Short answer
In McKinney, a walk-in shower typically runs $4,300 to $14,300 in 2026, with an average near $9,100, using Dallas-Fort Worth wage data. McKinney lets you retile or swap a toilet or faucet in place without a permit, but moving or replacing pipes for a new shower needs one.
Key facts
- McKinney lists tiling, cabinets, countertops and replacing toilets, faucets and fixtures in the same location without altering pipes as work that does not need a permit.[4]
- McKinney's permit fee schedule lists alterations at $0.68 per gross square foot of the affected area and a $40 plumbing permit fee.[5]
- McKinney warns of fake permit invoices sent by email and says it does not charge an Application Approval Fee.[6]
- 72.8% of McKinney homes were built in 2000 or later, but 1,128 homes date from 1939 or earlier (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).[7]
Walk-in shower cost in McKinney
McKinney falls within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area used by the federal wage survey, so we apply our Dallas-area estimates here. We found no published price for McKinney alone.
| McKinney job (2026) | Estimated range | Full breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-in shower | $4,300 to $14,300; average near $9,100 | Dallas walk-in shower cost |
| Tub to shower conversion | $1,900 to $11,500 | Dallas conversion cost |
| Bathroom remodel | $5,700 to $17,200; average near $11,500 | Dallas remodel cost |
| Walk-in tub, installed | $3,500 to $9,900 | Dallas walk-in tub cost |
How the remodel row was built: Fixr's national range is $6,000 to $18,000, and it says labor averages about half the bill[3]. We scaled that half using May 2025 BLS medians: $29.45 an hour for metro plumbers and $23.04 for tile setters, compared with $30.67 and $26.77 nationally[1][2]. The result is about 5% below the national range.
Permits in McKinney
McKinney publishes a clear list of work that needs no permit[4]. For a bathroom, that list includes:
- Finish work: painting, tiling, flooring, cabinets and countertops.
- Repairing minor leaks, as long as no piping is removed, replaced or moved.
- Unclogging drains.
- Replacing toilets, faucets and other fixtures in the same location without altering the pipes.
A walk-in shower usually goes past that list. A new shower valve, a new drain or a moved drain all alter pipes. State law points the same way: Texas cities over 5,000 people must require a permit for plumbing beyond leak repairs and a few swaps such as faucets and toilets[8]. For alteration work, McKinney's home repairs page says to search "Residential Alteration" in the Citizen Self Service portal to start the application[4]. If you are unsure which permit fits, the same page lists Building Inspections at 469-617-4800[4].
The permit fee schedule linked from McKinney's Building Inspections page lists[5]:
| McKinney fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Single-family alterations | $0.68 per gross square foot of the affected area |
| Plumbing permit fee | $40 |
| Each plumbing fixture (a shower is one fixture) | $2.50 |
| Residential plan review, where plans are reviewed | $100 |
| First reinspection | $50 |
| Second reinspection | $75 |
Watch for fake invoices. McKinney says scammers have emailed permit applicants unauthorized invoices. Real invoices appear only in the Citizen Self Service portal, and the city does not charge an "Application Approval Fee"[6]. If anyone asks you to pay that, do not pay it.
McKinney homes and what they mean for the job
McKinney is mostly new, with an old core. The median home was built in 2007, and 72.8% of homes date from 2000 or later[7]. But 1,128 homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and 7.8% of all homes predate 1980[7]. About 64% of occupied homes are owner occupied, and 17.6% of owner households are headed by someone 65 or older[7].
Two different jobs come out of that mix:
- In a newer home, a shower project is mostly about layout and access. Few surprises hide in the walls, and the main cost question is whether the drain moves.
- In an older home, plan for the unknown. Pre-war houses can have old drain lines, uneven floors and walls that are not square. Ask the contractor to inspect the drain and the floor framing or slab before giving a fixed price, and to state in writing how extra work will be billed.
Either way, keeping the drain where the old tub drain sits is the simplest way to hold the price down.
Choosing a company in McKinney
Texas plumbers are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), and you can look up any license on its website[9]. A homeowner may do plumbing on their own homestead[8], but anyone you hire for plumbing must hold a license.
Before you sign:
- Will you apply for the Residential Alteration permit in the Citizen Self Service portal, and is the fee in the price?
- What is your plumber's TSBPE license number?
- Does the drain stay in place, or will the floor be opened?
- In an older house, what will you check before you fix the price?
- Will you add blocking behind the tile for future grab bars?
When to call a pro
- Replacing or moving any pipe, valve or drain: a licensed plumber and a McKinney permit.
- An emailed permit invoice you did not expect: check it in the Citizen Self Service portal before paying.
- A pre-1980 home with sagging or soft floors near the tub: have the floor checked before the new shower goes in.
- Any wall change: a Residential Alteration permit and a check of whether the wall is load bearing.
More questions
Do I need a permit to retile my shower in McKinney?
Not for tile alone. McKinney lists tiling, cabinets, countertops and flooring as finish work that needs no permit. Once the job replaces or moves pipes, such as a new shower valve or drain, it needs a permit.
How much is a bathroom permit in McKinney?
McKinney's fee schedule lists alterations at $0.68 per gross square foot of the affected area, a $40 plumbing permit fee, and $2.50 per plumbing fixture such as a shower. The city confirms the total when you apply through its Citizen Self Service portal.
I got an email asking me to pay a McKinney permit approval fee. Is it real?
Be careful. McKinney says fake invoices have been emailed to permit applicants, real invoices only appear in its Citizen Self Service portal, and it does not charge an Application Approval Fee.
Sources
- OEWS May 2025, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan area: median hourly wage, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) and Tile and Stone Setters (47-2044), series OEUM001910000000047215208 and OEUM001910000000047204408, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- OEWS May 2025, national: median hourly wage, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) and Tile and Stone Setters (47-2044), series OEUN000000000000047215208 and OEUN000000000000047204408, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- How much does a bathroom remodel cost? (2026 data, updated Jan 27, 2026), Fixr. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- Home repairs and permit information, City of McKinney. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- Permit fee schedule for new construction, remodels, and repairs, City of McKinney, Building Inspections. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- Building Inspections (fraud alert), City of McKinney. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, tables B25003, B25007, B25034 and B25035, McKinney city, via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1301, Plumbers (sections 1301.051 and 1301.551), Texas Legislature. Accessed 2026-10-15.
- Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (license search), Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Accessed 2026-10-15.
Walk-In Shower Quotes is an information and referral service run by Strive LeadGen LLC. We may be paid by contractors when we connect a homeowner with one; that never changes what we publish. Found an error? Tell us. We review safety and legal reports within 2 business days and all others within 7 days.