THE COST OF REMODELLING A HANDICAPPED BATHROOM IN HOUSTON
What can you do if you require a handicap-accessible bathroom in your residence? The bathroom is perhaps the most prominent room of the house that is redesigned to accommodate disabled people. Installing grab bars in locations where falls are likely, stripping the curb from the shower to enable for barrier-free entry remodeling the shower to provide a bench and hand shower for convenient access, and changing a pedestal or vanity sink with a wall-hung model that a wheelchair can roll underneath are just a few examples (Fixr, 2017).
How Much Should a Handicap Bathroom Remodel Cost?
In Houston, the cost of a new shower, vanity cabinet with sink, toilet, and tile flooring for a typical 100-square-foot household bathroom is normally $8,000 to $10,000.
You could budget at least $2,000 to $3,000 more for handicapped-accessible bathroom features.
The price will skyrocket if you need more expensive features like a walk-in bathtub or a bigger entry door to accommodate bigger wheelchairs.
Non-slip flooring, lever faucet handles, and a greater toilet are some of the other alternatives. A full bathroom renovation is generally needed to make these adjustments.
This may necessitate the hiring of both a bathroom design firm and a plumber to complete the job. The average cost of remodeling a restroom in Houston is $9,000 (Kitchen And Bath Center,2021).
Planning
Even if you're looking at your existing bathroom and saying, "There's no way I can make this available," don't despair. A competent contractor equipped with today's functional, flexible goods will assist in transforming a tiny, hazardous bathroom into a safer, more affordable one.
If you understand the answers to these questions, you and your contractor will be much more prepared for the development process:
- What task in the bathroom do you or a loved one currently want help with?
- What decisions should you or a loved one take on your own?
- Do you expect mobility problems to change over time?
- Is it necessary to have medical equipment in the bathroom?
- Would you or a loved one prefer a bath or a shower?
|
REMODEL |
COST |
|
Roll-out cabinets, drawers, shelves |
$400-$800 |
|
Underside curtain |
$20 |
|
Single lever faucet |
$120-$300 |
|
Thermostat |
$150 |
|
Insulation of faucet and piping |
$70-$150 |
|
Larger mirror |
$150-$500 |
|
Labor |
$200-$500 |
Room Size
It's critical to consider the square footage you'll need to work with if you want your bathroom to cater to a wheelchair (now or in the future).
A roll-in shower should ideally be 5 feet wide by 3 feet deep, with no curb. As per the ADA, if you don't need to accommodate a wheelchair, a shower should be at least 36 x 36 inches with a curb no more than 12 inches off the ground (Fixr, 2017).
Although not everyone has the square footage in their houses to accommodate any of these setups, fortunately, there are even more innovative alternatives. (Kitchen And Bath Center,2021).
ProTip Takeaway: For a shower dilemma, you might convert your whole bathroom into a wet room. Each and everything in the bathroom will be contained in one big open space, with an additional floor drain in the room's center, which will be sloped for drainage.
The Entryway
To cater for a wheelchair, the doorway should have a consistent width of 32 inches from the door's face to the opposite halt. Bear in mind that the bathroom door should be positioned so that it does not open inward and block the bathroom's interior space. In some situations, pocket doors can be a good choice for improving access. (Kitchen And Bath Center,2021).
It's also easy to make a straight shot from the doorway into the shower if necessary if you've selected a shower that can cater to a wheelchair. Ensure that the GFCI is installed and inspected correctly by a licensed electrician. Installation of the floor and passage would cost between $400 and $1,800, while the GFCI will cost $500 (Jonathan, 2021).
ProTip Takeaway: To allow barrier-free entry to the bathroom, consider removing the cab, and rather than a vanity sink, use a wall-hung model that a wheelchair can roll beneath.
Sink, Tub, and Toilet Varieties
Although not all of the guidelines can be implemented all the more so for an old bathroom, the ADA advisors to clearance areas around sinking and toilets should still be taken into account. The more you can do, the more at ease you or your loved one will be.
The following items can be found in an ADA-compliant restroom:
Tub
- When it comes to making a bathroom handicap available, most homeowners prefer a tub to shower conversion, but others prefer to keep their tub. In this situation, a safety tub will be an excellent choice. It has a swinging door that makes it simple to enter and sit down, and once inside, the tub fills and drains.
- Hand-held showers with a 60-inch hose, faucet controls located where the user can adjust them without getting wet, and handles that can be pushed or dragged so the user can turn them on and off with the palm of their hand are all features to consider.
