Yes, a fiberglass tub can usually be replaced in about 1 day, and Tubbs by Grubbs lists bathtub replacement at $14,000 to $25,000 installed. The time stretches to 1 to 2 days when the job turns into a shower conversion, and to 1 to 3 weeks when it becomes a full remodel. This page explains why the swap is quick, walks through the one day sequence, covers what can push it past a day, shows the published prices, and compares replacing with refinishing.
Yes, in most cases a fiberglass tub can be replaced in about 1 day with a one day system that swaps the tub and walls in the existing alcove. Tubbs by Grubbs publishes bathtub replacement at about 1 day and tub and shower combo replacement at about 1 day, with an acrylic tub and walls as the most common choice. The same cost index puts the typical installed range at $14,000 to $25,000 for bathtub replacement and $14,000 to $23,000 for a tub and shower combo.
The answer depends on the scope, not on the tub being pulled out. A straight swap in the same alcove stays near one day. Once the plan includes changing a tub to a walk in shower or a shower to a tub, the published timeline moves to 1 to 2 days. A traditional full remodel that changes the layout, flooring and vanity runs 1 to 3 weeks.
So the useful question for a homeowner is what the finished bathroom should look like. If you want the same footprint with a new tub, new walls and new fixtures, plan around one day. If you want a different layout or a tile finish, plan around several days or weeks.
What to do: before you book, ask for a written, itemized, fixed price that names the scope, and ask which published timeline row your job falls under. Measurements taken before the quote are the step that tells you which row you are in.
Fiberglass tubs come out fast because the one day system swaps a tub and wall set in the existing alcove instead of rebuilding the room. Tubbs by Grubbs publishes the one day bath system at as little as 1 day, against 1 to 3 weeks for a traditional full remodel, with low mess and no demolition mess compared with a room that is out of use.
The second reason is what goes on the walls. The published acrylic and tile comparison lists install time at 1 to 2 days for acrylic and solid surface and often 1 to 2 weeks for tile. Acrylic and solid surface wipe clean with no grout, while tile needs regular scrubbing and sealing. When the job is a tub and a wall set rather than tile work, the schedule is not built around a tile install.
The published tables do not break fiberglass out as its own timeline, so treat the fiberglass tub as the item coming out and the acrylic tub and wall set as what goes in. The speed comes from the system and the scope.
What to do: if speed matters most, choose the acrylic or solid surface wall option and keep the plan to the tub, walls and fixtures.
Acrylic and solid surface walls compared with tile walls
| Acrylic and solid surface | Tile | |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | Wipes clean, no grout | Regular scrubbing and sealing |
| Mold and mildew | Resists it, seamless surface | Grout lines can trap it |
| Install time | 1 to 2 days | Often 1 to 2 weeks |
| Upkeep over time | Very low | Ongoing sealing and regrouting |
Source: Tubbs by Grubbs published guide, acrylic versus tile shower
The usual sequence is one measurement visit before the work, then one install day in which the old tub comes out and the new tub, walls and fixtures go in. Tubbs by Grubbs describes the scope of the one day system as the tub or shower, walls and fixtures, with low mess and no demolition mess.
The order below is the typical pattern for a straight swap, and your installer may order the steps differently for your bathroom. Tubbs by Grubbs offers a free in home estimate, and its office at 402 Cypress St in West Monroe is within about 2 miles of every West Monroe estimate.
Because the room is not rebuilt, it is not out of use for weeks. The published comparison lists a traditional remodel at 1 to 3 weeks against as little as 1 day for the one day system.
What to do: clear the path to the bathroom, remove personal items from the tub area, and ask for the plan for your specific bathroom in writing before the install date.
A change of scope pushes a tub replacement past one day, such as moving plumbing, changing the layout or repairing damage found behind the old tub. Tubbs by Grubbs publishes tub to shower conversion, shower to tub conversion, shower remodel, glass enclosures and accessible showers at 1 to 2 days, while bathtub replacement and tub and shower combos are about 1 day. A tile finish adds more: tile install is often 1 to 2 weeks, and a bathroom remodel is 1 to 3 weeks.
