Morristown, Morris County
Accessible Bathroom and Walk-In Shower in Morristown, NJ
An accessible bathroom in Morristown, NJ usually means fitting a safer shower into a small room. We connect you with a local contractor for the job, and the plan is sized to the compact bathrooms Morristown buildings tend to have.
Your house in Morristown
- You step over a tall tub wallThe daily lift of one leg at a time is a good reason to look at a low-entry shower.
- The room is tinyCompact apartments suit a roll-in or curbless shower sized to the old tub, where a bulky walk-in tub would not fit.
- Someone shares the space with youA seat, a handheld head and bars let a partner or caregiver stay nearby without being in the way.
- You rent or live under an associationA like-for-like footprint with the drain in place is easier to put in front of a landlord or board.
Questions people ask
Can a shower go into a Morristown condo bathroom without disturbing neighbors?
Often, if the work stays inside your own walls and keeps the existing drain position. Check your association's rules on noise hours and on any change touching shared plumbing before the contractor books a start date.
Will a tenant be allowed to remove the tub?
That is for the landlord to decide in writing. A removable shower seat and bars are an easier request than a tub removal.
Is a walk-in shower or a walk-in tub better for a small Morristown bathroom?
Usually the shower. A shower in the tub's footprint needs no extra floor space. A walk-in tub needs a deeper tub, a door seal and time to fill and drain. If you cannot step over even a low lip, ask about a curbless design.
What should I have ready when I call about a bathroom?
A photo of the bathroom with a tape measure in it, the width of the door, and who owns the building. The contractor can plan the visit around those three things.
Can I deduct a new shower on my taxes?
Possibly. IRS Publication 502 lists accessibility changes such as bars and railings as medical expenses, but only the part above 7.5% of adjusted gross income is deductible. A tax preparer can tell you how it applies to you.
Source: IRS Publication 502
Accessible bathrooms and walk-in showers in Morristown
Many bathrooms in Morristown are small, and many sit in buildings from before 1980, which describes 59.2% of the housing units here. A bathroom in a 1960s apartment or a pre-war walk-up is often barely larger than the tub itself, so a sensible plan can be a low-threshold shower in the footprint of the old tub, with a fold-down seat and a handheld head, rather than any change to the room's shape.
Source: Census Bureau, year built
Where the unit is a townhouse with its own bathroom upstairs, think about the stairs as well, since a shower that is easy to use does little good if the climb to reach it is not.
The permit point
New Jersey's construction rules list swapping a fixture for a similar one and installing bathroom accessories or seats as ordinary maintenance, but moving a drain is not, so say early whether yours would shift.
Tub to shower conversion: what fits a compact bathroom
A tub to shower conversion is the first job in many small units. The new shower takes the place of the tub, so the room keeps its outline.
Three choices come up most:
- Low-threshold shower base. A short, beveled lip you step over. It is the simplest fit and works with the drain where it is.
- Curbless shower. No lip at all. The floor has to slope to the drain, which is harder to build in an upper-floor unit.
- Walk-in tub. You still step over a wall, then wait for the water to drain. In a small room it often takes more space than a shower. Our walk-in tub and walk-in shower comparison sets out the trade-offs.
The Access Board allows a roll-in shower threshold of up to half an inch if it is properly beveled, and notes that a flush floor is easier still. Use that as a yardstick when you compare bids.
Our 100% Guarantee
- Asking is free. It never commits you to anything.
- We charge you no fee for planning or the introduction.
- You pay only the contractor you choose, at their written price.
- Your $100 credit is honored on your first booked project.
- Not happy with an introduction? Say so, and we will find you another at no charge.
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.
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Accessible bathroom in Morristown, NJ: who has to approve it
Before you pick a design, find out who must agree to it.
- Tenant: the landlord decides, in writing. A seat, a handheld shower and bars are easier to approve than removing a tub.
- Condo owner: your association may limit work hours and review anything that touches shared pipes or the wall you share with a neighbor.
- Townhouse owner: the decision is yours, but a party wall still carries noise.
In all three cases a contractor can price a version that keeps the drain where it is. That is often the quickest to approve, and it avoids the plumbing questions that a moved drain raises. For the details, read which home modifications need a permit in New Jersey.
Source: NJ Administrative Code
Planning for the days the only bathroom is out of service
Most Morristown apartments have one bathroom. Plan for the days it cannot be used before work starts.
- Ask the contractor for the number of working days in writing.
- Ask where the water will be shut off, and whether the building needs notice.
- Line up a place to wash, such as a relative's home or a gym.
- Keep a commode or raised seat handy if a shared hallway bathroom is not safe for you.
If you also want wider doors, do that job first or in the same visit. The Morristown doorway widening page shows how the two fit together. Bars go in last, once the wall finish is done. When you are ready, call or send the form and take $100 off your first project.
Who can help pay for a Morristown shower
IRS Publication 502 gives a first-floor shower stall installed on a doctor's advice in a rented house as an example of a medical expense, and it counts bathroom railings and support bars too. The deduction applies only above 7.5% of adjusted gross income, so ask a tax preparer.
For owners with a modest income, Morris County's Housing Rehabilitation Program lists handicapped access among eligible repairs, with a no-interest forgivable loan. Read paying for home modifications in New Jersey for the full list.
Sources: IRS Publication 502, Morris County
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