Phoenix · Glendale · Tempe · the West and East Valley
Roll-in showers in Phoenix, built for wheels and walkers
A roll-in shower has no curb to step over, so you can roll a shower wheelchair in or walk in with a walker. Here is how one fits a Phoenix bathroom, what it costs, what needs a permit, and who can help pay.
- Since 2012
- Installed in as little as one day
- Install or supply-only, statewide
Direct answer: A roll-in shower is a curbless shower, at least 30 by 60 inches under the ADA Standards, that a wheelchair can roll into. In Phoenix it usually replaces the tub alcove. Walk In Tubs Arizona, an Aging Safely Baths company, installs them across the Valley; most installed projects run $15,000 to just under $20,000. Call 1-888-779-2284.
The basics
What exactly is a roll-in shower?
A roll-in shower is a shower with no curb, or with a threshold so low that a wheelchair rolls over it. The floor slopes gently to a drain, and the shower is deep enough for a person seated in a shower chair, plus room for a caregiver to help. The federal 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design give the most widely used measurements. Private homes are not required to follow them, but they are a sound reference when someone in the house uses a wheelchair or may in the future.
| Shower type | ADA inside size | Entry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard roll-in (608.2.2) | 30 in wide x 60 in deep, minimum | 60 in wide, threshold ½ in max | Rolling in on a shower wheelchair; fits most tub alcoves |
| Alternate roll-in (608.2.3) | 36 in wide x 60 in deep, minimum | 36 in wide at one end of the long side | More room for a caregiver; needs a wider space |
| Transfer (608.2.1) | 36 in x 36 in | 36 in wide | People who slide from a wheelchair onto a seat |
| Low-threshold walk-in (not an ADA type) | Varies by kit | A small step, often 1 to 4 in | Walkers and canes, not wheelchairs |
Source: 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, sections 608.2.1, 608.2.2, 608.2.3 and 608.7, U.S. Access Board, checked October 22, 2026. Low-threshold heights vary by manufacturer and are not set by the ADA.
Our parent company's roll-in shower dimensions guide goes deeper on seat, grab bar and control placement.
Your bathroom
How does a roll-in shower fit a Phoenix bathroom?
In most Phoenix homes, the roll-in shower goes where the tub is now. A typical tub alcove is about 60 inches long, which lines up with the 60-inch side of a standard or alternate roll-in pan. The part that takes planning is the floor. A curbless shower needs its floor to slope to the drain while the bathroom floor outside stays level with it, and the drain often has to move from the end of the old tub to the middle or the entry of the new shower.
If your house sits on a concrete slab, moving the drain means cutting and patching concrete. That is routine work for an experienced crew, but it adds time and usually means a plumbing permit. Where cutting the slab is not practical, a low-profile pan with a beveled entry, or a trench drain across the entrance, gives a nearly flat entry with less demolition. We look at your photos and tell you which approach fits before you commit.
- Measure the tub alcove: length, width, and the height of the tile walls
- Measure the bathroom door, fully open, and any hallway turns
- Photograph the toilet and vanity, since a wheelchair needs room to turn
- Note whether anyone uses a shower wheelchair now, or may later
Permits
Do you need a City of Phoenix permit for a roll-in shower?
Often, yes. The City of Phoenix's homeowner guide to residential permits, which the city still links from its residential additions and remodels page, lists "Replace existing plumbing fixtures" among items that do not need a permit. It lists "Sinks, toilets or tubs to be added or relocated," "Electrical updates/rewires" and "Wall removal and/or relocation" among items that do. A roll-in conversion that moves the drain, adds a heated-seat or fan circuit, or opens a wall falls on the permit side.
The city also says minor work may qualify for an over-the-counter permit. Your installer should hold an Arizona ROC license and pull the permit for you. Our Arizona bathroom permit guide has a checklist you can use with any contractor, and our ROC license guide shows how to look one up.
Source: City of Phoenix, Home Owner's Guide to Residential Permits (TRT/DOC/00576R), checked October 22, 2026. The brochure is dated October 2011, so confirm current rules with Phoenix Planning and Development at 602-262-7811.
Price
How much does a roll-in shower cost in Phoenix?
