A shower remodel in Fort Pierce usually starts with something you can see: loose tile, dark grout, a soft wall or a stain on the room next door. We tear the old shower out to the framing or block, set a waterproof membrane behind the new walls and base, and finish with tile or stone. It sits at the center of our bathroom remodeling in Fort Pierce services.
A tub-to-shower conversion swaps a tub for a walk-in shower, and stone shower walls trade grout-heavy tile for large panels. Valves, drains and supply lines fall under licensed plumbing rules in Florida; where your plan touches them, we explain at the estimate what is involved and how that portion is handled.
Part of our bathroom remodeling in Fort Pierce services.
What's Included
A shower remodel with us is a rebuild from the framing out, because that is where most failed showers went wrong. It begins with an inspection: we tap the tile for hollow spots, press on the wall beside the valve, look closely at the curb and base, and check the room on the other side for stains. Demolition follows with the vanity, floor and hallway covered, and before anything new goes up we show you what the old walls were hiding. Damaged backer board is replaced, the base is sloped toward the drain and one continuous membrane wraps the walls, base, curb and any niche or bench. Only then do tile or stone panels go on, with grout in the field and flexible sealant in the corners. Valve, drain and supply-line changes count as licensed plumbing, so the estimate lists them on their own lines and says how that part is handled.
- An inspection of the existing shower: grout, tile, curb, base and the wall around the valve
- Demolition of tile, backer, base and curb as needed, with floors and the vanity protected
- Replacement of damaged backer board, and a clear report on anything structural or plumbing-related we uncover
- A continuous waterproof membrane over the walls, base and curb, with niches and benches wrapped
- New tile or slab walls, a sloped shower floor and flexible sealant at the joints
What's Behind a Failed Shower in an Older Block Home?
When an original shower in a 1970s or 80s Treasure Coast house is opened up, the cause tends to be one of a short list:
- Tile set on drywall or green board instead of cement backer, which softens once water gets past the grout
- An aging shower pan under a mortar floor, its liner split or pulled loose at the drain
- A window inside the shower, common in older ranch layouts, letting water in at the sill and frame
- Caulk gone hard at the tub deck or curb, the gap water uses to reach the wall cavity
- A shower on an exterior block wall, where moisture trapped against the masonry is slow to dry
Each one changes the rebuild a little. We point out which ones apply before demolition, so the estimate already allows for them instead of growing halfway through.
Why Do Showers Fail in Humid Florida Bathrooms?
Most failing showers share a story: water got past the tile and had nowhere to go, often because an old membrane cracked or the wall was plain drywall. Signs to watch for:
- Grout that stays dark or crumbles, especially low on the walls and in corners
- Tiles that sound hollow or move when tapped
- A soft or bulging wall beside the valve
- A musty smell that returns soon after cleaning
- Water stains on the baseboard outside the curb
The local climate makes it worse. The Bestplaces climate profile for ZIP 34945 puts yearly rainfall at 54.7 inches, well above the national figure, and in air that humid a wet wall cavity dries slowly. Many Fort Pierce homes also date from the 1970s and 80s, so their original showers are decades old.
Tile Shower Remodel, Layer by Layer
- Framing or block checked and dried; damaged studs or pipes flagged before anything is covered
- Cement backer board on the walls, fastened and taped at the seams
- A base sloped so water heads to the drain
- The membrane over walls, base and curb, lapped at every seam and corner and sealed around the valve and drain openings
- Tile or stone set over the membrane, then grouted
- Flexible sealant in the corners and along the base of each wall
The membrane is what keeps water out of the wall; tile and grout are the finish. That is why we do not tile over a failed shower, since fresh grout over a wet wall only hides the problem for a while.
Which Custom Shower Features Are Worth Adding?
- Recessed niche: framed into an interior wall and sloped so water runs out; on exterior block walls, niches are harder to recess
- Bench: a built-in seat with a stone top tilted slightly toward the drain
- Low curb or curbless entry: a lower step-in is usually simple, while a true curbless entry on a slab floor means lowering the concrete at the shower
- Blocking for grab bars, added while the walls are open
- Glass: a fixed panel or hinged door, measured once the walls are finished
- A handheld or second showerhead, which means changing the valve and supply lines under plumbing rules
Features cost less when planned before demolition, so bring your wish list to the estimate.
Talk to the shop before you buy a slab.
Free in-home estimates · Mon–Fri 7:00–4:30 · weekend estimates by appointment
How the Job Runs, Step by Step
- Describe the problem. Call and tell us what you are seeing: loose tile, a leak, stains or simply a dated shower.
- Inspection visit. We tap the tile for hollow spots, check the curb and the wall around the valve, and measure.
- Written plan and price. The scope covers demolition, waterproofing, finishes and what the plan triggers on plumbing and permits.
- Tear-out. The old shower comes out with the room protected, and we show you what is behind the walls before rebuilding.
- Rebuild. Backer, sloped base and membrane, then tile or stone and grout.
- Finish and walk-through. Joints are sealed, the room is cleaned and we go over the cleaning and ventilation habits that keep the shower dry.
Questions about shower remodeling? Call the shop.
