Ada County, Idaho
Shower remodeling in Boise, Idaho
Idaho's largest city and the widest range of shower conditions in the valley, from 1910s North End bathrooms to hillside and Southeast Boise construction.
Short answer
Boise shower projects vary more than anywhere else in the valley because the housing does. In the North End and East End, showers are usually squeezed into small original bathrooms that have been remodeled once or twice already, often over an unknown substrate. In the Bench and Vista neighborhoods, mid-century alcove tubs with fiberglass surrounds are the norm. Newer Southeast Boise and Harris Ranch homes typically need a layout and finish upgrade rather than a rescue.
- Idaho contractor registration RCE-57919
- $5,000,000 liability insurance
- 1 year workmanship warranty
- 26 customer reviews
The housing we work in around Boise
- North End and East End homes from the 1900s-1930s, where the bathroom was often added into a former closet or hallway and the shower footprint is genuinely tight.
- Bench and Vista ranch homes from the 1950s-1960s with 60-inch alcove tubs, fiberglass surrounds and original cast-iron drain lines.
- 1970s-1990s Southeast and West Boise subdivisions with fiberglass one-piece units that are now brittle and stained at the pan.
- Recent Harris Ranch, Barber Valley and foothills construction where the layout works and the goal is a larger, better-detailed wet area.
What Boise showers usually need
- In pre-war homes we plan for surprises behind the tile — previous remodels of unknown quality, and occasionally a mortar-bed shower with no membrane at all.
- One-piece fiberglass units cannot be removed intact through a standard door, so they are cut out in sections; that is normal and does not mean extra demolition.
- Second-story and above-garage bathrooms are common in the foothills, so drain relocation depends on joist direction and on where we can get access below.
- Older homes on the Bench frequently have galvanized or cast-iron drains at the shower; replacing that stub while the wall is open is far cheaper than doing it later.
Permits and water in Boise
Permitting
City of Boise Planning and Development Services
Permit and inspection requirements for shower work are set by the local building authority and change over time. Plumbing changes, drain relocation and electrical work commonly require a permit; a like-for-like surface replacement often does not. We confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before scheduling, and we pull the permits our scope requires. For Boise addresses, that is the City of Boise Planning and Development Services.
Water and glass
Boise's water is drawn largely from groundwater and is on the hard side, so mineral film on glass and tile is a cleaning routine rather than a defect. A squeegee and a non-acidic cleaner matter more here than any sealer.
Parts of Boise we work in often
- North End
- East End
- Boise Bench
- Vista
- Southeast Boise
- West Boise
- Harris Ranch and Barber Valley
Shower services available in Boise
- Shower Remodeling in BoiseBoise has the widest range of shower conditions in the valley, so a Boise shower remodel is scoped rather than templated. A 1910s North End bathroom and a Harris Ranch master are the same service and almost nothing else in common.
- Tub-to-Shower Conversions in BoiseTub-to-shower conversions are the most common single project we do in Boise, because so much of the housing stock is a 60-inch alcove tub that the household has stopped using. Inside an existing alcove, the drain usually stays put, which makes it the most predictable way into a real shower.
- Walk-In Showers in BoiseWalk-in showers in Boise divide by neighbourhood: in older homes the constraint is floor space, and in the foothills it is floor structure. Both are solvable, but the honest answer about a curbless entry comes after we have looked underneath.
- Shower Waterproofing in BoiseBoise is where we find the most genuinely failed showers in the valley, because much of the housing is old enough that the original waterproofing has aged out and been tiled over at least once. When we open a Boise shower, we expect to find a previous remodel rather than original construction.
- Shower Tile Installation in BoiseTile work in Boise has to suit the house. A stacked large-format layout that looks right in a Harris Ranch master looks wrong in a 1920s bungalow, and it also exposes every out-of-square wall in a pre-war bathroom.
Shower projects in and near Boise
Shower remodeling in Boise — questions
- Do you work in older North End bathrooms?
- Yes, and we scope them differently. Small footprints, previous remodels and unknown substrate mean we plan for framing repair and confirm the layout on site before ordering materials.
- Does a shower remodel in Boise need a permit?
- It depends on the work. Moving a drain, changing supply lines or altering electrical typically requires a permit and inspection from City of Boise Planning and Development Services. We confirm before scheduling and pull what the scope requires.
- Can you convert a tub to a shower in a second-floor Boise bathroom?
- Usually yes. The drain has to move, so the feasible options depend on joist direction and access below. We check that during the walkthrough rather than assuming it.
Related shower services
Shower Remodeling
Replacing a tired, leaking or dated shower with a new wet area built on a complete waterproofing system.
Read about shower remodelsTub-to-Shower Conversions
Removing a tub nobody uses and rebuilding the space as a full-size, properly drained shower.
Read about tub-to-showerShower Waterproofing
The membrane, pan and detailing work that decides whether a shower lasts five years or thirty.
Read about waterproofing
Other Treasure Valley cities
Get a shower estimate in Boise
Tell us what the room is doing today and what you want instead. We follow up to arrange a walkthrough and a written estimate.