Accessible Bathroom Remodel After Surgery: A Complete Guide

You may find that you need to accommodate a new mobility aid. This may include a wheelchair, a walker, or a cane. You’ll need to assess how much space is required to:

• Enter and exit the bathroom
• Turn around to access different fixtures, such as the sink, toilet, or shower
• Reach the sink
• Sit and rise from the toilet

Necessary changes can range from simple shifts like using a non-slip, low-pile bathmat to large remodels like widening the doorway or replacing the vanity with a floating sink.

One of the goals we often hear from our customers is to maintain as much independence in the bathroom as possible, even as their mobility changes. Grab bars are a core component of an accessible bathroom because they:

• Provide a safe and reinforced hand-hold to increase stability
• Can be pulled up on or pushed down on depending on how you’re positioned
• Can be installed both in the tub or shower area and next to the toilet to increase independence when you need it most

When ZINTEX installs a new tub or shower, we replace and reinforce the support beams that will bear the weight placed on your grab bars. Note that we do not recommend retrofitting an existing tub or shower with grab bars unless you know for sure that the support behind your shower walls is strong and intact.

When you’re making accessible upgrades, you can’t just search “bathroom remodeling company near me” and hire the first one that pops up. Here are the questions to ask to vet your bathroom remodeler to make sure they actually understand safety and accessibility, not just general fixtures and features.

What Experience Do They Have with ADA and Accessible Bathrooms?

As we mentioned earlier, about 60% of our customers come to us specifically citing safety and accessibility concerns. We have completed over 20,000 bathroom remodeling projects, including safety-focused:

• Tub-to-shower conversions
• Walk-in tub installations
• Walk-in shower replacements

Our design consultants and installers customize every tub and shower design, down to the placement and angle of your seating or grab bars. This ensures that your bathroom doesn’t just check the basic boxes of accessibility. It actually supports your specific circumstances.

Do Their Services Address All Needs and Concerns?

The first half of this guide can help you consider more deeply what types of bathroom renovations and changes would help the most. For example, wheelchair users may need more robust layout changes, such as an entryway expansion, than people who are using a walker or cane.

It’s useful to understand the difference between traditional bathroom remodeling companies vs. contractors. As a remodeling company, ZINTEX focuses on tubs and showers in all markets, and additional services like flooring replacement in select markets. If you need extensive layout changes or construction, a contractor is probably better for the job.

How Long Will Your Remodel Take from Start to Finish?

Not all surgeries and mobility changes happen on a planned schedule. In fact, many of our customers are dealing with unexpected circumstances after an accident or slip and fall. Not all remodelers can move at the same speed, so make sure your timeline factors into your hiring decision.

At ZINTEX, 90% of our tub and shower remodels are completed in 1-2 days. What’s arguably even more important is that with our Fast Track Program, we can cut down your entire timeline from consultation to completion to three weeks or less. By comparison, most companies have an average lead time of at least six weeks.

What Financing Options Are Available for Your Accessible Bathroom Upgrade?

Paying for an accessible bathroom remodel in cash may not be in your budget right now, especially if the remodeling needs were sudden or unexpected. It’s helpful to know what kind of financing is available before you get started.

Like many bathroom remodelers, ZINTEX partners with a variety of third-party lenders to try to maximize your financing plan options. That said, the terms and availability of financing will depend on factors like your credit score and credit history.

A bathroom remodel might be exactly what you need after you or a loved one get surgery. With this guide, you can determine which steps will best prepare the space for safety and accessibility.

Could ZINTEX be the right ADA bathroom remodeler for you? Learn more about how we approach accessible bathroom remodeling today.