Essential Permits for Your Bathroom & Kitchen Remodel

Essential Permits for Your Bathroom & Kitchen Remodel

Usually, different states or cities require different types of permits and licenses for home renovation projects. In some places, you can do many big remodeling projects even without any permission from the local authority, but in others, you’ll need specific permits, even for a few changes in the kitchen, bathroom, or any other part of your house. You should even consider your neighborhood Homeowners Association, as there are specific requirements for remodeling or additions as well. 

RELATED: If you’re in the Kansas City area, check out the latest permit requirements here: https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/city-planning-development/permits-division

If you’re in the Johnson County, Kansas area, here is information on the permit process: https://www.jocogov.org/department/building-codes/building-permits/residential-remodel-permit

If you’re not working with a home remodeling contractor, you will be responsible for pulling the permits yourself. There are many advantages for working with a design build firm, such as Kansas City’s Wineteer Construction, because they are familiar with each municipality’s requirements and process.  Some people avoid getting the permits just to avoid the time and cost spent on getting them. However, not getting the permits will be more disastrous. Let’s learn more about it from this article.

Do You Really Need Licenses and Permits for Remodeling?

Continue to explore the Essential Permits for Your Bathroom & Kitchen Remodel, if you remodel a kitchen or bathroom that needs necessary permits or licenses, the result can be devastating both practically and legally. 

Also, licenses and permits are needed to make sure the remodeling works and results are safe for everyone during the remodeling and after the completion of the work. If you want to resell the property and the remodeling doesn’t have the required permits, it will lead to complications, and potential buyers will refuse to be involved with the problematic property.

Unpermitted works also won’t cover any insurance, so you’ll need to spend more on the repairs in the future. Moreover, future renovations, demolitions, and obtaining necessary future requirements will be more challenging as you’ll have illegal records. That’s why it’s really important to obtain licenses and permits for even small remodeling projects when necessary.

Licenses and Permits for Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling

In this section, we’ve categorized the types of licenses and permits you’ll need to renovate your bathrooms or kitchens with different issues.

Mechanical

Bathrooms and kitchens usually have many in-built and separate appliances, including HVAC systems. If your remodeling project needs to change the systems, like how much power they’ll use, or add more mechanical parts, you’ll need mechanical permits and licenses.

Electrical

Usually, most renovations need changes to electrical wiring, fixtures, or outlets for any lighting or appliances. And any change to electrical items requires electrical licenses and permits. 

Plumbing

Often, bathroom and kitchen renovations require altering the plumbing items like sinks, toilets, showers, new lines or faucets, etc. For these reasons, you’d need to get plumbing permits and licenses for most of your renovations. https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/city-planning-development/electrical-plumbing-and-mechanical-permits

Building

You’ll need building or structural permits and licenses when the bathroom or kitchen renovation requires visual and structural changes in the building. For example, adding or removing windows, doors, walls, roofs, etc.

Demolition

If the bathroom or kitchen renovation work needs to do demolition of any part of the building, you’ll need special permits for the demolition works, for possible noise, to park demolition trucks in the neighborhood, and many more depending on the place you’re living.

Landscaping

You’ll need landscaping permits and licenses if you want to do any renovation work that can change the landscape on your property. For example, if you have a separate kitchen or washroom in your backyard and want to cut down any trees for it or add fences or decks for them, you’ll need permission for these changes. Check out this article, 10 Landscaping Trends to Watch in 2024, for ways to maximize your home’s curb appeal. 

Environmental

Sometimes the changes in your bathroom and kitchen can relate to environmental concerns, that’s why you’ll need permits to use different materials or appliances or change anything. Many materials, like asbestos, paints, boards, etc., can contain harsh chemicals that can lead to potential hazards. That’s why it’s really important to get environmental permits.

Accessibility

In some cases, you’ll need permits to improve the accessibility feature in your house, specifically in bathrooms, to make things easier for toddlers, the elderly, and disabled people. For accessibility features, there are specific codes, licenses, and permits, so ensure they get one, especially if the kitchen and bathrooms are open to the public. 

