Shower pan cost in El Centro, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $950 – $2,850
- Per pan
- $921 – $2,373
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +2%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #104
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a shower pan in the El Centro area: $950 to $2,850 for 1 pan. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 5% above the US average here (BEA goods price index 105.2).
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in El Centro, CA, standard level
$1,500 to $2,300
About $1,357 to $1,938 per pan before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $410 | $750 |
| Labor | $950 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $340 |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,300 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in El Centro, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $160 | $580 | $1,000 | 30% |
| Labor | $760 | $1,050 | $1,350 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $250 | $480 | 13% |
| Total | $950 | $1,900 | $2,850 | 100% |
What is behind the El Centro number
Labor is 56% of the midpoint bill here, against 56% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (50%), tile and stone setters (50%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In El Centro the blended ratio comes out at 1.02.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. El Centro is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $550 nationally becomes $580 here (midpoint, 1 pan). Permits follow the all-items index of 95.2: $30 to $480.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in El Centro. The wage table below marks each row.
El Centro: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to El Centro. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from one shower pan to one shower pan.
Basic
$950 to $1,700
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,500 to $2,300
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$2,100 to $2,850
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $950 – $1,700 | $1,500 – $2,300 | $2,100 – $2,850 |
Shower pan: what moves the price in El Centro
Permit
Plumbing permits are $30-$500, and many cities require one to replace a shower pan.
Pre-made versus custom
Pre-made trays are $500-$1,550 installed; a custom tile pan is $900-$3,500; a custom stone pan is $1,200-$2,000 or more (HomeGuide).
Extras
Benches, trench drains and curb changes add $100-$600.
Who does the work: El Centro trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For El Centro the blend is 1.02.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.00 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.78 and $37.28 an hour. About 150 work in the metro. That is 22.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the El Centro metro, so we used the California statewide median: $28.31 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.86 and $35.61 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $120 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $90. That is a swing of roughly 4.7% to 6.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
El Centro has 65,430 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 275th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 50% | $24.78 | $30.00 | $37.28 | $30.67 | 0.98 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $22.86 | $28.31 | $35.61 | $26.77 | 1.06 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.02 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in El Centro
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same El Centro wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen cabinets comes out highest (+11%) and kitchen backsplash lowest (+6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,100 – $25,300 | +8% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,600 – $15,700 | +11% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,900 – $16,100 | +8% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $19,900 – $33,700 | +7% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $320 – $1,600 | +6% |
El Centro against nearby metros and the rest of California
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 1 pan range from $1,750 to $2,050 across El Centro and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CAthis page | $950 – $2,850 | $1,900 | |
| San Diego, CA80 miles | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | +7% |
| Yuma, AZ85 miles | $870 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −8% |
| Riverside, CA115 miles | $930 – $2,850 | $1,900 | −1% |
| Los Angeles, CA180 miles | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | +7% |
| Phoenix, AZ190 miles | $910 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −4% |
| California (statewide) | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | +7% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, El Centro ranks #104 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, El Centro is 7% below the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | +7% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $1,100 – $3,200 | $2,150 | +13% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $930 – $2,850 | $1,900 | −1% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | +7% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $1,250 – $3,450 | $2,350 | +24% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $950 – $2,900 | $1,950 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is El Centro against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | 65,460 jobs | $810 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −12% |
| Dalton, GA | 65,300 jobs | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −15% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $1,200 – $3,250 | $2,200 | +16% |
| Terre Haute, IN | 65,120 jobs | $1,000 – $2,900 | $1,950 | +3% |
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Shower pan in El Centro: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in El Centro?
For 1 pan, expect $950 to $2,850 in the El Centro area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,500 to $2,300. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in El Centro?
About $921 to $2,373 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in El Centro or San Diego?
San Diego is 80 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $2,050, which is 7% more than El Centro ($1,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in El Centro?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $1,050 out of $1,900. Materials are 30% and permits 13%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in El Centro?
$950 to $2,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in El Centro?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $480 for fees in the El Centro area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is El Centro expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of California?
El Centro is 7% below the California statewide estimate ($2,050 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in El Centro?
The BLS median is $30.00 an hour in the El Centro area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.78 to $37.28.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in El Centro?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $950 to $1,700 and premium work $2,100 to $2,850. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near El Centro
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.