Aging in Place Remodeling in Wayne County, NY
Farmhouses with the only bath up a steep stair, village homes with high front steps, ranches with a tub that is hard to step over. We rebuild them so you can stay.
What makes a house hard to stay in
Nearly one in four people in Wayne County is 65 or older, per the Census. These are the problems we see in their homes.
Bedroom and bath upstairs
Many older farmhouses have every bedroom and the only full bath on the second floor. A first-floor bath, or a bedroom made from a den, can end the daily climb.
The tub wall
Stepping over a tub edge is where a lot of falls start. We take the tub out and build a walk-in shower with a low or no curb.
Icy front steps
Lake-effect snow off Ontario hits the northern towns hard. A covered, railed entry or a ramp at a side door makes winter safer.
Doors too narrow
Older interior doors are often too tight for a walker or wheelchair. We widen the openings that matter most.
Old layouts, new needs
Wayne County is apple country, the largest apple-producing county in the state, and much of its housing grew up around farms and canal villages. Those houses put living space on two floors and stairs everywhere.
The 1960s and 70s ranches are easier, since most living is on one floor, but their baths are small and their tubs are standard. In either kind of house we work room by room: the bath first, then entries, then doors and lighting.
- Curbless or low-curb showers
- Comfort-height toilets
- Lever handles and better lighting
Planning to stay
Name the hard spots
The tub, the stairs, the front steps, a dark hall. Make a list of where daily life is getting hard.
Bring in an OT if you have one
If an occupational therapist has made recommendations, we build to them.
Look into local programs
Finger Lakes Community Action runs a Safe Homes program from Broad Street in Lyons for eligible seniors and people with disabilities, and the county has a Homeowner Housing Repair Program that lists accessibility work. We can give you the written scope they ask for.
Check the permit
Ramps, wall changes and new plumbing usually need a permit from your town or village code office. We pull it.
Walk through with us
We look at the bath, the entries and the doorways, and we write a scope in the order that makes sense.
How we build it
Showers, not shortcuts
We remove the tub and build a full walk-in shower: new waterproofing, tile or a solid surround, a bench, a hand shower and a low or no curb. We do not install liners or one-day overlays. If you want a walk-in tub instead, we can install that.
Grab bars that hold
A grab bar is only as good as what is behind it. We add solid wood blocking in the walls while they are open, so bars can go where you need them now and later.
Entries and winters
Ramps, railings on both sides of the steps, and a level landing at the door. In the snowier northern towns, we look at roof runoff and where ice builds up at the entry.
First-floor living
A den or dining room can become a bedroom, and a half bath or laundry area can sometimes become a full bath, all inside the house you already have.
Town pages
See accessibility work in Sodus, Lyons, Ontario, Wolcott and Newark.
Other ways we help
Questions from homeowners
Is there help paying for accessibility work in Wayne County?
There are programs. Finger Lakes Community Action’s Safe Homes program and the county’s Homeowner Housing Repair Program both list accessibility work for those who qualify. We do not apply for you or promise approval, but we provide the written scope they ask for.
Our only bathroom is upstairs. What are our options?
Sometimes a first-floor half bath, laundry room or large closet can become a full bath with a walk-in shower. We look at where the drain can run and give you choices.
Can you build a shower with no curb at all?
Often, yes. It means recessing or sloping the floor so water stays in the shower. We check the floor framing first.
Do you install walk-in tubs?
Yes, as a full replacement of the old tub with proper framing and plumbing.
Can you build a ramp?
Yes. A ramp usually needs a permit from your town or village. We size the slope and landings to code and pull the permit.
Will an OT’s recommendations work with your plan?
Yes. Send them to us and we build the scope around them.
Tell us what is getting hard
Other work around Wayne County
Stay in your Wayne County home
Serving all fifteen towns of Wayne County, plus northern Cayuga County and western Oswego County. See our service area.