How Much Does It Cost to Build an Accessible Bathroom?

Average Cost to Build an Accessible Bathroom

Accessible Bathroom Remodel Prices

The labor costs for an accessible bathroom remodel vary significantly based on what type and the amount of work. Depending on the scope of the project, here are the professionals you may need and their associated rates:

• Handyperson: The cost to hire a handyperson is $60–$125 per hour

• Electrician: The cost to hire an electrician is $50–$100 per hour

• Plumber: The cost to hire a plumber is $45–$200 per hour

• Construction manager: The cost to hire a construction manager is 5%–15% of the total project cost

• General contractor: The cost to hire a general contractor is 10%–20% of the total project cost

Accessible Bathroom Remodel Costs

How much you'll pay for parts and materials for accessibility remodel costs depends on what modifications you need to make. Accessibility means different things. Someone may simply need grab bars, lower light switches, and anti-slip flooring, while somebody else may need sensor lighting, an emergency call button, an elevator, and a ceiling lift to comfortably and independently use the bathroom. Hence costs for parts start at $100 or less and can go as high as $10,000.

Accessible Bathroom Remodel Costs by Project

Lowering Light Switches

It costs between $20 and $100 per unit to lower light switches. That's an average cost of $60 per light switch, including parts and materials. To follow the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines—which you must do if you received ADA funding to modify your home—your light switches must meet the following criteria:

• If a light switch is only accessible with a front approach, it must be no more than 48 inches from the floor

• If a lightswitch is accessible from the side, it must be no more than 54 inches from the floor

• Over-counter light switches should be no more than 40 inches from the floor

Installing an Emergency Call Button

Emergency call buttons cost $50 to $500 per button, including parts and labor. The average cost per emergency call button is $275, installed. While some people keep an emergency call button around their neck, others are more comfortable having call buttons installed in likely and easy-to-access locations to request assistance if they require it. Beside the bathtub or the toilet are convenient locations to help make a bathroom safer and more accessible to all.

Adding a Walk-in Tub

Adding a walk-in tub or a roll-in bathtub costs between $3,000 and $8,500, including the tub, materials, and labor. On average, expect to pay around $5,750. Just remember that for accessibility and safety, choose a tub with a door that opens outwards, not inwards.

Adding a Bath Lift

Adding a bath lift is an excellent way to save money and still let a person with a disability access the bath safely and comfortably with privacy and dignity. Expect to pay an average of $2,225 to install a bath lift, with a project price range of $450 to $4,000.

Adding a Threshold Ramp

If there's a step up or down into your bathroom and you're creating an accessible space for someone with mobility limitations, you'll need to add a threshold ramp. On the low end, $50 gets you a portable threshold ramp. But if you want something permanent and of higher quality, you can pay up to $1,200. The average cost of a threshold ramp is $625.

Installing Grab Bars

Installing grab bars is one of the least expensive and simplest ways to improve accessibility for people who need extra stability. Installed grab bars cost $85 to $300, with an average price of $193 per grab bar.

Widening the Doorway

If you have an older home with narrower doorways, you’ll need to make the bathroom accessible for someone who uses a wheelchair, walker, or similar walking aid. In that case, you'll likely need to widen the doorway to allow for comfortable entry. Widening a doorway costs between $300 and $2,500. The average cost is $1,400 for the whole project.

Installing an Accessible Shower

Installing an accessible shower costs between $975 to $22,000. Accessible showers are usually walk-in or roll-in types, allowing universal access. Alternatively, you can create a wet room if you have enough space and you are already taking on an extensive bathroom remodel. A 144-square-foot wet room costs an average of $22,000, compared with a level access shower that costs, on average, around $11,500.

Accessible Countertops

Accessible countertops cost between $600 and $2,000, installed. You can lower countertops and/or have space underneath to allow people in wheelchairs or using mobility aids to get close enough to the countertop to use it comfortably. The average cost to install an accessible countertop is $1,300.

Accessible Sink

Installing an accessible sink costs between $450 and $800. Expect to pay an average of $625 for labor and materials. Accessible sinks are generally wall-mounted instead of pedestal sinks so that users of all abilities can get comfortably close enough to the sink to use it independently. Depending on the accessibility issues, universal access faucets with easy use taps may work best.

ADA-Compliant Toilet Installation

ADA-compliant toilet installation costs an average of $800. The full cost range is $500 to $1,100, all-in. Aside from a raised toilet seat, an ADA-compliant toilet may also be wider than a regular toilet, have removable arms, an automatic flush, and sit substantially higher than a standard toilet.

