How Much Does It Cost to Install a Shower Door?

In this guide

Shower Door Cost by Type

The biggest factors affecting your shower door’s cost are the type and size. Shower doors come in numerous configurations, with many companies also offering custom door styles that can also meet your needs:

Framed Shower Door Cost

Framed shower doors are probably the most common. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and very stable because of the frame. You can use thinner glass with this frame - roughly ¼ inch in thickness - without giving up stability or durability. This makes them less expensive. The frame can be a header and footer or have channels down the sides where the door or panels meet the wall. Frames come in several finishes from metallics to bold colors like blue or red so that you can customize your bathroom’s look with a framed door. They cost between $300 and $1,200 on average, depending on the size, shape, and type.

Bypass Shower Door

A bypass door is also known as a sliding shower door. This is a good door for tub/shower combinations or very wide showers. It consists of two equal-size doors. When the doors are closed, they overlap in the middle to keep out water. When the doors are open, one slides past or bypasses the other. They can be framed or semi-framed, depending on how much hardware you want on the door. They cost between $400 and $2,000 on average, depending on the frame and glass thickness.

Swing Shower Door

A swing door can be framed or semi-framed. This door pivots on a hinge at the door’s top and bottom. It is also called a pivot door. A swing door is either framed or semi-framed because it needs a header to attach to the pivoting mechanism. These doors can be simple or have a fixed panel on one or both sides to fit out a larger area. These are good doors for simple shower layouts with a single wall of glass. They cost between $600 and $900 on average for the door alone, not including any fixed panels.

Hinged Shower Door

A hinged shower door is a swinging door on a frameless shower. In a frameless shower, small hinges or brackets attach the door and panels to the wall. Because there is no frame, the door cannot swing off of a header and needs to hinge off the wall or a stationary glass panel. This means that the glass and hardware need to be thicker and heavier to prevent sagging or breaking. Hinged doors cost between $700 and $1,000 on average for the door, not including any fixed panels.

Bi-Fold Shower Door

Bi-fold shower doors are less common than others. If you have a wide shower opening but not quite wide enough for a sliding door, bi-fold doors are a good answer. These doors are made up of 2 panels each. When you open the door, the panels fold up into themselves. They can be framed or semi-framed because they need a track at the top to slide along as they fold. They may have rollers on the bottom rather than a track in a semi-frameless setup. They cost $800 to $2,000, depending on the glass type and size.

Frameless Shower Door Cost

Frameless shower doors have steadily grown in popularity over the last two decades. These are made of thicker glass - ⅜ to ½ inch in thickness - without a frame. They may have brackets or hinges to hold the various pieces together. They often have silicone sweeps or seals at the bottom and where any doors meet panels or walls to keep the water in. However, because there is no frame, they have a very clean, minimalist look to enhance a bathroom. You can have a frameless door by itself, or you can have a frameless full shower enclosure with two or more fixed panels of glass with a door. Because the glass and hardware have to be thicker, and there need to be silicone sweeps or seals, frameless doors tend to cost more than similar-sized framed doors. A frameless door without any panels costs between $900 and $1,300 on average.

French Shower Door

If you have a tub or shower you want to install doors on, French doors can make an amazing statement in the bathroom. French doors can be framed, semi-framed, or frameless, depending on your style and budget. When closed, they create a solid wall of glass across the shower’s front. They open individually, swinging out toward the user. They can be opened at the same time, which expands the amount of space to enter. Bypass doors can only be opened one at a time, so a French door makes a much wider opening. They cost between $1,000 and $2,400 on average, depending on the type and style.

Inline Shower Door

An inline shower door is made up of a door and a fixed panel or panels, all installed in a straight line across the front of the shower. This is good if you have a wider-than-average opening but do not want a bypass or French door. It gives a more contemporary appearance and more sizing options. For example, if you have a 48-inch opening, this is too small for bypass and French doors but too wide for a single door. An inline door would use a 12-inch panel on one side and a 36-inch door, closing the opening entirely. Expect to pay around $1,500 to $2,500 on average.

