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How Much Does an Accessible Bathroom Remodel Cost in Texas?
We install in Houston, Austin and San Antonio, Texas. Out of state? Your local VA office can point you to an installer.
An accessible bathroom from LiveWell starts at $8,500. Most Texas families find what they need within our three price levels, from $8,500 to $25,000 and up, depending on how much of the room changes. The exact number comes from a free in-home assessment, because the plumbing, the doorway, and the walls you already have decide more of the price than the fixtures do.
This post walks through what each price level gets you, what pushes a job up or down, and which programs help pay. It is written for families in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, where we work.
Three price levels
These are the starting prices we publish. Your written estimate can come in higher, based on what we find at the assessment, the plumbing, and local permit requirements.
Safety Refresh: from $8,500
The fastest way to take the tub out of the equation. We replace the tub with a BestBath roll-in shower system: a single valve with a handheld shower, built-in stainless grab bars, and a curtain rod. It usually installs in two days: the tub, the wall surround and the plumbing change on day one, the shower floor and walls on day two.
Independence Suite: from $16,000
The level most families choose. A barrier-free, roll-in tile shower with two shower heads, a comfort-height toilet, a glass shower door, and a doorway widened to 32 inches or more, so a walker or wheelchair gets through.
Luxury Custom: from $25,000
For when the room itself needs to change: moving walls, a larger tiled shower, a new tiled floor, designer grab bars and fixtures, and updated paint, mirrors, and lighting.
What moves the price
Two bathrooms that look alike can price very differently. The usual reasons:
The plumbing. Keeping the drain and the shower valve where they are costs less than moving them.
The doorway. Widening a door means moving framing, and sometimes a light switch or a vent.
Tile or a prefabricated system. A prefabricated shower like BestBath costs less and goes in faster than custom tile. Tile gives you more freedom in size and look. Our post on custom tile showers shows what that looks like.
The walls. Making room for a wheelchair to turn can mean moving a wall, which is where the higher tier starts.
Permits. Where the city or county requires one for the work, it is part of the price.
If you are planning ahead rather than reacting to a fall or a hospital stay, our guide to designing a bathroom for aging in place covers the layout questions to settle first.
Who helps pay
Most families pay for part of the job themselves. These programs can cover some or all of it:
Medicare does not. Medicare covers medical equipment like walkers and wheelchairs, but not the structural work. Its own policy states that "home modifications are noncovered by Medicare." Some Medicare Advantage plans offer a home-safety allowance, so check your plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Veterans: the VA's HISA grant pays up to $6,800, or $2,000, over a lifetime toward a roll-in shower and related bathroom work. See what the HISA grant covers in a bathroom.
Texas Medicaid (STAR+PLUS). Adults in the STAR+PLUS home and community-based services program can get up to $7,500 over a lifetime for minor home modifications, and the list includes wheelchair-accessible showers, tub and toilet changes, and the plumbing that goes with them. The health plan's service coordinator authorizes the work.
Texas' Amy Young Barrier Removal Program offers one-time grants of up to $22,500 for people with disabilities in households earning no more than 80 percent of the area median income, both homeowners and renters. You apply through a local provider listed on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs website.
Taxes. What you pay yourself may count as a medical expense. Our post on whether home modifications are tax deductible explains the rules, and you should confirm them with your tax preparer.
The VA, Medicaid, and TDHCA programs all want approval before the work starts. Get it in writing first, then schedule the job. Our who pays for it page covers more programs.
Common questions
Does Medicare pay for a walk-in shower?
No. Original Medicare does not pay for home modifications, including showers, grab bars, or doorway changes.
How long does the work take?
A prefabricated roll-in shower replacing a tub usually takes two days, sometimes one. Tile showers and jobs that move walls or plumbing take longer, and your estimate will say how long.
Can you keep the rest of my bathroom as it is?
Yes. The Safety Refresh changes only the tub area, so the sink, toilet, and floor can stay as they are.
Why is there a range instead of one price?
Because the house decides it. Where the drain sits, how wide the door is, and what is behind the walls are things we only know after seeing the room. That is why the assessment is free.
Get your number
Book a free in-home assessment and we will give you a written, itemized estimate, with no obligation. See our handicap bathroom remodel work, or contact us to book the visit.
Sources
CMS policy article A52516: "Home modifications are noncovered by Medicare"
Texas HHSC STAR+PLUS Handbook, section 6600: minor home modifications
More on accessible bathrooms
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