Shower pan cost in Charleston, SC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $810 – $2,550
- Per pan
- $775 – $2,050
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #219
- 1 = most expensive
A shower pan in Charleston, SC usually costs $810 to $2,550 for 1 pan. That works out to about $775 to $2,050 per pan before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $190 less. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $27.58 an hour in the Charleston area, 10% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Charleston, SC, standard level
$1,350 to $2,050
About $1,157 to $1,667 per pan before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $680 |
| Labor | $780 | $980 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $360 |
| Total | $1,350 | $2,050 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Charleston, SC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $530 | $920 | 32% |
| Labor | $630 | $880 | $1,150 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $270 | $500 | 16% |
| Total | $810 | $1,700 | $2,550 | 100% |
Why Charleston prices look the way they do
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 $27.58 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Charleston is 0.84 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 53% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Charleston is at 96.3 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 101.0: $30 to $500.
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 Charleston. The wage table below marks each row.
Charleston: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Charleston. 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
$810 to $1,500
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,350 to $2,050
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$1,850 to $2,550
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $810 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,550 |
How Charleston compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Charleston. Myrtle Beach is the lowest at about $1,600 (midpoint, 1 pan), 85 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SCthis page | $810 – $2,550 | $1,700 | |
| Hilton Head, SC65 miles | $790 – $2,500 | $1,650 | −2% |
| Florence, SC80 miles | $790 – $2,450 | $1,650 | −3% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC85 miles | $750 – $2,400 | $1,600 | −6% |
| Columbia, SC95 miles | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −4% |
| Savannah, GA95 miles | $850 – $2,600 | $1,750 | +3% |
| South Carolina (statewide) | $780 – $2,500 | $1,650 | −3% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Charleston ranks #219 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Charleston is 3% above the South Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in South Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $760 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −4% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −4% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −4% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 146,260 jobs | $750 – $2,400 | $1,600 | −6% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $790 – $2,450 | $1,650 | −3% |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $790 – $2,500 | $1,650 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charleston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −4% |
| Boise, ID | 391,790 jobs | $850 – $2,600 | $1,750 | +3% |
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $980 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +12% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $860 – $2,650 | $1,750 | +4% |
What nearby projects cost in Charleston
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Charleston wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and kitchen backsplash lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,250 – $21,000 | −10% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $12,700 | −9% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,200 – $14,100 | −6% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,700 | −6% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $260 – $1,350 | −11% |
What local crews earn in Charleston
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 Charleston the blend is 0.84.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $27.58 an hour, 10% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.50 and $31.15 an hour. About 960 work in the metro. That is 24.4 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 Charleston metro, so we used the South Carolina statewide median: $20.92 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.68 and $26.47 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $60 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $70. That is a swing of roughly 4.2% to 3.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Charleston-North Charleston has 394,170 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 66th 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% | $23.50 | $27.58 | $31.15 | $30.67 | 0.90 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $18.68 | $20.92 | $26.47 | $26.77 | 0.78 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Why two Charleston 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.
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Detailed shower pan report for Charleston, SC, $9
The report lays out the shower pan numbers for Charleston, SC 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 Charleston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Charleston?
For 1 pan, expect $810 to $2,550 in the Charleston area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,350 to $2,050. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Charleston?
About $775 to $2,050 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $500 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Charleston or Hilton Head?
Hilton Head is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $1,650, which is 2% less than Charleston ($1,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charleston?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $880 out of $1,700. Materials are 32% and permits 16%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Charleston?
$810 to $2,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Charleston?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $500 for fees in the Charleston area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charleston expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of South Carolina?
Charleston is 3% above the South Carolina statewide estimate ($1,650 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in South Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Charleston?
The BLS median is $27.58 an hour in the Charleston area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.50 to $31.15.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Charleston?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $810 to $1,500 and premium work $1,850 to $2,550. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Charleston
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.