Add a Niche to a Tile Shower — Cut In, Waterproofed and Tiled
The shower is fine, but the shampoo bottles live on the tub edge or a rusting caddy. You want a recessed niche without retiling the whole shower.
JMB Builders will add a niche to a tile shower you already have, across the Twin Cities metro. We check the wall cavity for pipes, vents and insulation, cut out a section of tile and backer between two studs, frame and waterproof the niche into the shower's existing waterproofing, and tile it with a sloped sill. When your tile is no longer made, the niche gets an accent tile. Priced per unit, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per niche
- Waterproofed into the existing shower
- Accent tile when yours is discontinued
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Adding a niche to a finished shower is surgery on a waterproof wall. The tile, the backer board and the waterproofing behind it are one system; cutting a hole in it means that hole has to be sealed back into the system, or water gets into the wall behind the niche every time the shower runs.
The first step is picking the wall. The niche goes between two studs, so we find the studs and check what is inside: supply lines, the drain vent, wiring, and on an outside wall, insulation. A niche on an exterior wall is possible but it takes away insulation and can get cold enough to sweat in a Minnesota winter, so an interior wall is the first choice. We look before we cut, often through a small hole where the niche will be.
Then the tile and backer are cut out clean, the opening is framed with a top and bottom block, and the niche is either built from backer board or set as a one-piece preformed niche. Its waterproofing is lapped or sealed into the shower's membrane or sealed board, and the sill is sloped so water drains out. Tile goes on the inside, with edge trim or mitered corners at the face.
Matching is the honest question. If your tile is still available or you have extras, the niche matches. If not, we tile the niche in an accent that looks intentional rather than an almost-match.
What you supply
- Leftover tile from the original shower, if you have any
- An accent tile choice if the original is gone
- Photos of the shower walls and the room on the other side of the wall you want
- Where you want the niche and roughly how big
What JMB supplies
- Stud and cavity check for pipes, vents, wiring and insulation before cutting
- Clean cut-out of tile and backer between two studs
- Niche framing, backer board or a preformed niche
- Waterproofing sealed into the existing shower system, flood-checked
- Sloped sill, tile, edge trim and grout
- Silicone at the joint where niche tile meets the shower tile
- Cleanup and dust protection in the bathroom
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Interior wall vs. exterior wall with insulation to deal with
- Pipes, vents or wiring in the chosen cavity that force a different spot
- Single niche vs. a wide niche that needs a header across a cut stud
- Built from backer board vs. a preformed niche
- Tile type: porcelain, stone or glass, and mitered vs. trimmed edges
- The waterproofing system your shower has behind the tile
Send a photo of the full shower wall, a close-up of the tile, and a photo of the room behind that wall. Tell us if you have spare tile.
How long it takes
One niche: about two days, one to cut, frame and waterproof, one to tile and grout after the setting material cures. Shower back in use a day or so after grout.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Add a Niche to a Tile Shower — Cut In, Waterproofed and Tiled: questions, answered
Can you add a niche to an existing tile shower?
Yes, when the wall cavity is clear. The tile and backer are cut out between two studs, the niche is framed and waterproofed into the shower's existing waterproofing, and tiled. The rest of the shower stays as it is.
Can a shower niche go on an exterior wall?
It can, but an interior wall is better in Minnesota. A niche takes out insulation, and the back of the niche can get cold enough to collect condensation in winter. When the exterior wall is the only choice, rigid insulation goes behind the niche and it is kept shallow.
How do you waterproof a niche added to an existing shower?
The niche gets its own waterproofing, either a preformed waterproof niche or backer board with a membrane, and that is lapped or sealed into the waterproofing already behind the tile. The sill is sloped toward the shower. The seams are sealed with the system's own sealant, not grout.
What if my shower tile is discontinued?
Then the niche gets a deliberate accent tile, like a mosaic, a contrasting color or a stone, rather than a near match that looks like a repair. If you have spare tile from the original job, the niche can match exactly.
Where is the best place to put a shower niche?
On an interior wall, out of the direct spray, at a height you can reach without bending, often across from or beside the shower head. It has to land between studs with no pipes or vents in the cavity, which we check before cutting.
Can you add a niche to a fiberglass or acrylic shower?
Not the same way. Cutting a one-piece fiberglass or acrylic surround breaks its waterproofing and it cannot be sealed like a tiled wall. For those, a surface-mounted shelf or a new tiled wall is the answer.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All tile pages
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