Raised Toilet Seat

Raised toilet seats cost between $100 and $1,600, with an average price point of $850. Raised toilet seats reduce the distance someone has to move to sit on and stand from the toilet. Some are simple affairs, while others have extra features, including built-in grab bars, contoured comfort seats, and soft-close lids.

Ceiling Lift

Ceiling lifts cost between $5,000 and $12,000, including parts and labor. Expect to pay an average of $8,500. Ceiling lifts are ceiling-mounted track systems that incorporate a sling seat and allow individuals with mobility challenges to transfer into or out of a bathtub.

Remember, however, that if the ceiling needs reinforcement to support the fully-loaded lift’s force, weight, and motion, the project cost will come in closer to the top end of this range.

Installing an Elevator

While this isn't strictly a bathroom modification, in some homes, installing an elevator is the only practical method for all household members to use the upstairs bathroom. Elevator installation costs $35,000 to $50,000, with an average cost of $42,500.

Where there's nowhere to build a bathroom addition on the lower floor, accessing the upstairs bathroom is crucial, and if a chair lift isn't practical, an elevator is a good, albeit expensive, option. This luxury home addition can also help increase home value, allowing you to recoup much of your investment if you later choose to sell your property.

“One alternative to an elevator is an electric stair lift,” says Bob Tschudi, Angi Expert Review Board member and general contractor in Raleigh, NC. “The good thing about them is that they can be removed prior to resale, returning the stairway to its original look.”

Adding Sensor Lighting

Sensor lighting costs between $350 and $500, with an average price of $425, installed. Motion sensor lighting negates the need for someone to activate a light switch, adding convenience to the bathroom. Instead, they turn on based on motion and turn off when they no longer detect any motion. You can set some fully-loaded lifts to turn off after a specific period of no motion.

Including an Automatic Toilet Flusher

Automatic toilet flushers are useful for people who struggle to operate a standard flush handle or pull flush. Automatic flushers cost between $250 and $500 to install, with an average cost of $375, all-in.

Installing Anti-Slip Flooring

Anti-slip flooring is useful for the whole family, increasing safety. Non-slip bathroom flooring costs $3 to $22 per square foot, with an average price of $13 per square foot.

Adding an Intercom System

An intercom system provides safety and easy communication while still affording everyone privacy, dignity, and independence. To install an intercom system, expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $800, with an average of $450.

Factors That Influence the Cost of an Accessible Bathroom Remodel

Every accessibility bathroom remodel is different, as you're catering to the needs of one or more individuals plus the needs of the wider household. While some people require an elevator and a ceiling lift for easy accessibility and transfers, another household may only require the installation of grab bars and anti-slip flooring to make the bathroom accessible for all.

Permits and Licenses

Aside from the extent of the remodel, another factor that influences the cost is whether you need any permits or licenses. While you won't need permits for smaller jobs, for more extensive remodeling, such as widening doorways, installing ramps, or making any structural changes, you'll need permits. However, your contractor should handle this for you; they usually include the cost in the total project fee.

Resale Value

Not all additions and modifications will increase your home's value, but some will. For example, adding features that are considered luxurious, such as elevators and walk-in tubs, can add significant value to your home, allowing you to recoup a significant portion of the money you spent on the modifications. This helps to reduce the cost of the bathroom remodel over the long term.

ADA Compliance

While generally, private residences don't have to comply with the same ADA guidance as commercial premises and group homes, there are exceptions. If you've received financial aid to make accessibility modifications from local or federal programs, you may have to comply with ADA regulations. This is something to discuss with your contractor and can increase the cost of the project.

DIY vs. Hiring a Bathroom Remodel Pro

Now, there are some things that you can do yourself if you have the right tools and skills. For example, installing grab rails is pretty straightforward—unless it’s on tile, which involves special drill bits and anchoring—as is installing a raised toilet seat. However, anything electrical, structural, or receiving modification for safety should fall under professionals’ expert execution. 

FAQs

How wide should a door be for a wheelchair?

A door should be 32 inches wide to accommodate a standard wheelchair. However, wider chairs require wider doorways, so check the measurements of a person's wheelchair and allow at least a few extra inches for maneuverability and decreased space on the hinge side of the door when open.

How wide should a shower be for a wheelchair user?

A wheelchair-accessible shower should be 60 inches wide to allow the person to turn their chair around or shower with an assistant’s help.

Is a curbless shower accessible?

Yes, curbless showers can be universally accessible, assuming they are spacious enough to accommodate users’ needs. A curbless, or zero-entry shower still needs a showerhead and shower controls that all household users can comfortably reach and use.