Custom Tile Shower Installation
Heirloom-quality custom tile showers — Schluter-waterproofed, dead-level layouts, frameless glass — across Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, and all of Upstate SC.
Tile Work That Lasts Decades, Not Seasons
A custom tile shower is the difference between a bathroom you tolerate and a bathroom you actually enjoy. Done right, it lasts twenty-plus years with no leaks, no failing grout, and no replacement. Done wrong, you are calling a contractor inside of five.
Every custom tile shower we build sits on top of a full Schluter-KERDI or Wedi waterproofing system, is set with epoxy grout on the wet walls, and is laid out so the grout lines actually line up where they should — bench-to-niche, niche-to-wall, wall-to-floor. That is the difference between a tile job and tile craftsmanship.
Why this matters
Most shower failures we are called to look at are not tile failures — they are waterproofing failures hidden behind tile that looks fine for the first two or three years. Building it right the first time is dramatically cheaper than tearing out and rebuilding inside of five.
What's Included in a Custom Tile Shower
Every line below is included in the written line-item quote — no surprise add-ons mid-project.
- Full sheet-membrane waterproofing on walls and pan (Schluter-KERDI or Wedi)
- Pre-build tile layout review so grout lines align across niches, benches, and floor
- Large-format porcelain, natural stone, marble, or mosaic options
- Epoxy grout on wet walls for stain resistance and easier cleaning
- Recessed niches, built-in bench, or corner shelves as scoped
- Linear or center drain with verified 1/4"-per-foot slope
- Frameless glass enclosure measured and installed to your finished tile
- Wall-mounted rainfall head, handheld wand, and thermostatic mixing valve
- Color-matched silicone at every plane change
- Written workmanship warranty
Standard porcelain tile showers run $8,500–$14,000. Natural stone, marble, or feature-wall mosaics run $12,000–$18,000. Full primary-bath cave-style showers with slabs, lit niches, and double curb-less entries run $18,000–$25,000+. Every quote is line-item with material allowances broken out so you can see exactly where every dollar goes.
Our Process
What it actually looks like from the free walkthrough through final hand-off.
We measure, photograph, and talk through tile families, layout, niche placement, bench geometry, and grout choices. You see real material samples in your own bathroom lighting.
Old shower out, subfloor and studs inspected and reinforced. Concrete board or framing repaired as needed.
Full Schluter-KERDI or Wedi membrane bonded to every wall and pan. Pan sloped 1/4" per foot. Curb (or curbless transition) waterproofed and verified.
Tile dry-laid before any thinset is mixed. We avoid sliver cuts at the floor, align grout lines bench-to-niche, and center the pattern where the eye lands.
High-performance modified thinset, epoxy grout on wet walls, color-matched silicone at every plane change. Natural stone sealed before turnover.
Glass measured to your finished tile dimensions 7–10 days after set. Installed in clear or low-iron, with brass, nickel, matte black, or chrome hardware.
Tile Families We Install
The product families we install — with honest pros and cons at the walkthrough.
Custom Tile Showers Across the Upstate
Same crew, same pricing, same warranty — no zone surcharges across our full service area.
Custom Tile Showers FAQs
Real questions we get on the phone every week — answered straight.
What's the difference between tile over cement board and a real waterproof system?
Cement board is moisture-tolerant but not waterproof — water passes through it. A real system (Schluter-KERDI or Wedi) puts a fully bonded sheet membrane between the tile and the wall, so even a hairline grout crack does not let water reach the studs. This is the single biggest reason newer tile-over-cement-board showers leak when older 'tile over greenboard' showers from the 1960s did not.
Can I choose natural stone like marble or travertine?
Yes. We install Carrara and Calacatta marble, honed travertine, and slate in Upstate homes regularly. Natural stone needs an annual sealer reapplication and benefits from epoxy grout, both of which we set up at install. We will walk you through the maintenance trade-offs at the estimate so there are no surprises later.
How long does epoxy grout last vs. sanded grout?
Epoxy grout on wet walls realistically lasts 20+ years with no maintenance beyond cleaning. Sanded grout in the same spot will start staining and developing hairline cracks inside of 5–7 years. The cost difference at install is minor; the cost difference at year ten is enormous.
Do you build benches and niches in tile?
Yes — both. Built-in tile benches and recessed niches (with hidden LED ledges for shampoo if you want them) are part of a normal custom build. We pre-frame and waterproof both, then tile them in matching or accent material so the bench reads as part of the wall rather than a bolt-on.
How long does a custom tile shower install take?
7–14 working days. A standard porcelain build runs 7–10 days. Natural stone, mosaic feature walls, or full slab-wall builds run 10–14 days because of the additional layout, cure, and seal time.
How much more does custom tile cost than a one-day system?
A one-day acrylic system runs $4,500–$7,500; a one-day solid-surface system runs $6,500–$9,500; a comparable-sized custom tile build runs $8,500–$14,000. The difference is design freedom, materials, and a 20+ year lifespan.
Related Services
Often paired or considered alongside custom tile showers.
Bring Us Your Toughest Tile Project
Free in-home walkthrough, written line-item pricing within 48 hours, and an honest recommendation on which lane fits your bathroom — never a high-pressure sales pitch.