Planning accessibility updates for master bathroom at 62. How do you find contractors who actually understand universal design?
I'm 62 and my husband is 65. We're both healthy but thinking ahead about aging in place. Our current bathroom has a tub we haven't used in years and a shower with a 6 inch step that already concerns us. We want to remodel now while we can handle the disruption. Zero threshold shower with bench, grab bars that don't look institutional, better lighting throughout. The challenge is finding contractors who really understand this beyond just installing grab bars. I've talked to three contractors so far and they all just want to throw up some grab bars and call it accessibility. But I know there's more to universal design than that. Things like shower control placement, handheld shower heads, proper lighting, non slip flooring that doesn't look medical. How do you find contractors who actually specialize in aging in place modifications? Do I need to hire an occupational therapist to help with the design? Is there a certification or credential I should be looking for? Also wondering about costs. I'm budgeting $32K for this bathroom including all accessibility features plus updating vanity, flooring, and lighting. Does that sound reasonable or am I way off? Medicare won't cover any of this even though it's medically advisable, so we're paying everything out of pocket. Want to make sure we get it right the first time. Any advice from people who've done similar updates?