Shower pan cost in Boulder, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $950 – $2,800
- Per pan
- $914 – $2,299
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #111
- 1 = most expensive
A shower pan in Boulder, CO usually costs $950 to $2,800 for 1 pan. That works out to about $914 to $2,299 per pan before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $31.20 an hour in the Boulder area, 2% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Boulder, CO, standard level
$1,500 to $2,250
About $1,329 to $1,883 per pan before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $680 |
| Labor | $950 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $180 | $380 |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,250 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Boulder, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $530 | $910 | 28% |
| Labor | $770 | $1,100 | $1,400 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $280 | $530 | 15% |
| Total | $950 | $1,900 | $2,800 | 100% |
What is behind the Boulder number
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 $31.20 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Boulder is 1.03 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 57% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Boulder is at 96.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $550 nationally becomes $530 here (midpoint, 1 pan). Permits follow the all-items index of 105.2: $30 to $530.
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 Boulder. The wage table below marks each row.
What local crews earn in Boulder
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 Boulder the blend is 1.03.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $31.20 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $28.30 and $38.49 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 21.8 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 Boulder metro, so we used the Colorado statewide median: $27.74 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.40 and $34.59 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 $50. That is a swing of roughly 2.6% to 6.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Boulder has 192,390 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 119th 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% | $28.30 | $31.20 | $38.49 | $30.67 | 1.02 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $17.40 | $27.74 | $34.59 | $26.77 | 1.04 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
Boulder: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Boulder. 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 $2,250
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$2,050 to $2,800
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $950 – $1,700 | $1,500 – $2,250 | $2,050 – $2,800 |
Planning more than one job in Boulder?
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Boulder wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (level) and kitchen remodel lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,700 – $23,200 | level |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,800 | −1% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,450 – $14,800 | −1% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,000 – $30,700 | −3% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $300 – $1,500 | −1% |
Why two Boulder quotes can differ
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.
How Boulder compares
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 $1,800 to $1,900 across Boulder and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, COthis page | $950 – $2,800 | $1,900 | |
| Fort Collins, CO40 miles | $920 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −2% |
| Denver, CO55 miles | $950 – $2,850 | $1,900 | +1% |
| Greeley, CO60 miles | $910 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −3% |
| Cheyenne, WY90 miles | $910 – $2,700 | $1,800 | −4% |
| Colorado Springs, CO95 miles | $880 – $2,700 | $1,800 | −5% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $940 – $2,800 | $1,900 | level |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Boulder ranks #111 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Boulder is 0% above the Colorado figure.
Elsewhere in Colorado
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $950 – $2,850 | $1,900 | +1% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $880 – $2,700 | $1,800 | −5% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $920 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −2% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $910 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −3% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $930 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −2% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $940 – $2,750 | $1,850 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boulder against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $830 – $2,550 | $1,700 | −10% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $810 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −11% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $900 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −2% |
| Pensacola, FL | 190,480 jobs | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −14% |
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Shower pan in Boulder: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Boulder?
For 1 pan, expect $950 to $2,800 in the Boulder area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,500 to $2,250. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Boulder?
About $914 to $2,299 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $530 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Boulder or Fort Collins?
Fort Collins is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $1,850, which is 2% less than Boulder ($1,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boulder?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $1,100 out of $1,900. Materials are 28% and permits 15%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Boulder?
$950 to $2,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Boulder?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $530 for fees in the Boulder area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boulder expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Colorado?
Boulder is 0% above the Colorado statewide estimate ($1,900 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Boulder?
The BLS median is $31.20 an hour in the Boulder area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.30 to $38.49.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Boulder?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $950 to $1,700 and premium work $2,050 to $2,800. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Boulder
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.