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Why This Job Is Not Like Changing a Faucet

Everything about the cost and the timescale of shower valve work comes from one fact: the valve is inside a wall that somebody finished on purpose.

At a glance

Shower valve work is priced by access rather than by the valve. The body sits behind tile, board and sometimes a waterproofing membrane. If an access panel exists behind the shower the body can often be reached without touching the tile, which is worth establishing first.

ShowerValve is a referral service, not a contractor. We connect homeowners with independent contractors. Contractors are required to hold whatever credential their state or municipality demands, and valve work opening a wall is often a permitted alteration — ask to see the permit. We carry out no work, we sell no valves, we do not set prices, and we never charge homeowners anything — the contractors in our network pay us when we route them a call. The maximum water temperature is set by your local code, not by this website.

Access is the whole job

A basin faucet sits on top of something and can be reached from underneath. A shower valve is behind tile, board and sometimes a waterproofing membrane, plumbed into pipework that runs inside the structure.

So the first question on any valve replacement is how it is going to be reached, and the answer changes the price more than the valve does.

The access panel nobody looks for

Many installations have an access panel behind the shower — in a closet, a hallway, a bedroom wall or an adjoining room. If one exists, the body can often be worked on without touching the tile at all.

Look for it before the visit. It is the single most valuable thing a homeowner can establish in advance on this particular job.

When tile has to come out

If there is no panel, either one gets made on the back side or the tile comes out at the front. Both are legitimate and they have very different consequences for matching finishes afterwards.

Ask which is proposed, ask who makes good afterwards, and ask whether matching tile exists. That last question has ended more jobs than any plumbing consideration.

Permits and credentials

Work that opens a wall and alters pipework is often a permitted alteration, and requirements differ by municipality. Contractors are required to hold whatever credential their state or municipality demands — ask to see the permit rather than assuming there is one.

We do not vouch for any individual contractor and no page on this site says we do.

Ask whether it is the cartridge or the body.One is work through the trim, the other opens a wall, and the answer changes everything about the job. We will route you to somebody who covers your area, worked out from your ZIP code, and you are never charged. And if trouble elsewhere in the house needs attention, bring it up when you call.

Call (888) 752-7111