The checklist
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Curbless or low-threshold shower | Nothing to step over. A walker or shower chair rolls in |
| Bench or fold-down seat | You can wash sitting down, at about 17–19 inches high |
| Grab bars anchored into blocking | Something solid at the entry, the back wall and the bench |
| Slip-resistant floor tile | Small matte porcelain with plenty of grout lines for grip |
| Anti-scald thermostatic valve | Holds the temperature and caps how hot it can get |
| Handheld shower on a slide bar | Rinse while seated, without standing to adjust |
| Comfort-height toilet | Easier to sit down and stand up |
| Wider door and lever handles | Room for a walker, no twisting a knob |
| Night lighting | A safer trip in the middle of the night |
Start with the tub
If the budget only allows one change, replace the tub. Stepping over a tub wall on a wet floor is the hardest move in the room. A tub-to-shower conversion with a low threshold and grab-bar blocking runs $7,900 to $16,500 and takes 3–5 days. The rest of the list can follow later, and the blocking we put in the walls makes adding bars simple.
It does not have to look like a hospital
This is the worry we hear most. Grab bars come in the same finish as the faucet and sit where a towel bar would. The bench is tile or teak. The entry is flush with a linear drain, and the glass is a fixed panel with a wide opening. Done well, it looks like a nice shower that happens to be safe. Ask any contractor for photos of accessible showers they have finished before you decide.
What a full accessible bathroom costs
A complete accessible bathroom runs $9,500 to $28,000 and takes 4–7 days. The starting package includes a curbless shower, fold-down bench, two decorative grab bars, a handheld on a slide bar, a comfort-height toilet and slip-resistant floor tile. Higher packages add tile walls, a linear drain, the thermostatic valve, a widened doorway and roll-in access.
We look at how you move through the room during the free in-home visit, then send one fixed price in writing. Adult children are welcome to join the visit in person or by phone.
Key facts
- First change to make
- Replace the step-over tub with a low-threshold shower
- Full accessible bathroom
- $9,500–$28,000
- Time on site
- 4–7 days
- Bench height
- About 17–19 inches
- Grab bar rating
- 250–300 pounds, anchored into blocking
Related questions
Where we do this work
Services: Accessible & Aging-in-Place Bath · Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Bathroom remodeling in Sun City, Surprise, Mesa, and across the Valley.