Planning for the next twenty years, not just the next one
Ashburn grew quickly through the 1990s and 2000s, and many of the families who moved into its planned communities then are now deciding whether to stay. For a lot of them, the bathroom is the room that decides it. A tub wall that was easy to step over at 40 is a fall risk at 75. A narrow doorway that never mattered becomes a problem with a walker.
You do not have to wait for a need to plan for one. A bathroom remodeled with accessibility in mind can look like any other well-designed bathroom, with blocking in the walls ready for grab bars and a shower with no step at the entry.
What aging-in-place upgrades include
- Grab bar installation
- Curbless, low-threshold showers
- Layout changes for wheelchair or walker accessibility
- Non-slip flooring options
Curbless and low-threshold showers
A curbless shower has no step at the entry; the floor slopes gently to the drain. It is the single most useful change for anyone who uses a walker, shower chair or wheelchair, and it is also simply easier for everyone. Building one usually means adjusting the floor structure so the shower area sits lower than the room. Whether that is straightforward depends on the framing under your bathroom, which we check before recommending it.
The frameless glass walk-in shower above (left) is from a Reston project; the herringbone tile walk-in shower (right) is from one of our Ashburn bathrooms.
Grab bars that actually hold
A grab bar is only as strong as what it is anchored to. Towel bars and drywall anchors are not substitutes. During a remodel, we add solid blocking inside the walls where bars are needed now and where they might be wanted later, such as beside the toilet, at the shower entry and along the shower wall.
Layout changes for mobility
- Clear floor space to turn a walker or wheelchair
- A vanity that can be used seated, with knee space underneath
- Lever-style faucet handles that are easier to operate
- A shower bench or seat built into the waterproofing
- Lighting bright enough to see edges and floor transitions
Thinking beyond the bathroom door
A safer bathroom helps most when the route to it is safe too. If your bedrooms are upstairs, as they are in many townhouses and colonial-style homes, consider whether a main-level bathroom could become the accessible one later. Think about the path from the bedroom at night, the light switch by the door, and whether the bathroom door can be swapped for one that swings outward or slides. We are happy to talk through these questions during the consultation, even if the first project is just one bathroom.
Typical cost
| Tier | Typical Scope | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Aging-in-Place Upgrades | Grab bars, curbless showers, and layout changes for long-term accessibility. | $3,000–$12,000 |
Typical Northern Virginia reference ranges from Bathroom Brigade's published cost guide. They are a starting point for planning, not a quote. Your written scope sets the actual price for your Ashburn bathroom.
Grab bars alone sit at the lower end. A curbless shower with floor work, or widening access, moves toward the top of the range or into a full remodel. The cost guide shows how these combine with other work.
Can you make my existing shower curbless?▸
Often, but it depends on the floor structure under the bathroom. Curbless showers usually require recessing the shower area so water stays in the shower. We check before recommending it.
Do grab bars have to look institutional?▸
No. Grab bars come in finishes that match faucets and towel bars. What matters is that they are anchored into solid blocking, which we install during the remodel.
Should I add blocking even if I do not need grab bars yet?▸
It is a low-cost step during a remodel when the walls are open, and it saves opening finished tile later.
Do you build fully ADA-compliant bathrooms?▸
Our aging-in-place work focuses on practical upgrades for your household: grab bars, curbless showers, non-slip floors and layout changes. Tell us about specific needs and we will scope around them.