Bathtub Reglazing in New York City
Licensed & Insured · Free Estimates
Bathtub Reglazing in Manhattan, NY
Refinish your Manhattan tub — and keep it in place
We refinish bathtubs throughout Manhattan — from prewar walk-ups in the West Village to doorman co-ops on the Upper East Side. Our pour-on method restores the original look of a porcelain or cast-iron tub in one visit, without demolition or plumbing work. Most jobs are done in about three hours and the tub is ready for use the next day.
AFTER
BEFORE
Working in Manhattan buildings
Manhattan apartments are our most common job. We’re set up to work around what makes this borough different — building hours, certificates of insurance, service-elevator bookings, and tight prewar bathrooms.
Prewar buildings & cast-iron tubs
- Most prewar apartments still have the original cast-iron tub — heavy, well-built, and worth keeping.
- The enamel from the 1920s–30s is usually still sound. What’s worn is the surface: yellowing, chips at the drain, decades of scratches.
- We strip down to a sound substrate and pour a fresh coat that bonds properly to cast iron.
Replacing one usually means breaking tile, pulling plumbing, and dealing with whatever’s under a prewar floor. Refinishing avoids all of it.
Certificate of Insurance — handled.
Most buildings above a certain price point require a COI before any contractor can start. We take care of it.
We list the building, the management company, and (often) you as the unit owner as additional insured.
Building work hours
Plus Saturday mornings where the building allows it. We schedule the visit to fit your building’s window.
Service elevator
If the freight elevator has to be booked ahead, tell us at the quote and we’ll arrange it.
Walk-ups
No elevator? We carry our own gear up at no extra charge. Higher floors — just mention it when you call.
Why owners refinish instead of replacing
Refinishing keeps your tub in place and costs a fraction of a full replacement.
Refinishing
- One visit, about 3 hours
- Tub ready to use in 24 hours
- Keeps your existing tile & plumbing
- 5-year warranty
Replacement
- Demolition + plumber + new tile
- A week or more of downtime
- Building permit if plumbing moves
- Heavy cast iron to cut out and haul away
Frequently asked questions
Do you provide a Certificate of Insurance for my building?
Yes, at no charge. We carry general liability and workers’ compensation insurance and can issue a COI on the standard ACORD 25 form. Send us your building’s COI requirements (most management companies have a one-page sheet) and we’ll have it back to you within 24 hours.
Can you work around my building's elevator and work hours?
Yes. Most Manhattan buildings allow contractor work between 9 AM and 5 PM on weekdays, sometimes Saturdays. We schedule the visit to fit those windows. If your building requires the service elevator to be booked, let us know when you book the job — most supers need 24-48 hours of notice.
My building is a walk-up. Is that a problem?
Not for buildings up to 5 or 6 floors. We carry our equipment up at no extra charge. For higher floors with no elevator, mention it during the quote and we’ll confirm.
My tub is from the 1920s and has been refinished before. Can it still be done?
Usually yes. If the previous coat is still bonded and not actively peeling, we can prep over it and apply a fresh coat. If the previous job is failing — peeling, lifting, or flaking off — we strip it down to bare cast iron first and start clean. Either way, the result is the same: a smooth, durable surface that lasts another 10-15 years.
Do you work weekends?
Saturday work is usually possible if your building allows weekend contractors — most Manhattan buildings do, with restricted hours (typically 10 AM to 4 PM Saturdays only, no Sunday work). If you need a Saturday for a turnover or to avoid taking off work, mention it when booking.
Can my family stay in the apartment during the work?
Yes. The pour-on coating is low-VOC and low-odor — there’s a mild smell during the work itself, but it clears within an hour or two of finishing. The bathroom door stays closed during the 24-hour cure, but the rest of the apartment is fine to use normally. This is one of the main reasons people choose us over spray-on contractors, who use much more aggressive solvents that require vacating the apartment.
How long until I can use the tub?
24 hours from when we finish. The coating cures hard during that window — no water, no weight, no cleaning products on the surface during those 24 hours. After that, normal daily use is fine.
Hi, I'm Artem.
When you book with New York Tubs, you aren't getting a random sub-contractor. You're getting a master refinisher with over a decade of experience.
For over a decade I've worked in tub refinishing, and I've personally refinished hundreds of tubs — every job done by me, start to finish. My reputation is built on durable, long-lasting results, a clean process with no solvent fumes, and full respect for your home.
- 10+ Years of Professional Experience
- Fully Licensed & Insured
- Backed by a 5-Year Warranty
AFTER
BEFORE
Bathtub Reglazing
- Pour-On Method
- Ready in 24 hours
- Odorless
Additional Services
Why the Pour-On Method Wins — Every Time
| Criteria | Traditional Spray-On Method | OUR METHOD Pour-On Application |
|---|---|---|
| Typical lifespan | 1-3 years |  10-15 years |
| On-Site Work Time | ~5 hours | 3-4 hours |
| Coat thickness | 10 mils | 60–100 mils (up to 10× thicker) |
| Odor during work | Strong solvent smell, lingers | No solvent smell |
| VOC content | High | Low |
| Safe to stay home | No — residents usually vacate | Yes |
| Ready to Use | ~48 Hours | 24 hours |
| Long-Term Value | Spray-on has a lower up-front cost, but the coating usually needs to be redone every couple of years. | A pour-on coat lasts long enough that most clients replace or sell the tub before the finish needs to be redone. |
Why refinishing makes sense in a Manhattan apartment
Replacing a bathtub in a typical Manhattan apartment is a much bigger job than people expect. Beyond the tub itself, you’re looking at:
Tile demolition — almost always, since the tub and the surrounding tile are installed together.
Plumbing work — often old galvanized pipes that need updating once they’re exposed.
A building permit — required if any plumbing is moved.
A week or more of downtime — the bathroom is out of use the whole time.
Co-op board approval — many buildings require sign-off before work can start.
Refinishing skips all of that
A typical Manhattan tub replacement runs several thousand dollars and takes a week or longer. Refinishing is done in one visit and costs a fraction of that — without touching your tile or plumbing.
A fraction of the cost
Tile & plumbing untouched
Usable the next day
The trade-off: refinishing only fixes the surface. If the tub itself is cracked through, or the cast iron has rusted through from underneath (rare, but possible in very old buildings), it has to be replaced. We’ll tell you straight up if that’s what’s going on — we don’t take work that’s going to fail.
Before and after
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We cover all of Manhattan
If your tub is in Manhattan, we come to it — from Inwood and Washington Heights down to Battery Park City.
If your neighborhood isn’t listed, call us anyway — we cover all of Manhattan.
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What You Get✓ One visit, ready in 24 hours✓ 5-year written warranty✓ Licensed & fully insured
