Shower pan cost in Dover, DE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $890 – $2,700
- Per pan
- $863 – $2,209
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #143
- 1 = most expensive
A shower pan in Dover, DE usually costs $890 to $2,700 for 1 pan. That works out to about $863 to $2,209 per pan before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $70 less. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $28.08 an hour in the Dover area, 8% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Dover, DE, standard level
$1,450 to $2,150
About $1,267 to $1,805 per pan before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $680 |
| Labor | $890 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $350 |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,150 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Dover, DE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $530 | $920 | 30% |
| Labor | $720 | $1,000 | $1,300 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $260 | $490 | 14% |
| Total | $890 | $1,800 | $2,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Dover 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 Dover the blended ratio comes out at 0.96.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dover is at 96.4 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 97.5: $30 to $490.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a national median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Dover. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: shower pan pricing in Dover
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dover. 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
$890 to $1,600
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,450 to $2,150
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$1,950 to $2,700
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $890 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,700 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Dover bid
Tile
Tile for the shower costs $10-$50 per square foot installed, and that comes on top of the pan.
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).
What local crews earn in Dover
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 Dover the blend is 0.96.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.08 an hour, 8% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.22 and $36.70 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 13.2 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 Dover metro, so we used the national median: $26.77 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $33.76 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $65. That is a swing of roughly 3.7% to 8.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dover has 68,080 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 265th 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% | $24.22 | $28.08 | $36.70 | $30.67 | 0.92 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $21.73 | $26.77 | $33.76 | $26.77 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Dover?
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dover wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen backsplash comes out highest (−3%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,000 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,000 – $12,900 | −8% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,300 – $14,400 | −4% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,600 – $29,900 | −5% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $290 – $1,450 | −3% |
Is Dover cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Dover. Baltimore is the lowest at about $1,800 (midpoint, 1 pan), 60 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DEthis page | $890 – $2,700 | $1,800 | |
| Vineland, NJ25 miles | $1,050 – $3,000 | $2,050 | +13% |
| Atlantic City, NJ45 miles | $980 – $2,900 | $1,950 | +7% |
| Philadelphia, PA55 miles | $1,100 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +16% |
| Baltimore, MD60 miles | $860 – $2,700 | $1,800 | level |
| Lancaster, PA75 miles | $990 – $2,900 | $1,950 | +9% |
| Delaware (statewide) | $930 – $2,750 | $1,850 | +3% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | +4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dover ranks #143 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dover is 3% below the Delaware figure.
Dover is the only Delaware metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dover against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −3% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $810 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −7% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $990 – $2,900 | $1,950 | +8% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $840 – $2,600 | $1,700 | −4% |
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Detailed shower pan report for Dover, DE, $9
The report lays out the shower pan numbers for Dover, DE line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Dover: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Dover?
For 1 pan, expect $890 to $2,700 in the Dover area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,450 to $2,150. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Dover?
About $863 to $2,209 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $490 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Dover or Vineland?
Vineland is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $2,050, which is 13% more than Dover ($1,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dover?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $1,000 out of $1,800. Materials are 30% and permits 14%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Dover?
$890 to $2,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Dover?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $490 for fees in the Dover area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dover expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Delaware?
Dover is 3% below the Delaware statewide estimate ($1,850 at the midpoint).
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Dover?
The BLS median is $28.08 an hour in the Dover area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.22 to $36.70.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Dover?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $890 to $1,600 and premium work $1,950 to $2,700. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Dover
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.