Walk-In Showers and Bath Remodels in Katy, TX: Costs (2026)

Walk-in shower cost in Katy

Katy is part of the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands labor market that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics measures, so local plumbers are paid on Houston-area terms. The median plumber wage in that metro was $29.47 an hour in May 2025^[5]. Our Houston pages start from national installed prices and adjust the labor part for that wage. We use those ranges for Katy rather than invent a Katy-only number.

Job in the Katy area (2026)	Our Houston-area range	Built from
Walk-in shower	$4,400 to $14,700, about $9,300	Modernize national $4,500 to $15,000[1][5]
Tub to shower conversion	$2,000 to $11,800	This Old House national $2,000 to $12,000[2][5]
Bathroom remodel	$5,900 to $17,600, about $11,800	Fixr national $6,000 to $18,000[3][5]
Walk-in tub	$3,500 to $9,900, about $5,900	Fixr national $3,500 to $10,000[4][5]

These are planning numbers, not quotes. A prefab shower kit lands near the low end. Custom tile, a curbless entry or moving the drain pushes the price up.

Permits in Katy

First, check whether you are inside the City of Katy. Many homes with a Katy mailing address are not, and the city's rules only cover homes within its limits.

Inside the city. The City of Katy says a building permit is needed for remodeling and for electrical and plumbing work, as well as water heaters and any job that adds or removes walls^[6]. Katy uses the 2021 International Building Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code^[6]. Texas law sets the floor: cities over 5,000 people must require a permit for plumbing except leak repairs and swaps of faucets, ballcocks, water control valves, disposals and toilets^[10]. A new shower valve, drain or pan is not on that list.

Fees. The plumbing section of Katy's fee schedule lists a $30.00 application preparation fee, a $15.00 minimum fee and $3.00 per fixture, with $50.00 for the first reinspection^[7]. Card payments carry a convenience fee^[12].

Timing. Work may not start until all fees are paid and the permit is posted at the job site^[12]. You can apply and schedule inspections through the city's online Civic Access Site, or call the permit office at 281-391-4830^[6][12].

Outside the city. If your home is on unincorporated county land, the City of Katy does not issue your permit. Ask your county and the water district (MUD) that serves your street what applies.

Katy homes and what they mean for the job

The City of Katy's housing is young. The median home was built in 2003, and about 40% of homes were built in 2010 or later^[9]. About 81% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners^[9].

For a shower project, newer homes usually mean:

• Fewer surprises behind the walls. Many plumbers expect less corroded pipe and less rot in a home this young than in older Houston neighborhoods, though leaks around an old tub can still soften the subfloor.
• A drain in the slab. In 2024, 97.9% of new single-family homes in the West South Central states, which include Texas, were built on slabs^[13]. Keeping the new shower drain where the tub drain was is the low-cost path. A curbless walk-in entry or a moved drain often means cutting and patching concrete.
• Original tub and surround. If the hall bath still has the builder's tub, swapping it for a low-threshold walk-in shower is one of the simplest ways to make the house easier to live in as you age.

About 20% of city homes were built before 1980^[9]. In those, ask for an allowance for older drain lines found during demolition.

Choosing a company in Katy

• Check the plumber's license. Plumbing in Texas is licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Its public license search lets you look up the name or license number^[11].
• Check city registration. Katy requires contractors to register, show their state licenses, carry at least $300,000 in general liability insurance and pay $200.00 a year^[8].
• Ask who pulls the permit, and whether the fee is in the price.
• Ask about the drain. Will it stay in place? If not, get the slab cut and patch as a separate line.
• Ask about safety features. Grab bar blocking, a fold-down seat and a hand shower are easier to add now than later.

If you do the work yourself in your own homestead, Texas law does not require a plumbing license^[10]. You still need the permit and the inspections.

When to call a pro

• Any new valve, drain or shower pan: a TSBPE-licensed plumber, with the city permit if you live inside Katy^[10][11].
• A curbless entry or a drain move in the slab: get the cut, patch and a drain test written into the quote.
• Soft floor, stains or a musty smell around the old tub.
• To turn these ranges into a real price: get two or three itemized quotes.