The floor would need to be refinished with a non-slip finish. A simple or soak tub with a built-in seat from Universal, American Standard, or Homeward Bath costs between $1,000 and $2,500. Between $7,000 and $10,000 for a high-end model with features including remote pressure and temperature controls, whirlpool, and air-bath jets (Jonathan, 2021).
Plumbing would cost between $250 and $600, with electrical fixtures, rerouting, GFCI, breaker board, and other installations costing between $200 and $1,200. A set of three grab bars would cost $140, and refinishing the floor with anti-slip tiles would cost between $80 and $800.
Plumbing repairs will set you back $200, and a new boiler or furnace will set you back $700. If you decide to keep the old tub, the ceiling lift tracks can be extended to the bathtub for a $500 installation fee. The total cost of remodeling a disabled bathroom will be as much as $9,000.
Shower
A 34” door or curtain should be used in place of the traditional narrow shower entrance. Opposite the shower unit, an in-wall grab bar should be fitted. The stall should be either sloped or have a half-inch rubber curb that does not obstruct the wheelchair's mobility. The shower unit should be adjusted to include a 5-foot long shower hose with both the overhead and handheld showerheads. Install a single long lever faucet with a thermostatic valve to regulate the flow of hot water. A roll-in shower should have a 15-square-foot stall large enough to accommodate a wheelchair or commode (Kitchen And Bath Center,2021).
A transfer shower is meant to help disabled people move from their wheelchairs to the shower seat. It will cost $250 to widen the doorway and $500 to install a wide, glazed shower door. The rail and curtain will set you back about $140 while modifying the receded stall would set you back between $200 and $1,100 (Jonathan, 2021).
ProTip Takeaway: instead of a fixed, wall-mounted showerhead, adapt a handheld showerhead in your handicapped-accessible shower.
Toilet
- Height of the toilet seat 17-19"
- There must be a centerline from the sidewall between 16 cm and 18 cm.
- Grab bars in your wall's studs must be secured.
- Ideally, on both sides of the toilet, there are grab bars. It was also impossible when there was no wall on either side of the bathroom. But manufacturers today produce hinged pick-up bars, which you can attach behind the toilet on the wall and pull down if necessary.
A plumber can charge $120 to bring the toilet to 17 inches. A bidet will set you back $120, and armrest grab bars will set you back $240. For $50, you can change the flushing system to a soft button or a lengthy lever (Jonathan, 2021).
ProTip Takeaway: A combination toilet/bidet that helps the user to clean himself/herself is an additional choice to consider in the handicapped bathroom.
Clear floor space
- A clear, 60-inch circle to turn a wheelchair.
- There is plenty of room for a cane or hiking or wheelchair, one of the keys to an accessible bathing room. The bathrooms must be kept as free of turmoil as possible, particularly such things as hampers, waste cans, and decorative teapots. You can pose an easy risk to travel.
Sink
- The door should not swing through that rectangular, 30-inch by 48-inch access to the sink.
- The clearance under the sink is 27 inches. Instead of a plinth, a wall-hung sink would be a good choice so the user must come nearer the basin.
ProTip Takeaway: Raise or lower the height of the sink to allow easy access to the cold or hot water taps.
Grab Bars
Grab bars should be installed in a variety of locations throughout the bathroom, specifically near the sink and inside the shower. You or a loved one may be able to act individually, so a grab bar would be available in case you lose your balance. When entering the tub or shower, grab bars are also essential (Fixr, 2017).
The armrest toilet bar duo goes for $240, whereas a wall-mounted grab bar costs $80. A pair of floor-standing handrails will set you back about $200, whilst the 5-foot handrail will set you back about $100. All of the buildings would cost between $150 and $350 in labor (Jonathan, 2021).
Accessories
- You'll also need to consider robe hooks, towel bars, toilet paper dispensers, soap dishes, toothbrush holders, mirrors, and other accessories.
- Make sure they're at a comfortable height so you can reach them whether you're sitting or standing.
- Make sure toiletry holders in the shower or tub are big enough to hold toiletries so they don't tumble out onto the floor.
- Install a tilting, adjustable mirror above the sink that can be viewed standing or seated.
- Install motion-activated lamps or lower the light switches. Install bulk toggle or push-button light switches instead of pinch-to-grasp switches if you use light switches.
ProTip Takeaway: Slip-resistant flooring is essential, particularly in the shower or bathtub.
Remodeling Consultation & Scheduling with Bathroom Remodeling Contractor
If you’re in Houston, Texas, and the surrounding areas, and you need professional help with your project, give us a call at 832-800-8889 to schedule your free consultation. Whether you want to make bathrooms in your home handicap accessible or you just need help planning the whole remodeling process, Smart Remodeling is here to help.