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Aging in place in Austin: a room-by-room home checklist

October 2026 · 7 min read

Most falls at home happen in a handful of predictable places: the shower, the steps to the front door, and the dark path to the bathroom at night. Fixing those spots first does more than any full remodel.

Start with the entry

Many Austin ranch and slab homes have one or two steps at every exterior door. A single step is often the hardest thing to live with, and the easiest to solve.

  • Sturdy handrail on both sides of any step, not just one.
  • Threshold ramps or a re-graded walkway where there is a single step.
  • Bright, motion-activated exterior lighting at the main entry.
  • Lever handles and a keypad deadbolt instead of a key and round knob.

Bathrooms carry the most risk

Wet tile, a tub edge to step over and nothing solid to grab is one of the most common fall setups in bathrooms. Grab bars anchored into blocking or studs are the first change to make.

  • Grab bars at the shower entry, inside the shower and beside the toilet.
  • Comfort-height toilet and a handheld shower head on a slide bar.
  • Shower bench or fold-down seat.
  • Tub-to-shower or curbless shower conversion when stepping over the tub edge is a struggle.

Hallways, kitchens and lighting

Most homes need better light and fewer trip points more than wider halls. Doorway widening matters mainly when a walker or wheelchair is already in use.

  • Plug-in or hardwired night lighting from bedroom to bathroom.
  • Rocker light switches and lighted switches at room entries.
  • Pull-out shelves in lower cabinets, and frequently used items moved to counter height.
  • Loose rugs removed or secured, transitions between floor types leveled.

Questions we get

What should I change first?
Grab bars in the bathroom, handrails on every step and better night lighting. They are inexpensive and address the most common falls.
Do I need a full remodel to age in place?
Usually not. Most homes need a handful of targeted changes, and a larger bathroom project only where the tub or shower is the real barrier.
What do these changes cost in Austin?
Current ranges from our price list: grab bars $120-$250 each, lever handles $40-$80 each, motion lighting $150-$400, threshold ramps $150-$450, comfort-height toilet $350-$600, doorway widening $700-$1,500, entry ramp $1,200-$3,800.

Rather not track all this?

Well Kept Home members get this work scheduled through the year by the same Austin crew, with written notes and photos after every visit.

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