On paper, a new tub is not that expensive. The surprise is everything attached to it — and that is where reglazing wins.
The hidden cost of just replacing it
Pulling a built-in tub means removing surrounding tile, hiring a plumber, often a carpenter, then hauling the old fixture away. By the time the wall is closed back up, a simple swap can clear $3,000 to $5,000.
What reglazing costs
Refinishing the same tub typically runs a few hundred dollars and finishes in an afternoon. Your tile stays put, your plumbing is untouched, and there is no debris to dispose of.
When replacement still makes sense
If a tub is structurally cracked or you are gutting the whole bathroom anyway, replacement is the right call. For everything short of that, reglazing delivers the same fresh look for a fraction of the spend.
Most of a replacement bill is not the tub — it is the tile, the labor and the cleanup around it.