside out for 50-plus years. When we pull a tub for conversion, we inspect the waste line before we close anything up. If replacement is needed, it’s in the written scope from the start, not a change order sprung on you mid-rough-in. Replacing galvanized supply lines is often part of the same job, especially on homes built before 1980.
Curbless Showers on Slab
Many Kirby homeowners ask about curbless or low-curb showers for aging-in-place. On a slab home, true curbless requires dropping the shower floor into the slab, which is a bigger structural conversation. A low-curb Schluter pan with a linear drain gets you close to the look without the concrete work, and it’s what we recommend for most slab homes in the area.
Trusted Brands We Service in Kirby
We install fixtures and surfaces from brands homeowners actually want: Kohler and Moen valves and trim, Cambria and Caesarstone countertops for vanities, and tile from a range of proven manufacturers. If you’ve got a specific brand in mind, we’ll source it. We also keep common Kohler and Moen replacement cartridges and trim kits in our trucks, so a valve replacement on a Kirby job doesn’t mean waiting on a parts order for three days. For homeowners who want impact-rated windows as part of a larger bath remodel, we can quote PGT and Tamko product lines directly.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Bathroom Remodeling Problems We See in Kirby Homes
- Cast-iron waste line failures behind the wall. A contractor opens a bathroom wall and finds deteriorated cast-iron, but the original quote didn’t include replacement. The homeowner gets a change order mid-rough-in. Our written scopes account for this before we start.
- Slab settling causing shower pan cracks. Kirby’s expansive clay soil moves with drought and rain. A shower pan in a 1960s home can crack as the slab shifts, and the leak doesn’t always show up where the damage is. We check for settling before we install.
- HOA violations for vent terminations. Newer Kirby subdivisions have architectural committees that dictate where bathroom exhaust vents can terminate. A vent placed wrong gets a violation notice and a forced rework. We check the HOA rules before we cut.
- Terrazzo floors cracked during a vanity swap. A quick vanity replacement on a 1950s slab home can crack the original terrazzo if the subfloor wasn’t checked for settling after a dry summer. We level the vanity footprint and protect the floor before we set anything.
Pricing for Bathroom Remodeling in Kirby, TX
Here’s what we quote in Kirby. These are written, line-item ranges, not ballpark guesses:
| Service | Kirby Price Range |
|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Small Bathroom Remodel | $5,000 – $12,000 |
| Walk-In Shower Installation | $4,500 – $12,000 |
| Tub-to-Shower Conversion | $3,500 – $10,000 |
| Shower Replacement | $3,000 – $8,500 |
What moves the number? On Kirby’s older slab homes, plumbing replacement is the wild card. Cast-iron drains and galvanized supply lines add $1,200 to $4,000 depending on access. Terrazzo or original hardwood floors that need protection add labor. On newer homes, the number moves less on plumbing and more on finish: frameless glass, custom tile layouts, and premium fixtures. Every estimate is free, and every price is in writing before we start. Call (432) 547-6806 and we’ll come out, look at the actual bathroom, and hand you a number on paper.
We Also Serve Cities Near Kirby
Sawyer Remodel San Antonio handles Bathroom Remodeling across the east side and beyond. If you’re in San Antonio proper, New Braunfels, Alamo Heights, or Universal City, we run crews there too. This page is specifically for Bathroom Remodeling in Kirby, but the same written pricing and Relay Visibility Guarantee applies everywhere we work.
Serving Kirby, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Kirby area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Bathroom Remodeling in Kirby
Generally no, but it depends on the builder’s written warranty terms. Most builder warranties cover structural and major systems, not cosmetic bath fixtures, and a tub-to-shower conversion done with proper permits and quality work won’t void structural coverage. What does matter: the plumbing modifications must pass inspection, and if the home is in an HOA, the conversion needs architectural approval before work starts. We pull permits and coordinate with the HOA on every Kirby job. Call (432) 547-6806 and we’ll review your warranty language before quoting.
Yes, in most cases a leaking shower pan can be replaced without cutting into the slab. We remove the shower floor and lower wall tile, inspect the drain assembly, and install a new waterproof pan system, often a Schluter Kerdi pan, over the existing slab. We protect the terrazzo with drop cloths and plywood throughout, and if the terrazzo is cracked from settling we’ll flag it before we start so the fix is in the scope, not a surprise. Call (432) 547-6806 for a free estimate with the terrazzo in mind.
The most common HOA issues are exterior vent terminations, window replacements, and anything that changes the home’s exterior appearance. Interior bathroom work like shower replacements, vanity swaps, and tile installs typically doesn’t trigger HOA review, but if your vent fan exhausts to a new location or you’re adding a window, the architectural committee gets involved. We review your subdivision’s guidelines before we submit a permit, so the job doesn’t stall mid-rough-in. Call (432) 547-6806 and we’ll check your HOA rules as part of the free estimate.
Upgrade the trim and valve cartridge, keep the fiberglass shower pan if it’s solid, and replace the vanity top if it’s cultured marble that’s staining. Pitting trim usually means high mineral content in Kirby’s water, and while a Moen valve body is usually fine, the cartridge should be swapped when new trim goes on. For around $800 to $3,000, depending on vanity size, you get new fixtures without a full remodel. If you want tile walls and frameless glass, plan for $4,500 to $12,000. We’ll give you a written line-by-line quote either way at (432) 547-6806.
Yes. Kirby requires a plumbing permit for drain relocations and valve replacements, and a building permit for any structural work like moving a shower drain in a slab. The permit also triggers an inspection, which protects you: if a contractor skips the permit and the work fails, you have no city record and no recourse. We pull the permit, pass the inspection, and close it before the job is done. That’s standard on every Kirby remodel we do. Call (432) 547-6806 to schedule your free estimate and we’ll walk the permit steps with you.
If you’re ready to see a real number for your Kirby bathroom, call (432) 547-6806. We’ll come out, look at the plumbing, check the slab, and hand you a written price. If it’s not done right, we make it right for a full year. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, in writing, on every job.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner at Sawyer Remodel San Antonio, serving Kirby and the surrounding east side.
