Shower pan cost in Charlottesville, VA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $840 – $2,600
- Per pan
- $807 – $2,110
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #188
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a shower pan in Charlottesville, plan on $840 to $2,600 for 1 pan, all in. Per pan, that is $807 to $2,110 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $27.17 an hour in the Charlottesville area, 11% below the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Charlottesville, VA, standard level
$1,350 to $2,050
About $1,198 to $1,719 per pan before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $690 |
| Labor | $820 | $1,050 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $360 |
| Total | $1,350 | $2,050 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Charlottesville, VA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $530 | $920 | 31% |
| Labor | $660 | $930 | $1,200 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $260 | $500 | 15% |
| Total | $840 | $1,700 | $2,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Charlottesville number
Labor is 54% 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 Charlottesville the blended ratio comes out at 0.88.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Charlottesville metro is 96.8 (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 (99.1) and land at $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 Charlottesville. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Charlottesville
Because every project leans on different trades, Charlottesville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, window replacement runs −3% and kitchen backsplash −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,100 – $13,300 | −5% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,400 – $14,600 | −3% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,800 – $30,300 | −4% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $280 – $1,400 | −7% |
Is Charlottesville cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $1,650 to $1,900 across Charlottesville and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VAthis page | $840 – $2,600 | $1,700 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA40 miles | $810 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −3% |
| Lynchburg, VA55 miles | $840 – $2,550 | $1,700 | −1% |
| Richmond, VA75 miles | $870 – $2,650 | $1,750 | +3% |
| Washington, DC85 miles | $940 – $2,900 | $1,900 | +12% |
| Roanoke, VA85 miles | $810 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −3% |
| Virginia (statewide) | $870 – $2,700 | $1,800 | +3% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | +8% |
Across 300 US metros, Charlottesville comes in at #188 from the top. The priciest is Bellingham, WA at $2,450; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $1,500 (midpoints, 1 pan). Statewide, Charlottesville is 3% below the Virginia figure.
Other Virginia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $840 – $2,600 | $1,750 | level |
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $870 – $2,650 | $1,750 | +3% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $810 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −3% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $840 – $2,550 | $1,700 | −1% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $820 – $2,550 | $1,700 | −3% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $840 – $2,600 | $1,700 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Charlottesville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charlottesville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler, TX | 115,220 jobs | $770 – $2,450 | $1,600 | −7% |
| Laredo, TX | 109,370 jobs | $760 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −9% |
| Topeka, KS | 115,750 jobs | $980 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +10% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $820 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −3% |
Charlottesville: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Charlottesville 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
$840 to $1,550
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,350 to $2,050
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$1,900 to $2,600
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $840 – $1,550 | $1,350 – $2,050 | $1,900 – $2,600 |
Why two Charlottesville quotes can differ
Extras
Benches, trench drains and curb changes add $100-$600.
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.
Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville is 0.88 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 50%) the local median is $27.17 an hour, which is 11% below the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.39 and $32.93 an hour. BLS counts 240 of them working in the area, 20.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Charlottesville metro, so we used the Virginia statewide median: $23.50 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.35 and $29.76 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($32.93 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $100. At the 25th percentile ($23.39) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 5.7% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 114,780 jobs in the Charlottesville area. That makes it the 190th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.07% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 50% | $23.39 | $27.17 | $32.93 | $30.67 | 0.89 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $18.35 | $23.50 | $29.76 | $26.77 | 0.88 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
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Shower pan in Charlottesville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Charlottesville?
For 1 pan, expect $840 to $2,600 in the Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville?
About $807 to $2,110 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 Charlottesville or Harrisonburg?
Harrisonburg is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $1,650, which is 3% less than Charlottesville ($1,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charlottesville?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $930 out of $1,700. Materials are 31% and permits 15%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Charlottesville?
$840 to $2,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Charlottesville?
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 Charlottesville area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charlottesville expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Virginia?
Charlottesville is 3% below the Virginia statewide estimate ($1,800 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Charlottesville?
The BLS median is $27.17 an hour in the Charlottesville area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.39 to $32.93.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Charlottesville?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $840 to $1,550 and premium work $1,900 to $2,600. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Charlottesville
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.