Free in-home estimates · Mon–Fri 7:00–4:30 · weekend estimates by appointment
What Affects the Price
Shower remodels are quoted in writing after an inspection, and if tear-out reveals damage, we update the scope in writing before going further. We would rather change the paperwork than surprise you on the final bill. Cost drivers:
- Shower size and whether the base, curb and walls all come out
- Damage behind the old tile: wet backer, framing or subfloor
- Wall finish: ceramic, porcelain, natural stone tile or slab panels
- Niches, benches, curb height or a curbless entry
- Plumbing changes to the valve, drain or heads
- The glass enclosure
- Wall height, since tile run to the ceiling uses more material than stopping at the showerhead
- A window in the shower wall that needs new flashing and a stone sill
- What comes out: a fiberglass surround is quicker to remove than tile set in a thick mortar bed
- An exhaust fan replaced in the same project, which an electrician handles
Shower Rebuild Permits and Licensed Plumbing in Florida
Tile and stone walls are not a state-licensed trade under DBPR rules, but the plumbing inside a shower wall is. Replacing a valve, moving a drain or adding a second head falls to a licensed plumber and usually a plumbing permit.
Inside Fort Pierce city limits, that plumbing permit is issued apart from any building permit (City of Fort Pierce); addresses in Fort Pierce North, White City or Indian River Estates go through St. Lucie County instead. A rebuild that reuses the valve and drain in place may need less, so we confirm the office for your parcel at the estimate. Condo owners on the island should expect the association to ask how the floor is waterproofed over the unit below.
Why VD Quality Design for Shower Remodeling
- We show you what is behind the old tile before rebuilding, so repair decisions are made together
- As a stone fabricator, we can cut a curb cap, bench top or niche shelf to match the walls
- Google reviewers mention a crew that cleans up after itself and takes care of the house
- Free in-home estimates, including weekend appointments on request, paid at the end by cash, check, Zelle or card
- Rated A+ by the BBB and 4.9 stars on Google across 31 reviews, from a family shop on Metzger Rd where Victor does the measuring
Reviews From Shower Remodeling Customers
V.D Quality Design Granite & Marble holds a 4.9-star average from 31 Google reviews (checked November 2026).
“They had a impossible deadline to reach And they delivered even if they had to work till 2AM. Unmatched dedication and excellent quality work. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for slab work. I’m grateful that even after the work was completed and we paid them in full the were back for small adjustments and kept their word and warranty.”
“Excellent service and excellent neat clean work. Victor is very friendly help you with every way he can. And he does extra stuff for you when he sees it’s needed without asking. His daughter is very very helpful. Great family”
Where We Install Shower Remodeling
Original showers in the older block homes of Fort Pierce and White City, and in the 1970s–90s houses of Indian River Estates, are the ones most likely to need a full rebuild. We also redo condo showers on Hutchinson Island South, where a leak can reach the unit below.
- Fort Pierce: Older city block homes often have original showers with tile set over drywall that has softened.
- White City: Older ranch homes may have a window inside the shower, which we check closely at the sill.
- Indian River Estates: 1970s–90s homes between Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie are reaching the age when original pans give out.
- Hutchinson Island South: A condo shower leak travels to the unit below, so the membrane and drain seal get extra attention.
- North River Shores: 1960s–80s canal-front ranch homes often have decades-old showers ready for a rebuild.
- St. Lucie Village: Older custom homes along the lagoon may hide aging mortar shower pans worth checking.
- Gifford: Modest older homes north of Vero Beach often need a full tear-out rather than one more regrout.
- Florida Ridge: Subdivisions along US-1 include many hall showers still on their first tile.
Shower Remodeling FAQs
Can you fix a leaking shower without a full remodel?
Sometimes the leak is not the shower body at all: a dripping valve or a failed seal around the door can be fixed on its own, often by a plumber or with new caulk, and we will tell you so. When water is getting through the tile into the wall or under the base, regrouting rarely holds. Then the dependable fix is tearing out and rebuilding with a membrane, which is the work we do.
What waterproofing do you use behind the walls?
A waterproof membrane applied over cement backer board on the walls and over the sloped base and curb, lapped at seams and corners and sealed at the valve and drain openings. The specific product goes on your written estimate, and you are welcome to see the membrane before any tile covers it. The membrane, not the tile or grout, is what keeps water out of the wall.
How long is the shower out of use?
From tear-out until the grout and sealants have cured, so plan on using another bathroom for the whole project. The length depends on shower size, whether hidden damage turns up, any plumbing inspection and the wall material, since slab panels go up faster than small tile. The written estimate shows the expected sequence, and we tell you the day you can shower again.
Can a shower be made curbless?
Often, but it takes more work on a slab-on-grade Florida house than people expect. Water still has to fall toward the drain, so the shower area must sit lower than the bathroom floor, which means recessing the concrete there or raising the floor around it. That involves the drain and sometimes a structural review. A low-threshold curb gives most of the benefit with far less disruption.
Do you remove fiberglass shower surrounds?
Yes. One-piece and multi-panel fiberglass or acrylic surrounds come out in sections, and the wall behind them is often bare studs or drywall that has to be replaced with backer board before the membrane and tile go on. It is also a good moment to check the wall around the valve for signs of an old leak.
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Bathroom remodeling in Fort Pierce: stone vanity tops, shower walls, tub-to-shower conversions and new flooring from one crew.
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Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Tub-to-shower conversions in Fort Pierce: the tub comes out and a low-threshold walk-in shower with stone or tile walls goes in.
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Stone Shower Walls
Slab shower walls, benches and niches in Fort Pierce: marble, quartz or porcelain panels with far fewer grout lines than tile.
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