Home age is the second thing to watch. Census ACS 5 year 2023 data puts the median West Monroe home at a 1976 build year, with 24.9 percent of homes built before 1960. For Monroe, the Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey shows 28.4 percent of homes in buildings put up before 1960, against 18.7 percent statewide, so many bathrooms there are original hall baths with a tub set into a wall alcove. That layout is the same one the one day system replaces, but older bathrooms are a reason to have the installer measure and look before quoting.
What to do: tell the estimator up front if you want a glass door, a seat, a deeper soaking tub or a tile look. Each belongs to a row that can run 1 to 2 days, and knowing it before the quote keeps the schedule honest.
One day bath system compared with a traditional full remodel
| One day bath system | Traditional full remodel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Tub or shower, walls, fixtures | Whole room, layout, flooring, vanity |
| Timeline | As little as 1 day | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Mess and downtime | Low, no demolition mess | Higher, room out of use |
| Typical range | $14,000 to $25,000 | $20,000 to $45,000 |
Source: Tubbs by Grubbs published guide, one day bath remodel versus traditional
Tubbs by Grubbs publishes bathtub replacement at $14,000 to $25,000 installed, and a standard acrylic tub and wall surround on a straight swap lands near $14,000 to $18,000. The table below shows the published ranges by option.
Three things move the price. The first is the tub itself: a soaking tub upgrade runs $16,000 to $22,000. The second is the wall finish: a tub with a tiled look surround runs $18,000 to $25,000. The third is the fixture and shower setup, which is why a tub and shower combo replacement runs $16,000 to $23,000.
For context, Census ACS 5 year 2023 puts the median home value in West Monroe at $174,400. A bathroom replacement is a real investment, so the written, itemized, fixed price matters more than any average. The published remodel table also shows where a larger project lands: a refresh of tub or shower, walls and fixtures runs $16,000 to $25,000, and a mid range full remodel runs $24,000 to $36,000.
What to do: ask the installer to price the straight swap first, then price each upgrade as its own line, so you can see exactly what a soaking tub or tiled look costs.
Published installed price ranges for bathtub replacement options
| Replacement option | Typical installed range |
|---|---|
| Acrylic tub and wall surround | $14,000 to $18,000 |
| Soaking tub upgrade | $16,000 to $22,000 |
| Tub with tiled look surround | $18,000 to $25,000 |
| Tub and shower combo replacement | $16,000 to $23,000 |
Source: Tubbs by Grubbs published bathtub replacement price table
Replace a fiberglass tub when you want new walls, new fixtures, easier care or a safer entry, and refinish it only when the tub is sound and you just want a fresh surface. Tubbs by Grubbs does not publish a refinish price, so the comparison below rests on what replacement includes: a new acrylic tub and wall surround at $14,000 to $18,000 on a straight swap, in about 1 day.
Replacement changes the whole tub area, not only the tub surface. The published guide describes acrylic and solid surface as wiping clean with no grout and very low upkeep over time. If you want a lower step, the walk in shower options are published at $14,000 to $25,000 and 1 to 2 days.
Access is a real reason to replace. Census ACS data shows that among West Monroe residents 65 and older, 28.7 percent report trouble walking or climbing stairs, above the statewide rate of 24.8 percent. A tub with a high wall is harder to step over for those households, and a replacement is the moment to change that.
What to do: if the tub is sound and you only want a new look, get any refinish quote in writing and compare it with the replacement range. If the walls, fixtures or entry also bother you, price a replacement.
Choose the installer who measures first, quotes in writing and gives a fixed price. Tubbs by Grubbs publishes a short checklist of good signs and red flags for any bath remodeler, shown below, and the same checklist applies to every bidder you invite.
Reviews are the second check. Tubbs by Grubbs shows a 4.4 rating on Google from 271 reviews, and its guide recommends reviews you can read by name and place rather than a bare star rating. Ask every bidder for the same.
