Aging in Place Bathroom Remodeling: A Chicagoland Guide

Many of the homeowners we work with in Hinsdale, Western Springs, and Burr Ridge call us with a similar story: they've lived in their home for 20, 30, sometimes 40 years, and it still fits them well — except for the bathroom. A tub they can no longer step into safely. A toilet that's too low. Tile floors that turn dangerous the moment they're wet. Aging in place bathroom remodeling addresses exactly this, and it's one of the more meaningful projects we take on.

What "Aging in Place" Actually Means

Aging in place simply means designing a home so someone can continue living there safely and comfortably as their mobility, balance, or vision changes over time — rather than having to move to an assisted living facility or a single-story home. The bathroom is usually the highest-priority room for this kind of planning, because it combines water, hard surfaces, tight spaces, and transitions (standing, sitting, stepping over a tub edge) in a way no other room in the house does.

An aging in place bathroom remodel isn't a medical conversion or an institutional-looking space. Done well, it should look like any other beautifully finished bathroom — the accessibility features are built in, not bolted on.

Common Features We Build Into These Projects

Every project is different depending on the homeowner's needs and the home's existing layout, but these are the elements that come up most often:

Curbless, walk-in showers. Replacing a step-over tub with a zero-threshold shower is probably the single most requested change. It eliminates the biggest fall risk in the bathroom and works well for wheelchair or walker access if that becomes necessary later.

Comfort-height toilets. A couple of inches of extra height makes sitting and standing significantly easier on the knees and hips.

Blocking for grab bars. Even if a homeowner doesn't want visible grab bars installed right away, we often add solid wood blocking inside the walls during the remodel so bars can be mounted securely later without tearing open finished walls.

Slip-resistant flooring. Many older homes in Clarendon Hills and Indian Head Park still have the original small ceramic tile, which gets slick fast. We typically recommend textured porcelain tile or a slip-rated alternative, especially near the shower and tub.

Wider doorways and clear floor space. Older homes — especially the colonials and ranches common throughout the southwest suburbs — often have 24- to 28-inch bathroom doors. Widening to 32 or 36 inches, where the framing allows, makes a real difference for walkers, wheelchairs, or simply two people needing to help one another.

Better lighting. Vision changes with age, and dim, single-source lighting becomes a real hazard. We layer in brighter, well-placed fixtures and often add lighting near the floor or toeklick areas for nighttime visibility.

Lever-style faucets and door handles. Easier to operate for anyone with arthritis or limited grip strength than traditional round knobs.

Adjustable or hand-held showerheads. Useful for anyone showering seated or needing help from a caregiver.

Is This Only for Older Homeowners?

Not necessarily. We see three groups most often: homeowners in their 60s and 70s planning ahead, adult children remodeling a parent's bathroom before a move-in, and younger families with a member who has a mobility limitation. We've also had clients in Oak Brook and Palos Park plan these remodels 10-15 years before they expect to need the accessibility features, simply because it's easier to build it in now than retrofit later.

What It Costs and How Long It Takes

Costs vary quite a bit depending on the scope — a straightforward tub-to-curbless-shower conversion is a very different project than a full gut remodel with wall relocation, new plumbing lines, and custom tile work. In general, aging in place upgrades can add modestly to a standard bathroom remodel budget, mostly due to the structural work involved in curbless showers (which require floor framing adjustments to create proper drainage slope) and wider doorways (which may involve moving studs or even relocating plumbing). We're happy to walk through specific numbers during a consultation once we understand your home's layout and goals — ballpark figures without seeing the space tend to be more misleading than helpful.

Timeline-wise, most bathroom remodels in the Chicagoland area run several weeks from demo to final walkthrough, depending on permitting, product lead times, and the scope of structural changes. If you're hoping to have the project done before winter, we'd suggest reaching out in late summer — permitting and scheduling tend to get tighter heading into the fall as homeowners try to finish projects before holiday season and cold weather set in.

A Note on Permits and Older Suburban Homes

Most of the municipalities we work in — including Hinsdale, Western Springs, and Burr Ridge — require permits for bathroom remodels involving plumbing or electrical changes, and each has its own inspection process and timeline. Homes built in the 1960s through 1980s, which make up a lot of the housing stock in these suburbs, often have plumbing and framing that doesn't match current code, so a licensed contractor should always verify what's involved before work begins. We handle the permitting process for our clients so there are no surprises mid-project.

Planning the Right Remodel for Your Home

If you're considering this kind of remodel, our advice is to start with a conversation, not a Pinterest board. Every home's layout presents different opportunities and constraints — a ranch in Palos Park with a basement-free footprint gives us different options than a two-story colonial in Western Springs. You can see examples of past bathroom projects in our gallery, or learn more about our approach on our bathroom remodeling services page.

Planning a kitchen, bathroom, or whole-home remodel in Chicagoland? Contact RRGG Construction for a free, no-obligation quote.