Bathrooms · Services

Curbless Shower Installation in NJ

A zero-threshold shower: no curb, no step, the bathroom floor simply runs into the shower and slopes to the drain. We build them in North and Central New Jersey on the Schluter system, with the floor recessed so the slope is real and the water stays where it belongs.

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4.9 on Google · 51 reviewsNJ HIC reg. #13VH10766600Building in New Jersey since 2019

Curbless walk-in shower with a fixed glass panel, pebble floor, niche and grab bars

What a curbless shower is, and when it makes sense.

Also called a zero-threshold, zero-entry or barrier-free shower. It is the best-looking shower we build and the easiest one to walk into.

A standard shower has a curb, a raised threshold 3 to 6 inches high that keeps water in. A curbless shower removes it. To do that, the shower floor has to sit low enough that it can still slope a quarter inch per foot to the drain and land flush with the bathroom floor at the entrance. That means either recessing the subfloor between the joists or building the rest of the bathroom floor up, and a linear drain along one wall so the whole floor slopes one way.

It makes sense when you want one clean plane of tile, when someone in the house has or will have trouble stepping over a curb, or when a primary suite is getting a full remodel and the floor is open anyway. It makes less sense in a small hall bath with a wood floor system that cannot be lowered, or when the budget is tight: the floor work and the linear drain add cost over a curbed shower.

One honest limit: a curbless shower needs a large enough footprint, a fixed glass panel or a door that swings the right way, and a drain that can move as much water as the shower heads put out. We check all three at the visit before we price it.

When it works, and when we say no

Works well in primary suites and full remodels where the floor is already open and we can recess the joists or add a raised floor.
Needs a linear drain (Schluter KERDI-LINE) along the back or entrance wall so the floor slopes in one direction.
Needs a fixed glass panel or a door: with no curb, spray control comes from the glass, not the threshold.
On a slab (basements, ranches on grade) the floor has to be cut or built up, so we look before we price.
If the joists cannot be recessed and the ceiling below cannot be touched, we tell you at the visit and show you the low-curb alternative.

Close-up of a natural pebble shower floor meeting large-format porcelain with no curb

How we build a curbless shower.

The part you never see is the part that decides whether the floor stays dry ten years from now.

Recess the subfloor between the joists (or build up the surrounding floor) so the shower floor can slope a quarter inch per foot and still meet the bathroom floor flush.
Set the Schluter KERDI-LINE linear drain with its bonded flange, then the sloped pan, then KERDI membrane over the floor and up every wall to full tile height, continuous across every corner and change of plane.
Walls on KERDI-BOARD or cement board: cement board is not waterproof by itself, so the membrane goes over it, not behind it. Never plain drywall in the spray zone.
Water test before a single tile goes down. If it holds, we tile. If not, we fix it while it is still cheap.
Tile set in Schluter ALL-SET, the mortar that qualifies your shower for Schluter's longest warranty. Large-format or pebble floors, tight grout joints, silicone at every change of plane.
Grab bars, if you want them, go on solid blocking inside the wall now, while it is open, even if you only add the bars later.

How we waterproof every shower

What a curbless shower costs in NJ.

The floor work and the linear drain put a curbless shower above a standard shower rebuild. Size, tile format and how far the drain moves set the number.

Project	Labor only
Curbless shower, same footprintExisting tub or shower comes out, floor recessed, linear drain, Schluter system, tile and glass panel install.	$8,500 – $18,500
Hall bath with a curbless showerThe shower above plus new floor, vanity, toilet and lighting in a hall or guest bath.	$14,000 – $26,000
Primary suite with a curbless showerA larger shower with a bench, a double vanity, often a freestanding tub or a moved drain.	$23,000 – $50,000+

Labor only. Every number on this page is for our work: demolition and disposal, prep, Schluter waterproofing, installation and cleanup. You buy all the materials, including the tile, vanity, fixtures, glass, Schluter membrane and drain, cement board, ALL-SET mortar and grout, from the product list we give you. Permit fees, and anything we find behind the walls, are separate and priced in writing. These are the same ranges our online calculator uses; your real number comes in writing after the visit.

Price your bathroom in 60 seconds

Two curbless showers we finished.

Both on the Schluter system, both built to be used for decades.

Warren County, NJ · July 2026

Curbless walk-in shower with a pebble floor

No curb, a fixed glass panel, a natural pebble floor, grab bars and large-format tile under a skylight, with a green double vanity and matching linen cabinet.

Curbless primary bath with a freestanding tub and champagne bronze fixtures

Somerset County, NJ · June 2025

Curbless primary with a freestanding tub

A 1990s jetted-tub layout opened into a walk-in bathroom the owners can use for decades: curbless shower, soaking tub under the skylight, double vanity.

Google: 4.9 stars from 51 reviews
Bathrooms: 200+ remodeled
Showers: Every one built on the Schluter waterproofing system
Registered: NJ HIC reg. #13VH10766600

See the finished projects

How it works.

The same four steps on every job. Payments follow progress. See the ways to pay.

Step 1

Free 30-minute visit

We measure the room, look at what is behind the problem spots, and listen to what bugs you about it.

Step 2

A written scope

You get the scope in writing with a labor price broken out by phase, plus the product list you will buy from.

Step 3

One point of contact

One person runs your job from start to finish. When your town requires a permit, we file it and schedule the inspections.

Step 4

Final walkthrough

We walk the finished room together and fix anything on the list before the last payment.

Curbless shower questions.

Will water run out of a curbless shower?

Not when the floor is built right. The whole shower floor slopes a quarter inch per foot toward a linear drain, the entrance lands flush, and a fixed glass panel or door controls spray. We water-test the pan before tiling. Where the layout is tight, we may recommend a slight slope at the entrance or a longer glass panel.

Can any bathroom have a curbless shower?

Most can, but not all. The floor has to be recessed between the joists or the rest of the room built up, and on a concrete slab it has to be cut or raised. If the joists cannot be touched and the ceiling below is finished, we say so at the visit and show you a low-curb option instead.

Do you use a linear drain?

Yes on almost every curbless shower: a Schluter KERDI-LINE along one wall lets the floor slope in one direction with large-format tile. A center point drain works with mosaic or pebble floors and four-way slopes, and we use it where the room calls for it.

Is a curbless shower good for aging in place?

It is the single best change for it: no step, room for a shower seat, and blocking for grab bars built in while the walls are open. See our accessible bathroom page for the rest of the list.

Is the price labor only?

Yes, and we say it three times on purpose: every range here is labor only. You buy all materials, including the setting materials most people assume come with the job, such as the Schluter membrane and drain, cement board, ALL-SET mortar and grout. We give you a product list with quantities before the start date, and we walk you through the choices at the store if you want.

Do I need a permit?

Usually yes when the work touches plumbing, electrical or framing, which most shower projects do. We file the application with your town under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and schedule the inspections. A like-for-like cosmetic swap may not need one, and we tell you which case you are in at the visit.

Got it. We will call you.

Expect a call or text from (973) 577-9383 within one business day to set up your visit.