If your tub looks tired, you have two real options: refinish the one you have, or rip it out and install a new one. Both are valid — they just solve different problems. Here's how to tell which one fits your bathroom.
The case for refinishing
Refinishing restores the surface of a tub that's structurally sound but worn — stained, dull, chipped, or scratched. In Miami, that's most older tubs. The advantages are hard to ignore:
- Cost. A standard tub is a flat $435 with us. A full replacement in Miami typically runs $3,000–$8,000 once you add demolition, a plumber, new tile, and disposal.
- Time. Refinishing takes about 3–4 hours and the tub is usable in roughly a day. Replacement can mean a torn-up bathroom for several days.
- Less disruption. No demolition, no new tile, and you keep the bathroom you already have — which matters a lot in condos and high-rises.
When replacement makes more sense
Refinishing isn't magic. Replacement is the better call when:
- The tub is cracked all the way through or structurally failing.
- You're changing the layout — moving plumbing, or switching to a walk-in shower.
- You simply want a different size or style of tub, not the same one restored.
A note on cast iron
If you have a solid cast iron tub, think twice before tearing it out. They're heavy, expensive to remove, and built to last generations. Refinishing the surface is usually the smarter, cheaper move — and it's exactly the kind of tub our pour-on method was made for.
Bottom line
If the tub is solid and you like where it is, refinishing gets you a like-new finish for a fraction of the cost and hassle. If the tub is failing or your layout is changing, replace it. Not sure which camp you're in? We'll tell you honestly during a free estimate — even if the answer is "replace it."
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