Neo-Angle Shower Door

Neo-angle showers are very popular installations in small bathrooms. These are corner showers with a base made of three angles, each at a respective 45-degree difference. The shower door needs to consist of two panels and the door. The door is usually in the center because this section is larger. The other two panels are stationary. Neo-angle shower doors may be framed, semi-frameless, or frameless. They cost between $1,500 and $3,500, depending on the type and style.

Glass Shower Enclosures Cost

If you have a shower extending into the room, you may want to get a full shower enclosure rather than a door or door and panel. A glass shower enclosure can be a door with panels and a return panel on one side, a return panel on two sides, or a half-panel on top of a half wall for showers that have a tub installed beside them. Glass shower enclosures can be framed, semi-framed, or frameless and come in multiple configurations. Most are custom, but you can find some stock sizes. Prices range from $1,800 to $5,000, depending on the size, how many return panels you have, and the enclosure’s style.

Shower Door Prices by Type of Glass

In addition to your glass’s frame and thickness, you might be able to pick the glass type. All shower door glass must be considered “safety” glass to pass code. Standard, annealed glass cannot be used in a shower door setting. The most common type of glass for shower doors is tempered glass, with most companies offering this type. A few companies may offer laminated glass. In this instance, the type of glass does not impact your shower’s cost in a meaningful way. Colors, tints, coatings, and the presence of a frame impact your project’s cost the most.

Tempered Glass Shower Doors

Tempered glass is the standard safety glass sold in the U.S. It is heated to a high temperature, then cooled very quickly. This rapid change in temperature changes the glass. It becomes stronger and less likely to break than annealed glass. When it does break, it does not shatter into shards or sharp pieces but breaks them into rounded chunks. If an accident occurs, anyone in the bathroom is less likely to be injured. Tempered glass doors cost between $300 and $5,000, depending on the size, style, and finish.

Laminated Glass Shower Doors

Laminated glass is not very common, but you can find it and sometimes request it. With laminated glass, the shower door is made in a glass sandwich with two panes of glass and a layer of plastic between them. This makes the glass stronger than annealed glass because the plastic lends stability and strength. If the glass cracks, it is unlikely to shatter because the plastic holds it in place. Laminated glass does not impact the door’s cost much, but it may be difficult to find the glass you want. Costs range from $300 to $5,000, depending on the size, style, and finish.

Shower Door Cost by Finish of Glass

If you do not opt for a different finish on your door, you will receive standard clear glass. While you can see through this glass, it has a distinctly green tint. The thicker the glass, the greener it becomes. If you upgrade from a ¼-inch thick framed shower to a ½-inch thick frameless shower, you will notice a distinct difference in your glass’s color. Many people opt for ultra-clear or low-iron when they get a thicker glass.

These are not the only options available. You can choose decorative glass with patterns, textures, and even darkened tints. Each has an additional cost to your shower door on top of the other material costs. So if your doors are 36” by 84” and cost $1,200, but you opt for ultra-clear glass, your total costs are $1,830 to $2,250. Below are the additional costs for changing your shower’s finish.

Clear Glass Shower Doors

Ultra-clear glass shower doors are one of the hottest architectural trends in showers for the past several years. Many glass door manufacturers began offering it as “standard,” even though it costs more than the standard green-tinted glass. Ultra-clear glass still has a faint green tint, but it is much less pronounced, especially at ¼-inch thickness. It is also much less green when it is ⅜ and ½-inch thick, which becomes very green with standard glass. Ultra-clear glass costs an additional $30 to $50 a square foot for any project.

Low-iron Glass Shower Doors

Low-iron glass is a method of creating ultra-clear glass. The iron in the glass gives it a green tint. By reducing the glass’s iron levels, it removes that green. Some manufacturers automatically offer low-iron as their ultra-clear option. Others have different ultra-clear glass production methods, so ask if you specifically want low-iron glass. Low-iron glass also costs $30 to $50 a square foot more for any project.

