Montclair, Essex County
Accessible Bathroom Remodels in Montclair, NJ
An accessible bathroom in Montclair, NJ has to work inside walls built long before anyone planned for a walker. Old bathrooms here are compact and tiled to the ceiling, and a careful remodel can still give you a safe, seated shower.
Your house in Montclair
- A tub wall that is now a barrierStepping over the rim is now the hardest moment of getting washed.
- Tile to the ceiling and little floor spaceYou need a plan that respects what is there and still gives a seat and a safe step.
- A single bath for the householdIn a flat or two-family house, one room has to work for everyone.
- A removable option for a rentalA seat, bars and a handheld sprayer can leave with you.
Questions people ask
Can a small prewar bathroom in Montclair take a walk-in shower?
Often, yes. A shower the size of the old tub fits, and a fold-down seat and a handheld sprayer make it usable. A very tight room may call for moving the door.
Do I need my condo board's approval?
Check your bylaws. Work that touches plumbing stacks, shared walls or the waterproofing layer often needs approval. Ask in writing before you hire anyone.
Can I do a walk-in shower if I rent?
Only with your landlord's written consent. A removable seat, handheld sprayer and grab bars are easier to approve than a full rebuild.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
It depends on the scope and on what is found behind the walls. Ask the contractor for a written schedule and where you can wash in the meantime.
Accessible bathrooms and walk-in showers in Montclair
Montclair is one of the oldest housing stocks in the area. The median home dates to 1938, and 74 percent of homes predate 1960. Bathrooms from those decades are small and finished in tile, and the layout puzzle is how to give you a seat and a safe step with so little room.
Source: Census Bureau, year built and median year built
Only half of Montclair's homes are detached houses. For flats and condos, the bathroom decision may belong to more than one person. See aging in place in Montclair for the rest of the town's jobs, or grab bar installation in Montclair for a smaller first step.
The permit point
Moving a drain is outside New Jersey's ordinary maintenance category, while replacing a fixture with a similar one on the same piping is listed within it.
Accessible bathroom in Montclair, NJ: choices for a prewar home
Start with the room you have. A prewar bathroom is often about five by eight feet, with a tub along the short wall, a pedestal sink and a toilet close to the door. There is no spare floor, so every inch counts.
That points to three practical options:
- Tub swapped for a shower of the same size: the least change, and the most common.
- Tub kept, with a seat, bars and a handheld sprayer: an inexpensive first step if getting in is manageable.
- Bathroom enlarged into a closet or hallway: the most room, and the most building work.
Our guide to walk-in tub versus walk-in shower helps you compare, since a walk-in tub is rarely the best fit for a small room.
Tile to the ceiling, and what sits behind it
Prewar baths often have tile floor to ceiling, set in mortar over lath or masonry. It is beautiful and hard to cut. Taking out a tub can mean taking out the tile around it, and matching old tile is rarely possible.
Plan for the following:
- Decide early whether to keep the old tile on the other walls or replace it all.
- Ask how the contractor will protect the tile that stays.
- Ask what happens if the floor under the old tub is soft.
Houses from this era can also hide old flooring and pipe wrap that contain asbestos. EPA says asbestos can be found in vinyl floor tile, flooring backing and pipe wrap, and it is released when material is disturbed. A contractor who sees material you cannot name should stop and check before demolition.
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- Asking is free. It never commits you to anything.
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- You pay only the contractor you choose, at their written price.
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Small print: This guarantee covers our planning and introduction service. The contractor's work is covered by your contract with them. Offer terms. Guarantee terms.
Aging in Place NJ · (315) 640-3590
What to measure and decide first in a small Montclair bath
You can do this homework in twenty minutes with a tape and a phone.
- Room length and width, and the clear opening of the door.
- The distance from the toilet to the nearest side wall.
- Where the tub ends and the sink begins.
- The bench or seat height you can sit down on and stand up from.
- Whether anyone needs a second person beside them to bathe.
The last question changes the design. If a helper needs to stand in the room, a shower with a wider opening and a handheld sprayer matters more than a built-in seat. Send photos with your measurements, and the contractor can suggest a layout before the visit.
Owners, renters and condo boards: who can say yes
Only about 57 percent of Montclair's occupied homes are owner-occupied. If you rent, your landlord owns the bathroom, so you need written consent before a contractor touches it. For a condo, the board may need to approve work on plumbing stacks or common walls.
Renters have a cheaper route too. Seats, handheld showers and grab bars can be removed when you leave. IRS Publication 502 says special plumbing fixtures bought and installed for a disabled person in a rented home can count as medical expenses, with a first-floor shower stall as an example. Ask a tax professional about your own case.
Sources: Census Bureau, owners and renters, IRS Publication 502
A bath over a living room: the floor and the plumbing
In a two-family or a house with the only bath upstairs, the floor is the part of the project that worries people. Water that gets past a new shower can reach the ceiling below, so waterproofing is the step to ask about. Request the layers in order: base, membrane, then tile.
Moving a drain is outside New Jersey's ordinary maintenance category, while swapping a fixture for a similar one on the same piping is within it. A curbless shower often needs a lowered floor and a moved drain, which makes it a bigger job than a step-in unit. In joist floors from the 1930s, ask whether the framing can be notched safely at all.
Source: NJ Administrative Code
Paying for it and getting started
Original Medicare treats home modifications as noncovered. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer bathroom safety items, and the benefit varies by plan, so call your plan and ask. The Essex County Division of Senior Services is the county aging office for Montclair, and it lists home modification and repair programs. Read how New Jersey households pay for home modifications before you decide on a budget.
Sources: Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Essex County
To begin, call (315) 640-3590 or use the form. Your first project comes with $100 off.
Accessible bathrooms and walk-in showers in nearby towns
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