Bathtub replacement in Fort Collins: pick the tub, then the walls
The tub is usually the smallest part of the bill. Fixr prices a plain 60 inch alcove tub at $300 to $1,000 for the tub alone; the cost of replacing it is in removing the old one, repairing what was under it and finishing the walls around the new one. That is why Fixr's average job lands near $6,000.
| Type | Typical installed cost | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Alcove | $450 to $1,400 | Three walls; the standard 60 inch hall-bath tub |
| Tub and shower combo | $950 to $2,400 | Tub with a molded shower surround |
| Drop-in | $900 to $5,000 | Set into a tiled deck or platform |
| Corner | $1,400 to $8,000 | Fits a corner; often a larger soaker |
| Freestanding or clawfoot | $1,200 to $10,000 | Needs floor space and a floor or wall filler |
| Soaking | $1,400 to $12,000 | Deeper water line |
| Whirlpool or air bath | $7,000 to $15,000 | Jets or air, plus a circuit |
Source: Fixr bathtub installation and replacement guide (updated August 29, 2025, national); type prices include installation. Fixr puts labor at 20 to 50 percent of a bathtub job ($1,200 to $3,000 on an average one); removal $200 to $1,200; plumbing changes $200 to $500; surrounds $400 to $24,000 or more. Quotes vary by home.
What happens to the walls
An alcove tub is set before the wall tile: its flange tucks behind the backer board and the first row of tile. Taking it out almost always means removing that row, so most replacements either patch the bottom of the surround or replace it. A new surround can be tile, solid-surface panels or a one-piece acrylic wall kit. If the existing tile is sound and you have spares, a patch works; if not, the surround and the tub go together.
- Chips or rust spots in an enameled steel or cast-iron tub's finish.
- Flex or cracking in a fiberglass tub floor, often from a void underneath.
- Caulk that won't stay sealed where the tub meets the wall.
- A slow drain or a leaking overflow that has stained the ceiling below.
Freestanding tubs
A freestanding or clawfoot tub needs room on at least the faucet side for cleaning and a filler that comes up through the floor or out of the wall. A floor-mounted filler means new supply lines under the floor, which in Fort Collins is pipe work and therefore a permitted job. They suit a primary bathroom remodel more often than a hall bath.
Permits for a tub replacement in Fort Collins
A like-for-like swap is exempt: the City lets you repair, maintain or replace a tub as long as no valves or pipes are replaced or rearranged. Upgrading to a pressure-balancing valve, moving the drain for a different tub, or plumbing a freestanding filler changes that. The Fort Collins bathroom and kitchen permit guide has the fee table. In a house built before 1978, cutting painted drywall or trim around the tub brings in the EPA's lead rule; the lead paint and asbestos guide explains when.
If the tub is still sound but ugly, compare an acrylic system on the one-day bath remodel page. If nobody uses it, a tub to shower conversion may make more sense, and for getting in and out safely there is walk-in tub installation. The whole room is covered on bathroom remodeling in Fort Collins.
