A custom tile shower is one of the most valuable upgrades you can make to a Chicago bathroom. A custom tile shower is one of the most valuable upgrades you can make to your bathroom - combining everyday durability with a spa-like feel. At TileMasters, we handle everything from precise waterproofing to flawless final grouting, ensuring a shower that looks stunning and performs for decades.
Whether you want a sleek large-format design or an intricate mosaic accent wall, our expert installers deliver clean lines, watertight seams, and a finish you’ll be proud of.
From sleek large-format tile to intricate mosaic detailing, we work with the full range of shower tile to match your space and style.
Oversized tile with minimal grout lines for a seamless, modern shower wall that’s also much easier to keep clean day to day.
Small-format tile used as an accent band, niche, or shower floor to add texture, color, and detail exactly where you want it.
Marble, travertine, and slate for a premium, spa-like feel with natural variation that makes every shower one-of-a-kind.
A textured, slip-resistant shower floor that adds a natural, spa-inspired feel underfoot for a genuinely relaxing shower.
A striking zig-zag layout that elevates an accent wall or shower niche into a real design moment.
Shimmering glass tile that makes a recessed shelf or niche the standout detail of the whole shower.
There’s a reason a custom tile shower remains one of the most requested bathroom upgrades.
Properly installed tile and waterproofing protect your bathroom from moisture damage for decades.
A simple wipe-down keeps tile looking pristine - no refinishing or recaulking every year.
Niches, benches, and tile patterns tailored exactly to your space and your style.
A well-built custom shower is one of the upgrades buyers notice and remember most.
A clear, proven 5-step process from first measurement to final walkthrough.
We start in your bathroom, measuring the space and talking through what you want from the shower, including tile, layout, niches, benches, and whether a curbless entry is realistic for your floor structure. We also look at the existing plumbing and drain location, since those set the limits on what can change and what it costs. You get a clear plan and a detailed, no obligation written estimate.
This is the step that decides whether a shower lasts twenty years or fails in three. We build a properly sloped shower pan, then install a full waterproofing system across the pan and walls, sealing every corner, seam, and pipe penetration. We flood test the pan before tiling to confirm it holds water, because finding a problem now costs nothing and finding it after tile is a demolition job.
We dry lay the tile to plan the pattern and balance the cuts, paying particular attention to the niche, the bench, and the corners where two walls meet. Layout matters more in a shower than anywhere else, because you stand inches from the wall and stare at it every morning. Every piece is wet cut to fit around valves, the shower head, and the niche framing.
Our installers set each tile with full coverage behind it and check both level and plumb constantly, while maintaining the correct slope on the pan so the floor drains properly. Niche shelves get a slight pitch so water runs out instead of pooling on your shampoo bottles. We work methodically through the walls, floor, and bench, keeping the rest of the bathroom protected.
Once everything has set, we grout the shower, clean the surface thoroughly, and seal where the material requires it. Changes of plane, meaning the inside corners and the joint where the wall meets the pan, get caulk rather than grout so they can move without cracking. We then walk the finished shower with you and explain how to care for the grout and sealer so it stays looking right.
Common questions from Chicago homeowners before starting a custom shower project.
A full custom shower typically takes five to eight days, and that timeline is driven mostly by curing and drying, not by us working slowly. Waterproofing has to cure, the flood test takes time, and thinset needs to set before grouting. Rushing any of those steps is exactly how showers fail, so we build the schedule around them and tell you the specific dates at estimate time.
Yes, and niches and benches are two of our most requested features. A niche gives you storage without a hanging caddy, and a bench is worth considering if anyone in the house will want to sit, shave, or age in place comfortably. Both need to be framed and waterproofed as part of the build, so it is much easier to decide before we start than to add later.
Yes, and it is the part of the job we care about most. We build a sloped pan and install a full waterproofing membrane across the pan and walls, sealing every corner, seam, and pipe penetration, then flood test the pan before any tile goes on. Almost every failed shower we get called to repair failed at the waterproofing, not the tile.
Absolutely, and we plan for it. We build the curb, walls, and dimensions so a frameless enclosure has something square and plumb to mount to, which is what glass installers need to make a door close properly. Tell us at the consultation that glass is coming and we will coordinate the measurements with your glass supplier.
Cost depends on the size of the shower, the tile you choose, and custom features such as niches, benches, curbless entries, or a linear drain. Natural stone and intricate patterns add labor, and a curbless build requires more structural work on the floor. We give you a detailed, itemized free estimate that separates the base build from the upgrades.
A look at recent custom tile shower installations across Chicago and the suburbs.
Get a free, no-obligation estimate for your custom tile shower today. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
