The bathroom is where most falls at home happen, and it's often the room that decides whether someone can stay in their house comfortably as they get older. Whether you're planning ahead, recovering from surgery, or caring for a family member, an accessible bathroom makes daily routines easier and safer for everyone who uses it.
Features we design in
- Curbless shower entry: no step to trip on, and room for a shower chair or wheelchair. See curbless showers.
- Built-in shower bench at a comfortable height, waterproofed as part of the shower.
- Handheld shower on a slide bar, reachable from the bench, plus a thermostatic valve that prevents sudden temperature swings.
- Grab bars anchored into solid blocking, placed where they're actually needed: at the shower entry, inside the shower and beside the toilet.
- Comfort-height toilet, and optionally a bidet seat.
- Slip-resistant flooring with a matte finish and smaller tiles in the shower.
- Wider doorway, a pocket or barn door, and lever handles instead of knobs.
- Lighting: brighter overall light, light at the mirror, and a night light on the path to the toilet.
- Reachable storage: drawers instead of deep lower cabinets, and a vanity that can allow knee space if needed.
Designing for a caregiver, too
If someone may need help bathing, the bathroom has to work for two people at once. That changes a few details:
- Clear floor space beside the toilet and in front of the shower, so a helper can stand alongside.
- A handheld shower a helper can reach without stepping into the spray, and controls placed near the shower entry.
- A shower large enough for a shower chair or wheelchair plus a second person, where the room allows.
- A door that opens out or slides, so it can't be blocked if someone falls inside.
We'll ask about these needs at the first visit, including ones you expect down the road, and design the room around them.
Planning ahead costs less
If you're remodeling anyway, the least expensive time to plan for accessibility is now. Solid blocking in the walls for future grab bars, a wider door, and a curbless or very low-curb shower add little to a remodel that's already opening the walls and floor. Added years later, the same changes mean tearing out finished tile.
A recent accessible bathroom
For one homeowner preparing for retirement, we replaced a sunken tub, carpet and glass-block wall with a curbless shower and built-in bench, earthy green and terracotta tile, and an operable window for fresh air. That's the bathroom at the top of this page. See the before photos and how we did it in the Wilsonville accessible bathroom case study.
How the project works
- Assessment: we look at how the bathroom is used now, any mobility needs today or expected later, and the room's framing and plumbing.
- Design: a layout that puts the right features in the right places, with finishes chosen like any other remodel.
- Fixed-price proposal with the full scope and schedule.
- Construction, scheduled to keep a working bathroom available as much as possible.
- Walkthrough with everyone who'll use the room, so bars, bench and fixtures are where they should be.
Cost
Smaller updates, like grab bars, a handheld shower and a comfort-height toilet, can often be done in a few days. A full accessible bathroom remodel with a curbless shower typically runs $XX,000 to $XX,000. See the bathroom remodel cost guide and financing options.