On planning, ask three questions. Which published timeline row does my job fall under: about 1 day, 1 to 2 days, or 1 to 3 weeks? Does any permit apply to this scope in my city or parish? What does the warranty cover, in writing? The facts on this page do not set a code or permit requirement, so get that answer from the installer and your local building office.
If you are in West Monroe, the free in home estimate starts within about 2 miles of the office at 402 Cypress St. Call 318 239 7954 to schedule one.
What to look for when choosing a bath remodeler
| Good sign | Red flag |
|---|---|
| Written, itemized, fixed price | A verbal number that keeps changing |
| Own trained, insured installers | Whoever they can find that week |
| Written warranty on labor and products | No warranty, or only on the product |
| Takes measurements before quoting | Quotes sight unseen over the phone |
| No pressure to sign today | A price that is only good if you sign now |
Source: Tubbs by Grubbs published guide, how to choose a bath remodeler
Sources: Tubbs by Grubbs published bathtub replacement price table; Tubbs by Grubbs published cost index (project types and timelines); Tubbs by Grubbs published bathroom remodel price table; Tubbs by Grubbs published accessible showers price table; Tubbs by Grubbs published shower enclosures price table; Tubbs by Grubbs published guide, acrylic versus tile shower; Tubbs by Grubbs published guide, one day bath remodel versus traditional; Tubbs by Grubbs published guide, how to choose a bath remodeler; Census Bureau ACS 5 year 2023, West Monroe city; Census Bureau ACS 2023, Monroe city housing stock; Census Bureau ACS 5 year 2023, Lafayette city housing stock; Tubbs by Grubbs Google rating, 4.4 from 271 reviews.
Refinish only if the tub is sound and you just want a new surface; replace it if you want new walls, easier care or a safer entry, at $14,000 to $18,000 for a standard acrylic tub and wall surround. Replacement changes the tub, walls and fixtures in about 1 day, and the published guide lists acrylic and solid surface upkeep as very low. Refinishing only addresses the tub surface. If the walls, fixtures or tub height also bother you, replacement is the fuller fix. If you want a refinish quote, ask for it in writing so you can compare the two scopes on the same terms.
It may be, but confirm it at the in home visit: the published tables list bathtub replacement at about 1 day and $14,000 to $25,000 installed, with no separate cast iron timeline or price. The listing covers a tub and walls swap, with an acrylic tub and walls as the most common choice. Census figures show newer markets such as Lafayette, with 13.2 percent of homes built in 2010 or later, have mostly builder grade tub and shower combinations rather than cast iron. If you have an older cast iron tub, ask for a measurement visit and a written timeline for your bathroom before you book.
Yes, hard water matters, because a nonporous acrylic surface with no grout lines is easier to keep free of mineral film than tile and grout. Acrylic and solid surface wipe clean with no grout, resist mold and mildew with a seamless surface, and install in 1 to 2 days. Tile needs regular scrubbing and sealing, its grout lines can trap mildew, and it often takes 1 to 2 weeks. If water spotting concerns you, pick the surface with the fewest seams and ask your installer what cleaning products suit the finish you choose.
The old tub is removed as part of the replacement, which is priced at $14,000 to $25,000 installed, so confirm hauling and disposal on your written quote. The published facts do not say where the old tub goes or whether disposal is a separate line, so ask for that in the written, itemized, fixed price. A good quote lists removal and disposal by name, so you are not surprised on install day. Ask also who handles the work, since the published checklist favors trained, insured installers.
Yes, a tub and shower combo replacement keeps a tub while giving you a better shower, and it is published at $16,000 to $23,000 and about 1 day. Keeping your existing tub while upgrading only the shower is not a published service, so ask your estimator whether it is possible for your bathroom. If you want a different shower, the published options include a shower with seat and grab bars at $16,000 to $22,000 and a low threshold walk in shower at $14,000 to $19,000, both 1 to 2 days. Add a glass door and the semi frameless option runs $17,000 to $22,000.
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