There are two ways to buy one, and the numbers are very different because one includes the labor and the other does not.
| How you buy | What is included | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Installed by Aging Safely Baths | Shower, removal of the old tub, plumbing, finish work, warranty | Most Phoenix projects $15,000 to just under $20,000, itemized |
| Bestbath 42 x 36 roll-in package, supply-only | Multi-piece shower package, center drain; you hire the installer | $4,995 listed |
| Bestbath 60 x 36 designer roll-in package, supply-only | Multi-piece package with full-height walls | $6,285 listed |
| Bestbath 60 x 48 designer roll-in package, supply-only | Larger multi-piece package for caregiver room | $6,695 listed |
Sources, checked October 22, 2026: Aging Safely Baths, Phoenix walk-in tubs and roll-in showers (installed range); Showers4Less listings for the 42 x 36, 60 x 36 and 60 x 48 packages. Supply-only prices exclude installation, permits and shipping, and can change.
Installed prices move with the size of the shower, whether the slab is cut to move the drain, any new electrical work, and the accessories you choose. You get an itemized written quote first, with no in-home sales visit.
Features
Which features matter most in a roll-in shower?
- A fold-down or removable seat on the wall opposite the controls, so a person can sit while bathing and a caregiver can still reach.
- A handheld shower on a slide bar, which lets a seated person or a helper aim the water.
- An anti-scald valve (pressure-balance or thermostatic), which limits sudden swings in water temperature. Our heat and bathroom safety guide explains why water temperature matters more in an Arizona summer.
- Grab bars set into blocking or a reinforced wall system, not into bare drywall.
- A water-control plan at the entry: a collapsible rubber water dam, a beveled threshold or a trench drain, plus a weighted curtain rather than a glass door.
- Easy-clean wall panels. Phoenix water is hard, and solid-surface or acrylic panels without grout lines wipe clean. See our hard water guide.
Paying for it
Who can help pay for a roll-in shower in Phoenix?
A roll-in shower is the bathroom change that funding programs understand best, because it is clearly about access rather than comfort.
- Veterans: the VA's HISA grant names roll-in showers as an example of covered work, up to $6,800 over a lifetime for a service-connected condition or a 50% or higher rating, and up to $2,000 for other enrolled veterans. A VA provider must prescribe it. Start with your primary care team at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. Our parent company's VA roll-in shower grant guide walks through the paperwork.
- ALTCS members: Arizona's Medicaid long-term care program can cover home modifications written into a member's service plan; see AHCCCS policy 1240-I and our ALTCS roll-in shower guide.
- Lower-income Maricopa County residents: Ability360's home modification program, funded mainly by Community Development Block Grants, lists ramps, wider doors, grab bars, and sink and toilet changes. It does not list showers, so ask what it can cover. The Region One Area Agency on Aging Senior HelpLine is 602-264-4357.
Sources, checked October 22, 2026: VA HISA program; AHCCCS 1240-I; Ability360. Our Arizona funding guide covers every option.
FAQ
Phoenix roll-in shower questions
What is the minimum size of a roll-in shower?
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, a standard roll-in shower is at least 30 inches wide by 60 inches deep inside, with a 60-inch-wide entry. An alternate roll-in shower is at least 36 by 60 inches. Homes do not have to meet ADA rules, but these sizes are a good reference for wheelchair users.
Can a roll-in shower go where my bathtub is now?
Often, yes. A standard tub alcove is about 60 inches long, which matches the long side of a 30 x 60 or 36 x 60 roll-in shower pan. The big questions are where the drain sits in the slab, how the floor will slope to it, and whether the bathroom floor outside the shower needs to change height.
Do I need a permit for a roll-in shower in Phoenix?
Often, yes. The City of Phoenix homeowner permit guide says replacing existing plumbing fixtures does not need a permit, but adding or relocating sinks, toilets or tubs, electrical updates and wall removal do. Moving a drain for a curbless floor usually counts, so your licensed installer should confirm and pull the permit.
How much does a roll-in shower cost in Phoenix?
Aging Safely Baths says most fully installed walk-in tub and roll-in shower projects in Phoenix land between $15,000 and just under $20,000, itemized. If you have your own contractor, Bestbath roll-in shower packages on Showers4Less were listed from $4,995 to $6,695 on October 22, 2026, before installation.
Will the VA pay for a roll-in shower in Phoenix?
It can. The VA HISA grant names roll-in showers as an example of what it covers: up to $6,800 over a lifetime for a service-connected condition or a 50% or higher rating, and up to $2,000 for other enrolled veterans. A VA provider must prescribe it. Phoenix veterans start with their primary care team at the Phoenix VA Health Care System.
Does a roll-in shower flood the bathroom?
Not when it is built right. The shower floor slopes to the drain, and a beveled threshold, a collapsible water dam or a trench drain at the entry keeps water in. A curtain on a weighted or magnetic hem works better than a glass door for wheelchair users.
Send us your Phoenix bathroom photos.
Photos of the tub alcove and the doorway, plus a few measurements, are enough for an itemized written quote.