Shower & Bathroom Tile Installation in San Antonio
Walk-in showers, tub surrounds, niches, benches and bathroom floors, waterproofed to a real system and tiled straight. The part you see is the last 10 percent of the job.
How much does it cost to tile a shower in San Antonio?
Tiling a shower in San Antonio runs from about $2,700 for a standard tub surround to $5,000 or more for a large walk-in with a mud pan, niche and bench, including waterproofing. A single accent wall can be under $1,000. QualBuild Stone & Tile quotes every shower in writing after seeing the space.
Showers That Stay Dry Behind the Tile
A shower is the wettest room in a San Antonio house and the one place tile failure gets expensive, because the damage happens behind the wall. We build every shower on a manufacturer waterproofing system: a pre-sloped pan, sheet membrane or liquid-applied waterproofing over cement board or foam board, sealed corners and a drain that is bonded to the membrane, then the tile.
From there it is layout and craft: large-format porcelain with leveling clips, subway and zellige in running bond or herringbone, mosaic floors with the right slope to the drain, recessed niches, benches, curbless entries for accessibility and matching tub surrounds. We also tile bathroom floors, wainscot and vanity walls so the whole room reads as one design.
- ✓Walk-in and curbless showers with linear or center drains
- ✓Tub-to-shower conversions and tub surrounds
- ✓Niches, benches, half walls and pony walls
- ✓Mosaic, hexagon and pebble shower floors
- ✓Bathroom floor tile and wainscot to match
Waterproofing Is the Job, Tile Is the Finish
Cement board alone is not waterproof. Every shower we build gets a continuous waterproofing layer, sealed at the seams, corners, curb and drain, and where the design calls for it we flood test before tile.
- Pre-sloped pan or foam shower base bonded to the drain
- Sheet membrane (Schluter-type) or liquid-applied waterproofing
- Corners, curb and niche sealed with banding and sealant
- Flood test on custom pans before tiling
- Silicone at every change of plane, never grout
What a Shower Tile Quote Includes
Our shower quotes are itemized so you can compare like for like. A typical quote covers:
- ✓Demo of the old tile, backer and pan, with haul-away
- ✓Substrate: cement board or foam board, pre-slope and pan
- ✓Waterproofing system and flood test
- ✓Tile, thinset, grout, trim and sealant
- ✓Niche, bench and curb build-out
- ✓Grout, caulk, sealing of stone, final clean
What Shower Tile Costs in San Antonio
Typical 2026 ranges, installed, including waterproofing.
Standard tub surround
$2,700 to $3,800Three walls to the ceiling in ceramic or porcelain, with a niche.
Walk-in shower
$3,800 to $5,000+Pan, walls, niche and bench, larger with a curbless entry or full-height stone.
Bathroom floor
$8 to $18 per sq ftPorcelain, mosaic or stone, laid over a levelled slab.
Ranges are 2026 Greater San Antonio figures for planning only (San Antonio labor runs about 14 percent under the national average). Your written quote is itemized after we see the space.
Prep First, Then the Pretty Part
Level, Flat, Square
We prep the substrate first: self-leveling over slab dips, backer board or foam board on walls, and layout lines before a single tile is set.
Waterproofing That Lasts
Showers get a proper waterproofing system (sheet membrane or liquid-applied) and a pre-slope, not just cement board and hope.
Clean Cuts & Straight Grout
Wet-saw cuts, consistent joints, leveling clips on large-format tile and grout matched to the design.
Written Quote First
Materials, labor, demo and haul-away itemized before we start, so the number does not move once the old tile is out.
Your Project in 4 Steps
Free Estimate
Send photos and rough dimensions or book a walkthrough; you get a written quote within a business day.
Layout & Materials
We confirm tile, pattern, grout color, trims and niches, and check the substrate and waterproofing plan.
Prep & Set
Demo, leveling, backer board or membrane, then tile set to layout lines with clips and spacers.
Grout, Seal, Walkthrough
Grout, caulk at changes of plane, seal stone, clean up and a walkthrough before final payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
A tub surround takes 3 to 5 working days; a walk-in with a custom pan, niche and bench takes 5 to 8. Waterproofing and thinset need cure time, so we schedule in phases and tell you when the shower can be used.
No. Waterproofing is part of every shower we build and is itemized on the quote. We use sheet or liquid-applied systems from established manufacturers, matched to the pan and drain.
Yes. On a slab we recess the pan area or use a low-profile foam pan with a linear drain so the floor slopes to the drain without a curb. It takes planning around the existing plumbing, which we check at the estimate.
Yes, with the right prep. Large-format and 24 by 48 porcelain need a very flat wall and leveling clips; the reward is fewer grout lines and easier cleaning. Shower floors use smaller mosaic tile so they can slope to the drain.
We coordinate with a licensed plumber for valve, drain and fixture changes so the rough-in is finished before waterproofing. That work is quoted separately so you see it.
We tile bathroom floors, wainscot and vanity walls in the same visit, and can pair the shower with a matching floor so the room reads as one design.
Related Tile & Stone Services
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Porcelain, ceramic and wood-look plank tile laid flat and lippage-free over slab foundations.
Tile floors →
Kitchen Backsplashes
Subway, herringbone, zellige and mosaic backsplashes cut clean around outlets and windows.
Backsplashes →
Natural Stone
Travertine, marble, limestone, slate and granite, set and sealed for Texas homes.
Natural stone →Request Your Free Estimate
Tell us about the project and we will get right back to you with a clear, written quote.