Tinted Glass Shower Doors

Going clear is not the only way to change your glass’s color. You can also apply a tint to the glass in many colors, with the most common being brown, black (gray), and blue. By tinting the glass a darker color, you increase shower privacy for shared bathrooms. Tinting the glass can make it opaque, but most often makes it translucent. If you do not have a separate light in the shower stall, it can be fairly dark. Tinted glass costs about $45 to $60 a square foot more.

Frosted Glass Shower Doors

If you want to increase privacy, create an opaque shower door, or add interesting or unique patterns or images to your shower door, frost it. Frosting is done by sandblasting or etching the glass. It can be applied to either side of the glass and is considered textured glass. Frosting can be applied to the entire door, the least expensive method, or in sections. Frosted glass reduces the amount of light entering the shower, so you may need to install additional lighting. This method costs an additional $75 to $225 a square foot, depending on the pattern.

Rain Glass Shower Doors

Rain glass is another type of textured shower door. This glass is known as “obscuring,” meaning that it still lets in light but can be difficult to see through. The finish gets its name because it appears like a windowpane over which rain is pounding. The glass has a wavy texture but with a fairly tight, small pattern. This finish covers all the glass. It costs an extra $100 to $225 a square foot.

Textured Glass Shower Doors

There are many types of textured glass doors. Textured is a catch-all term for any glass with a tactile pattern or difference, rather than a color change. There are numerous textures, including wave patterns, bubble glass, and rain glass. Textured glass may be applied in parts or over the entirety, creating different patterns and appearances. Expect an additional cost of $100 to $225 a square foot.

Shower Door Installation Cost

Shower doors are the last component for a new shower. The surround, tray, and other components must be installed first. Also, the tile needs to be completely cured if used for the shower walls. If there is an old shower door in place, this can be removed when the new doors are installed.

Typically, the space is measured first. For custom work, this likely includes a template, where the installer creates a frame of your shower dimensions to cut the glass.

After the measurements or template has been taken and the style chosen, the door is made to your specifications. If your door is not custom, stock doors are readied with the necessary hardware or details.

If frameless, the hinges or brackets are drilled directly into the wall to hold the door. Otherwise, the frame is screwed into place. The glass is set, then a silicone sealant holds the door or panel. The door is leveled, and all the hardware is secured. The entire process takes about 2 to 3 hours.

In many cases, the cost of installing a shower door is factored into the total cost. In other cases, the price is a flat rate in addition to the door’s cost. Installation costs between $300 and $1,000 on average, with frameless doors and full enclosures costing more to install than single, framed, or bypass doors.

Frameless Shower Door Installation Cost

Frameless shower doors come in many configurations, from a single, hinged door to a full glass enclosure. They are installed after the tile or surround is complete, and all other plumbing is done. Depending on the door type, they may be hinged to the walls or siliconed then hinged. The process takes 2 - 3 hours and costs $300 to $1,000 in labor. There is a wide range of frameless shower enclosures, which can have varying degrees of complexity to install. A 36-inch frameless door costs $900 and an extra $300 to install, for a total of $1,200. A full shower enclosure costs $4,000 in materials and $1,000 to install for a total of $5,000.

Custom Shower Doors Cost

If you have a custom shower, you may need to have a custom shower door installed. Custom doors are templated, cut, and manufactured to your shower’s exact measurements. They can be framed, semi-framed, or frameless, and they can come in many styles, sizes, and configurations. Because of this, there is a wide range of costs. Custom shower doors cost between $900 and $5,000 installed, depending on the size and style.

Shower Door Replacement Cost

When replacing a shower door, your costs should be similar to a new shower door installation. Some companies remove the old door at no cost because they can likely recycle it. Others charge $50 to $200 to remove and dispose of the old door. So, your total costs for a shower door replacement ranges from $650 to $6,200, fully installed with door removal and disposal, depending on the type, size, and configuration of your door or enclosure.

