Shower pan cost in San Francisco, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $1,100 – $3,200
- Per pan
- $1,054 – $2,636
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +15%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #21
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a shower pan in the San Francisco area: $1,100 to $3,200 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 runs 15% higher than the US figure. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $37.44 an hour in the San Francisco area, 22% above the US median of $30.67.
Estimate your shower pan cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 1 pan in San Francisco, CA, standard level
$1,750 to $2,600
About $1,529 to $2,161 per pan before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $420 | $770 |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,400 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $420 |
| Total | $1,750 | $2,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in San Francisco, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $160 | $600 | $1,050 | 28% |
| Labor | $890 | $1,250 | $1,600 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $310 | $580 | 14% |
| Total | $1,100 | $2,150 | $3,200 | 100% |
Where the San Francisco price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $37.44 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for San Francisco is 1.19 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 58% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. San Francisco is at 108.5 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $550 nationally becomes $600 here (midpoint, 1 pan). Permits follow the all-items index of 115.6: $35 to $580.
San Francisco: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to San Francisco. 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
$1,100 to $1,950
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,750 to $2,600
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$2,350 to $3,200
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $1,100 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,600 | $2,350 – $3,200 |
Planning more than one job in San Francisco?
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same San Francisco wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen cabinets comes out highest (+27%) and kitchen backsplash lowest (+13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,650 – $28,000 | +20% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $5,100 – $18,000 | +27% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,350 – $17,300 | +16% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $21,200 – $36,100 | +15% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $340 – $1,700 | +13% |
Who does the work: San Francisco 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 San Francisco the blend is 1.19.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $37.44 an hour, 22% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $30.12 and $58.54 an hour. About 5,660 work in the metro. That is 23.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.98 an hour, 16% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $24.06 and $38.43 an hour. About 1,020 work in the metro. That is 4.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $360 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $130. That is a swing of roughly 5.8% to 16.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has 2,373,920 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 12th 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% | $30.12 | $37.44 | $58.54 | $30.67 | 1.22 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $24.06 | $30.98 | $38.43 | $26.77 | 1.16 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.19 | |||||
Is San Francisco cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (1 pan), priced for the nearest metros. San Francisco is the priciest of the group. Stockton is the cheapest at $1,950.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CAthis page | $1,100 – $3,200 | $2,150 | |
| Vallejo, CA40 miles | $1,000 – $3,000 | $2,000 | −7% |
| Napa, CA50 miles | $970 – $2,950 | $1,950 | −8% |
| Santa Cruz, CA55 miles | $990 – $3,000 | $2,000 | −7% |
| Stockton, CA55 miles | $960 – $2,900 | $1,950 | −10% |
| Santa Rosa, CA65 miles | $960 – $2,950 | $1,950 | −10% |
| California (statewide) | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | −6% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, San Francisco ranks #21 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, San Francisco is 6% above 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 | −6% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $930 – $2,850 | $1,900 | −12% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $1,000 – $3,050 | $2,050 | −5% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $1,250 – $3,450 | $2,350 | +9% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $950 – $2,900 | $1,950 | −10% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $930 – $2,850 | $1,900 | −12% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is San Francisco against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $910 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −15% |
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $1,300 – $3,500 | $2,400 | +11% |
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $1,300 – $3,500 | $2,400 | +12% |
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $1,250 – $3,450 | $2,350 | +10% |
Shower pan: what moves the price in San Francisco
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.
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $1,750 to $2,600 for San Francisco, CA is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for San Francisco, CA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Shower pan in San Francisco: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in San Francisco?
For 1 pan, expect $1,100 to $3,200 in the San Francisco area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,750 to $2,600. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in San Francisco?
About $1,054 to $2,636 per pan for materials and labor, plus $35 to $580 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in San Francisco or Vallejo?
Vallejo is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $2,000, which is 7% less than San Francisco ($2,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in San Francisco?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $1,250 out of $2,150. Materials are 28% and permits 14%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in San Francisco?
$1,100 to $3,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in San Francisco?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $35 to $580 for fees in the San Francisco area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is San Francisco expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of California?
San Francisco is 6% above 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 San Francisco?
The BLS median is $37.44 an hour in the San Francisco area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.12 to $58.54.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in San Francisco?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $1,100 to $1,950 and premium work $2,350 to $3,200. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near San Francisco
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.