Shower pan cost in Portland, ME
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $1,050 – $2,950
- Per pan
- $1,001 – $2,463
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #65
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a shower pan in Portland, plan on $1,050 to $2,950 for 1 pan, all in. Per pan, that is $1,001 to $2,463 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 7% higher than the national one. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $31.01 an hour in the Portland area, 1% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Portland, ME, standard level
$1,600 to $2,400
About $1,440 to $2,024 per pan before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $690 |
| Labor | $1,050 | $1,350 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $370 |
| Total | $1,600 | $2,400 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Portland, ME
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $530 | $920 | 27% |
| Labor | $860 | $1,200 | $1,550 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $270 | $510 | 13% |
| Total | $1,050 | $2,000 | $2,950 | 100% |
Why Portland prices look the way they do
Labor is 60% 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 Portland the blended ratio comes out at 1.14.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Portland metro is 97.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1 pan comes to $530, compared with $550 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (101.9) and land at $30 to $510.
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 Portland. The wage table below marks each row.
Shower pan: what moves the price in Portland
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).
Planning more than one job in Portland?
Because every project leans on different trades, Portland's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen backsplash runs +9% and window replacement −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,950 – $24,600 | +5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,250 – $14,400 | +2% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,350 – $14,500 | −3% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,400 – $31,400 | level |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $330 – $1,600 | +9% |
How Portland 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 $1,850 to $2,400 across Portland and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, MEthis page | $1,050 – $2,950 | $2,000 | |
| Manchester, NH85 miles | $910 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −8% |
| Boston, MA85 miles | $1,300 – $3,500 | $2,400 | +20% |
| Worcester, MA120 miles | $1,050 – $3,000 | $2,050 | +2% |
| Barnstable, MA135 miles | $1,150 – $3,200 | $2,200 | +9% |
| Providence, RI140 miles | $1,050 – $2,950 | $2,000 | level |
| Maine (statewide) | $1,050 – $2,950 | $2,000 | −1% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −7% |
Across 300 US metros, Portland comes in at #65 from the top. The priciest is Bellingham, WA at $2,450; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $1,500 (midpoints, 1 pan). Statewide, Portland is 1% above the Maine figure.
Other Maine metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | 72,270 jobs | $1,000 – $2,900 | $1,950 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Portland's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Portland against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton, CA | 289,660 jobs | $960 – $2,900 | $1,950 | −4% |
| Lexington, KY | 286,910 jobs | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −13% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $870 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −13% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $1,050 – $3,050 | $2,050 | +2% |
Portland: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Portland wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 1 common sizes.
Basic
$1,050 to $1,800
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,600 to $2,400
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$2,200 to $2,950
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,400 | $2,200 – $2,950 |
Portland labor market for shower pan
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Portland is 1.14 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 50%) the local median is $31.01 an hour, which is in line with the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $30.51 and $36.97 an hour. BLS counts 1,740 of them working in the area, 60.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Portland metro, so we used the Maine statewide median: $34.00 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $31.33 and $44.08 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.97 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $100. At the 25th percentile ($30.51) it shrinks by about $10. The total moves by 5.1% or 0.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 288,480 jobs in the Portland-South Portland area. That makes it the 89th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.19% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 50% | $30.51 | $31.01 | $36.97 | $30.67 | 1.01 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $31.33 | $34.00 | $44.08 | $26.77 | 1.27 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
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Shower pan in Portland: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Portland?
For 1 pan, expect $1,050 to $2,950 in the Portland area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,600 to $2,400. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Portland?
About $1,001 to $2,463 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $510 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Portland or Manchester?
Manchester is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $1,850, which is 8% less than Portland ($2,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Portland?
About 60% at the midpoint, or $1,200 out of $2,000. Materials are 27% and permits 13%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Portland?
$1,050 to $2,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Portland?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $510 for fees in the Portland area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Portland expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Maine?
Portland is 1% above the Maine statewide estimate ($2,000 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Maine; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Portland?
The BLS median is $31.01 an hour in the Portland area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.51 to $36.97.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Portland?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $1,050 to $1,800 and premium work $2,200 to $2,950. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Portland
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.