Shower Door Size

After the type of shower door, the door’s size is the next biggest influence on the project’s cost. Even within door styles, there is a range of associated costs for the door sizes. Larger doors and shower enclosures cost more than smaller doors.

Each door style is usually available in a range of stock sizes, and any door can also be custom made to accommodate oddly sized openings or bathrooms. Standard door widths start at 24 inches and go as high as 60 inches for bypass doors. Inline panels can be added at 15 inches to make up the difference in door sizes. For example, if you have a 72-inch opening, you may want to use an inline panel to make up 42 inches and have a 30-inch door that swings open.

Smart Glass Shower Door Cost

One of the newest shower glass types is switchable glass, a smart or intelligent glass. It can switch from clear to opaque with the flip of a switch. Some can also be automated and tied in with a home automation system like Alexa. They add around $130 a square foot to the project’s cost.

An alternative is also a smart film, which can be applied to the shower door for around $50 a square foot. This can also make the shower opaque or transparent, but not as completely as the switchable glass.

Glass Shower Door Maintenance

Shower doors are made of glass and can be cleaned with typical glass cleaners. However, the most effective way to clean and maintain a shower door is to squeegee it dry after every shower. Using the squeegee, you prevent spots and soap scum buildup and keep the door in good condition.

The aluminum brackets, hinges, or tracks may be cleaned with general bathroom cleaners. Always test new cleaners in an inconspicuous area so that they do not harm the metal before continuing with the remaining surfaces.

Shower Curtain vs Shower Door

There are alternatives to a shower door, including having a wet room, using a splash panel, and hanging a shower curtain. The shower curtain is by far the most common.

Shower doors can be expensive to install, may shatter, and can be time-consuming to clean. However, they allow an unobstructed view of the shower beyond, have a very clean and contemporary appearance, and do not stick to the user when brushing against them.

Shower curtains are cheaper and available in many colors and styles. They block the shower’s view, which means that custom tile jobs are also blocked. They are harder to keep clean and grow mold and mildew easily, but because they are cheaper, $10 to $100 on average, they can be easily replaced.

Frameless vs Framed Shower Doors

When installing new shower doors in your bathroom, your first consideration should be to purchase framed or frameless shower doors. Frameless doors are more contemporary because there is no frame surrounding the door or panels. It has a cleaner, minimalistic look creating an unimpeded view.

Framed doors have an aluminum frame around them, which can increase the door’s durability. The frame offers stability, which means you can use thinner glass and dramatically reduce your project’s cost. Framed doors start at $300, while the same frameless door starts at around $900 because the glass needs to be thicker, and the installation is more difficult. With this difference in cost, most people who opt for framed do so for the savings. Those who opt for frameless do so for the appearance. From a functional standpoint, the two are virtually identical.

Rain Glass Shower Door vs Clear Glass

You also must consider the glass’s finish. Standard glass is considered clear by most standards, but it has a greenish tint. You can opt for ultra-clear glass, which reduces the amount of green for an additional $30 to $50 a square foot.

Rain glass has a green tint, but it is also textured with a rippling pattern, making it appear like raindrops are falling on it. Rain glass increases your project’s cost by an extra $100 to $225 a square foot. Rain glass obscures the user from view, while clear glass does not offer any privacy. From a functional or maintenance standpoint, there is no difference between the two types of glass.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Anti-glare Doors

You can also have a coating put on the glass that reduces glare. This makes it easier to see the tile job inside the shower. This coating costs between $70 and $100 on average.

Anti-microbial Doors

If you want to make the door easier to clean and reduce the buildup of particles that can lead to mold growth, put a coating on the door. Typical coatings of this nature cost between $200 and $300.

Old Door Removal

Most shower door companies remove your old door for a fee at the installation time. This ranges from $50 to $200, depending on the old door size and condition.