If you plan to make accessible changes to your bathroom, you are probably wondering about the potential cost. In this blog, we’re going to look at what goes into the cost of bathroom adaptations so you can accurately budget and plan.

Accessible Bathrooms: A Summary

The bathroom can feel like a pretty vulnerable place when you’re living with reduced mobility. 

Slippery surfaces and trip hazards are everywhere. A wide range of movement is required to efficiently wash, use the toilet and operate various facilities… All of these elements make the bathroom a tricky place to navigate if you’re unsteady on your feet, in a wheelchair, not strong enough to stand for long periods or struggling with impaired vision.

Unless that is, you adapt it.

Bathroom adaptations are a worthwhile investment because they promote independence in daily self-care and keep individuals safe in what can be a hazardous environment. Toileting and maintaining proper personal hygiene shouldn’t be painful, or embarrassing. Making key changes to this area of the house can also enable someone to return or remain at home after a hospital visit. 

So, what influences the cost of your bathroom adaptations?

The Scale Of The Project

The first consideration is the sheer scale of the changes you are looking to make. Swapping in a lower-height sink is going to cost far less than the installation of a full wet room!

Smaller changes, such as replacing a conventional toilet with a wall-hung or washer-dryer toilet, or changing the flooring from slippery tiles to grippy vinyl, might be enough to transform the bathroom experience for the individuals living in the property. Even grab rails positioned correctly can work wonders.

But if you’re wanting to go big and adapt a whole bathroom, which can be utter luxury for everyone living in the home, your project will require a larger cash injection. 

Structural Modifications

As well as buying in all the kit, changing the physical layout of your bathroom is another factor that influences the cost of your bathroom adaptations. 

When you’re thinking about adapting your bathroom, you might want to move the sink, bath, shower or toilet to a different spot that makes the room easier to move through. You may also need to widen doorways and reposition radiators. The plumbing and electrics involved in reconfiguring a room like this can bump up the price. 

Flooring

Depending on the nature of your project you may need to replace the floor. 

Non-slip flooring is the best option even if your plans don’t include flooring changes. It heavily reduces the risk of anyone, but particularly vulnerable individuals, slipping, so it’s a good idea to factor this into the overall cost of your bathroom adaptations if you don’t already have it.

Fixtures & Fittings

Consider the impact these changes might have on your project budget.

Grab Rails

Accessible bathrooms will require the addition of grab rails for stability. Getting up and down from the seated position of a toilet, or standing for long periods by the basin or in the shower can all be better managed by grab rails positioned correctly. 

There are so many to choose from. Grab rails don’t have to look clinical; they come in various sizes and styles. Some are more basic, whilst others are designed to look more befitting of a boutique hotel. For more information about the different types and how they can help, read this. 

Walk In Baths & Showers

The installation of a level-access bath or shower will impact not only the cost, but the time needed to complete your project.

And if you’re swapping your standard bathtub for an accessible one, the total price will reflect the cost of the tub itself, removal of the old one and plumbing in the new one. You might also need to part with more cash to make good any damage to tiles, walls and flooring if removing the old one was invasive, or if the new one is a different shape. 

The same rules apply for changing an existing shower cubicle to a level-access shower, where the shower tray is floor-level. 

Changing from a bathtub to a shower? Installing a wet room? These changes require more work which means higher labour costs.

Wet Room

The cost of your bathroom adaptations will be noticeably higher if you’re converting a bathroom into a wet room. 

It’s a pretty popular choice these days. Not only is a wet room the most accessible solution, but it also looks stylish and luxurious. It’s also easier to clean than a regular bathroom.

However, it’s likely to be one of the most expensive solutions due to the amount of work that is needed. Here are just some of the steps involved in the installation:

• Removal of the existing flooring 
• Positioning the drain base and waste pipe for the shower area
• Laying boarding at the correct gradient
• Covering the floorboards with non-slip, waterproof covering and sealant to make sure it’s watertight
• Tiling over the now waterproof floor
• Re-tiling the walls, or installing panels

And that doesn’t include the purchase or fitting of new lighting, facilities, grab rails or other accessories.

So wet rooms are expensive. But, as wet rooms are often a feature of designer houses and posh hotels, adding one to your home can make it a more desirable home should you ever wish to sell.

Who You Use

Who you bring in to complete your bathroom adaptations can impact the price you pay. 

We would always recommend using professionals who have a proven track record of specialist workmanship to ensure project success. The cost might be higher than your everyday builder or plumber, but their expertise and professionalism will make the extra expense worthwhile.

Without specific accessibility know-how, problems can arise with work carried out and you could end up stumping up more of your hard-earned money to rectify them in the long run.

The Cost Of Bathroom Adaptations Varies By Project

There’s no easy way to guess what your bathroom adaptations might cost. Adding a few grab rails, or switching to a raised-height toilet or accessible sink will be easier on the wallet than remodelling the whole room.

Our advice? Get quotes from professionals who can guide you on the best design, layout and fixtures – they can even help you find out if your project is VAT exempt.

The John Ford Group adapts houses to make living at home easier for the elderly and those with disabilities. Discover how we can help you with your project by visiting our website.