Shower pan cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $1,100 – $3,050
- Per pan
- $1,073 – $2,569
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +11%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #44
- 1 = most expensive
Wausau homeowners pay roughly $1,100 to $3,050 to install a shower pan at 1 pan, or $1,073 to $2,569 per pan (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Wausau is 11% higher. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $41.71 an hour in the Wausau area, 36% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Wausau, WI, standard level
$1,700 to $2,450
About $1,522 to $2,120 per pan before permits. Labor is about 63% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $670 |
| Labor | $1,150 | $1,450 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $330 |
| Total | $1,700 | $2,450 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $520 | $890 | 25% |
| Labor | $930 | $1,300 | $1,700 | 63% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $250 | $460 | 12% |
| Total | $1,100 | $2,050 | $3,050 | 100% |
Why Wausau prices look the way they do
Labor is 63% 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 Wausau the blended ratio comes out at 1.24.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Wausau metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1 pan comes to $520, compared with $550 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.7) and land at $30 to $460.
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 Wausau. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Wausau
Because every project leans on different trades, Wausau's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, bathroom remodel runs +3% and kitchen cabinets −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,000 | +3% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $13,000 | −7% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,300 – $14,300 | −5% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,700 – $30,100 | −5% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $310 – $1,500 | level |
Specs and site conditions that change a Wausau 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).
Cost by quality level and size in Wausau
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Wausau 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
$1,100 to $1,850
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,700 to $2,450
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$2,250 to $3,050
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $1,100 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,450 | $2,250 – $3,050 |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Wausau is 1.24 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 50%) the local median is $41.71 an hour, which is 36% above the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $29.85 and $48.25 an hour. BLS counts 260 of them working in the area, 37.4 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 Wausau metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $30.14 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.44 and $36.42 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($48.25 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $110. At the 25th percentile ($29.85) it shrinks by about $200. The total moves by 5.4% or 9.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 69,530 jobs in the Wausau area. That makes it the 261st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 50% | $29.85 | $41.71 | $48.25 | $30.67 | 1.36 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $27.44 | $30.14 | $36.42 | $26.77 | 1.13 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.24 | |||||
How Wausau compares
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Wausau. La Crosse is the lowest at about $2,050 (midpoint, 1 pan), 105 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $1,150 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | level |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $1,150 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,100 | +1% |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $1,100 – $3,000 | $2,050 | −2% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $1,050 – $3,000 | $2,050 | −2% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −10% |
Across 300 US metros, Wausau comes in at #44 from the top. The priciest is Bellingham, WA at $2,450; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $1,500 (midpoints, 1 pan). Statewide, Wausau is 2% above the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | level |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,100 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,100 | +1% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $1,150 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | level |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $1,150 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Wausau's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $1,050 – $2,950 | $2,000 | −3% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $870 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −15% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $830 – $2,600 | $1,700 | −17% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $990 – $2,900 | $1,950 | −6% |
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Shower pan in Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Wausau?
For 1 pan, expect $1,100 to $3,050 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,700 to $2,450. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Wausau?
About $1,073 to $2,569 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $2,100, which is 2% more than Wausau ($2,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 63% at the midpoint, or $1,300 out of $2,050. Materials are 25% and permits 12%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Wausau?
$1,100 to $3,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Wausau?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $460 for fees in the Wausau area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 2% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($2,050 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Wausau?
The BLS median is $41.71 an hour in the Wausau area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.85 to $48.25.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Wausau?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $1,100 to $1,850 and premium work $2,250 to $3,050. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Wausau
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.