The quick answer: You do not need a new walk-in tub to stop climbing over a tub wall. There are four alternatives: grab bars and a shower seat, a walk-in tub conversion that fits a watertight door into the tub you already have ($2,400 to $5,700 CAD, usually one day), a tub-to-shower conversion ($13,000 to $15,000 CAD, 1 to 3 days), and a complete bathroom renovation (from $20,000 CAD, about a week). A new walk-in therapeutic tub runs $27,000 to $30,000 CAD plus tax.
By the Bytown Bath team. Last reviewed: October 2026. Prices are Bytown Better Bathtubs and Showers prices in Ottawa for 2026.
Most people start looking at walk-in tubs for one reason: the tub wall has become hard or risky to step over. A walk-in tub solves that, but it is a made-to-order unit, and it changes how a bath works. You sit inside while it fills, and you wait for it to drain before you can open the door. For many homes a smaller change does the job. This guide sets out the four alternatives, what each one costs and how long each one takes.
Walk-In Tub Alternatives Compared: Cost, Time and When to Choose Each
| Alternative | What changes | Price with Bytown, 2026 | Time on site | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grab bars and a shower seat | Support is added where you step in, sit and stand. The tub or shower stays as it is. | Quoted in writing after the in-home visit | Fitted during a conversion or renovation | Balance is the concern and stepping over the tub wall is still manageable. |
| Walk-in tub conversion | A watertight step-in door is fitted into the tub you already have. The tub and the tiling around it stay. | $2,400 to $5,700 CAD | Usually one day | You still want to bathe and the only real problem is the climb over the wall. |
| Tub-to-shower conversion | The tub comes out, the wall cavity is re-waterproofed and a low-threshold shower goes in. | $13,000 to $15,000 CAD | 1 to 3 days | Nobody in the house bathes any more, or a rollator or wheelchair needs roll-in access. |
| Complete bathroom renovation | The whole room is rebuilt, not only the bathing area. | From $20,000 CAD | About a week | The room itself is the problem, for example it is too tight to move around in with a walker. |
Why Look for an Alternative to a Walk-In Tub?
There are three practical reasons.
- The price. A new walk-in therapeutic tub is a made-to-order American Standard unit at $27,000 to $30,000 CAD plus tax.
- The routine. The door has to stay sealed while the tub is full, so you get in, close the door, and then fill it. When you are done, you drain it before you get out. Modern fast drains cut that wait to two or three minutes, but it is still a wait.
- The fit. A walk-in tub is built for people who want to soak. If the person mostly showers, a tub of any kind is the wrong fixture.
1. Grab Bars and a Shower Seat
This is the smallest change, and often the first one worth making. Grab bars give support for sitting, standing and keeping balance, and a seat gives a safe place to sit while bathing. They have to be anchored into solid framing, not into tile or drywall anchors, which is easiest to do while the wall is open during a conversion or renovation.
Our guide to bathroom safety equipment covers grab bars and non-slip surfaces, and bathroom safety for aging parents gives the mounting heights.
2. Walk-In Tub Conversion
A watertight door is cut into the tub you already own and a sealed step-in insert is fitted. The tub stays, the tiling around it stays, and the job usually takes one day. A walk-in tub conversion costs $2,400 to $5,700 CAD, depending on the existing tub and the insert chosen.
It solves one problem: climbing over the tub wall. It does not turn the tub into a shower. You may also see it called a tub cut-out, which is the same job. Our comparison of walk-thru and walk-in tubs goes through the differences.
3. Tub-to-Shower Conversion
If nobody in the house takes baths, the tub itself is the obstacle. A tub-to-shower conversion removes it, re-waterproofs the wall cavity and installs a low-threshold shower. With Bytown it runs $13,000 to $15,000 CAD and takes 1 to 3 days on site.
A shower is also the better choice when someone uses a rollator or a wheelchair and needs roll-in access. A curbless shower removes the step completely.
4. Complete Bathroom Renovation
Sometimes the tub is only part of the problem. If the room is too tight to move around in with a walker, changing the tub will not fix it. A complete bathroom renovation with Bytown starts at $20,000 CAD and takes about a week. Our guide to wheelchair-accessible bathroom dimensions sets out the clearances to plan for.
When a Walk-In Tub Is Still the Right Choice
If warm-water soaking is part of how someone manages arthritis or chronic pain, none of the alternatives replaces it. A walk-in therapeutic tub keeps the bath and adds a sealed door, a heated chair-height seat and hydrotherapy jets. With Bytown it is a made-to-order American Standard unit at $27,000 to $30,000 CAD plus tax, and most installations finish in 1 to 5 days.
How to Choose
- The person still wants to bathe: a walk-in tub conversion keeps the bath and removes the climb.
- Soaking is part of managing pain: a walk-in therapeutic tub.
- The person showers: a tub-to-shower conversion.
- A walker or wheelchair is involved: a shower with roll-in access, or a complete renovation if the room is tight.
- Balance is the only concern: grab bars and a seat.
Who Pays for It?
Some of this work may qualify for the federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit, and some insurance and benefit plans contribute in specific cases. Our guides to the Home Accessibility Tax Credit and to whether walk-in tubs are covered by insurance set out what applies. Financing is also available, and our financing guide explains how it works.
Walk-In Tub Alternatives: Your Questions, Answered
What is the cheapest alternative to a walk-in tub?
Grab bars and a seat cost the least, but they do not remove the tub wall. The cheapest change that does is a walk-in tub conversion: a watertight step-in door is fitted into the tub you already have for $2,400 to $5,700 CAD, usually in one day. A new walk-in therapeutic tub runs $27,000 to $30,000 CAD plus tax.
Can my existing tub be turned into a walk-in tub?
Yes, that is what a walk-in tub conversion is. A low, sealed doorway is cut into the tub you already own, and the tub and the tiling around it stay in place. It depends on the existing tub, which is checked at the in-home visit.
Is a walk-in shower safer than a walk-in tub?
It depends on how the person bathes. A shower with a low or level threshold has no door to seal and no wait to fill or drain, and it suits a rollator or wheelchair. A walk-in tub suits someone who wants to soak. Our guide to walk-in tubs for seniors compares the two in more detail.
How long does each option take?
A walk-in tub conversion usually takes one day. A tub-to-shower conversion takes 1 to 3 days on site. A complete bathroom renovation takes about a week. A walk-in therapeutic tub is made to order, and most installations finish in 1 to 5 days.
Do I have to replace the whole bathroom to make it accessible?
No. A walk-in tub conversion or a tub-to-shower conversion changes only the bathing area. A complete renovation is worth it when the room itself is the problem, for example when it is too tight to move around in with a walker.
Where does Bytown do this work?
Bytown Better Bathtubs and Showers is based at 3894 Russell Rd in Ottawa and works across Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orleans, Gloucester, Stittsville and Gatineau, among other nearby communities.
Talk to Bytown Better Bathtubs and Showers
Bytown Better Bathtubs and Showers is an Ottawa bathroom renovation company at 3894 Russell Rd, rated 4.8 on Google. We do bathrooms only, on a fixed written quote with a written warranty. Call (613) 746-8055 for a free in-home estimate, or see our pricing guide.
