Service
Grab bars and toilets
Bars set into the wall, where a hand lands.
A grab bar is only as strong as what it is screwed into. We find the framing, add solid blocking where there is none and set the bars where your parent's hand actually goes. Then we look at the height of the toilet, the reach to the sink and the light on the way there.
What is included
Bars set into blocking or studs, not into tile alone
A comfort-height toilet, with a bar beside it or a fold-up arm
A vanity or sink set for a person who sits or stands
Night lighting between the bed and the toilet
Before you decide
What changes the cost, and what is not included
Where the walls are solid
Behind tile there may be studs, or nothing. Blocking can be added from inside the wall during other work, or by opening a section.
Opening a wall adds repair and paint
The toilet
A taller bowl is easier to rise from. A bar beside it or a fold-up arm can help more than height does.
The drain and flange position set which toilets fit
The finish
Bars come in plain stainless and in finishes that match the fixtures. We show samples at the walk-through.
A matching finish can cost more than plain
What the estimate leaves out
Permit fees, new tile where we open a wall, and anything found behind it.
A single bar is a quick job; for that, a handyman is often the right call
How it goes
The steps, in order
- 01
Step 1: Walk-through
We watch how your parent moves through the bathroom and mark where a hand reaches for support.
- 02
Step 2: Plan
A marked drawing of every bar, the blocking behind it and the toilet change, if any.
- 03
Step 3: Blocking and bars
We open only as much as we have to, add solid backing, then fix the bars and test them with a load.
- 04
Step 4: Toilet and finishing
Toilet, vanity changes and any patching and paint.
- 05
Step 5: Final walk-through
Your parent tries each bar and we move anything that feels wrong.
Questions
Good to know
Do you install stair lifts or sell medical equipment?
No. We build the changes to the house: showers, floors, walls, rails and ramps. For a stair lift, a hospital bed or a lift chair, we point you to an occupational therapist or a medical-equipment supplier, and we make sure the house is ready for it.
Can you work with my parent's occupational therapist or doctor?
Yes, and we like to. If a therapist has made recommendations, send them before the walk-through or bring them to it. We build to what the therapist wrote, and we say plainly if something in the house makes part of it hard.
Does Medicare pay for home changes like this?
Original Medicare does not usually pay for home modifications. Some programs may help, depending on income, health and where you live. Your county's aging services office or the state's senior helpline can tell you what applies. We provide a written scope you can send to any program that asks.
Want the bars in the right place?
The walk-through is where we watch how your parent moves. Book one, or send us a photo of the bathroom.