How to Get Remodeling Permits and Licenses

Continuing on the Essential Permits for Your Bathroom & Kitchen Remodel insight, this process can seem a bit complex and time-consuming if you’re new to this. However, if you follow these general steps, things will be easier:

• Contact the professionals and local permit office to become familiar with the required rules, regulations, and renovation licenses for that area. If you have a design build remodeling company, similar to Kansas City’s Wineteer Construction, they will help you along the process. 
• Create a detailed final plan on what type of work you’ll do with the help of the contractor to enlist and finalize what type of licenses and permits are needed to finish the renovation project successfully.
• Get the necessary application, papers, and forms to obtain the permits from the local authority and submit them with accurate and necessary information. Also, make sure to provide all the documents and fees properly to avoid future complications. You can consider keeping copies of the documents for future reference.
• You’ll need some time for the documentation to get reviewed and approved. Don’t just wait; plan for the next steps and prepare the site as the authority may want to inspect the area.
• In case the permissions for the renovation project need essential reports on engineering tests, do the tests and provide authority with reports. You can also ask them for a representative to see the test result firsthand for quick decisions.
• Negotiating and navigating through this process can be a bit complex, so you can get a contractor that offers to do this tedious work of gathering essential permits for your remodeling projects. You can just inspect the process when you’ve got time.

If you contact a reputed and experienced local contractor, they’ll inform you about all the licenses and permits required for your specific projects. It’ll be better if you hire a bathroom or kitchen specialist, as they usually have specific licenses and permits ready for many projects. However, to avoid more complexity, ensure the contractor you’re hiring has real licenses, not fakes.  If you’re in the Kansas City area, reach out to Wineteer for a kitchen, bathroom, whole home, or aging in place remodel. 

Invest Your Tax Return Into a Home Remodel

Tax season is upon us, so Wineteer Construction wants to provide some ideas and insight into ways to Invest Your Tax Return Into a Home Remodel. When homeowners think of home remodeling projects, it’s easy to think about the huge remodeling projects. However, remodeling companies like Wineteer also specialize in single-room remodels, specifically for your kitchen, bathroom, aging in place modifications, and outdoor space remodels. You can also stretch your tax return money by completing those minor home repairs, like patching a leaky roof, repainting a room, installing new flooring, or even upgrading your lighting around your home. However, major home improvements—projects that substantially make a property more valuable or useful—are tax-deductible. 

RELATED: Are home improvements tax-deductible? 

Home renovations can maximize your tax return

Home improvements happen to be the specialty of Wineteer Construction. These capital investments can transform a room into an entirely new space, and can fall within a budget, timeline, and color/design palette. 

Yet, even though a renovation project is a large investment, you cannot deduct the cost from your yearly federal income taxes. Still, these projects will most likely increase the resale value of your home. So, it is critically important to keep records of these expenses to reduce the taxes you owe when selling your house. A lower tax obligation means more of a profit at the time you sell your home.

Energy efficient improvements can yield long-term savings

Home improvement expenses that can be deducted the same year include installing alternative energy equipment, like solar paneling or wind turbines, or purchasing Energy Star appliances. “Certain energy-saving home improvements can yield tax credits at the time you make them,” according to “Home Improvement and Your Taxes” from TurboTax.

Home improvements can qualify for tax deductions as medical expenses. If a home modification is more about being medically necessary than about increasing the value of your home, deductions can be claimed for materials and installation. To learn more about medically necessary home improvements, read a recent blog from LifeWise Renovations, a Wineteer Company.

Reinvest and remodel

If you’re ready to invest your tax return into a home remodel, reach out to the true locally-owned and operated home remodeling company, Wineteer. Our in-house design and build team can bring your vision to life. Reach out today to schedule a design consultation! 913-717-6325 or https://wineteerconstruction.com/contact-us/

Lee’s Summit Bathroom Remodel

When many homeowners think of the one space they want to remodel, it’s usually the kitchen or the bathroom. At Wineteer, we oftentimes work with clients that are eager to create a bathroom oasis of their dreams, and are surprised at the options for design and finishes that they can experience with the right team. When you have a designer in-house, Wineteer’s clients can experience custom renderings and will have all of their design questions answered by the same person, the President and owner Nick McIntyre. 

Design-build bathroom remodels 

Other Kansas City bathroom remodeling companies have a national name that can be easily recognizable, but will come with a less than individualized experience. These nationally operated bathroom remodeling companies are accustomed to finishing hundreds of bathrooms each year. A design-build bathroom remodeling company like Wineteer selects a handful of projects to complete each year. Our team takes each project extremely seriously, and treats the clients like family.  Let’s check out this Lee’s Summit bathroom remodel project that we completed for a client. 

Lee’s Summit bathroom remodel utilizes natural light and barrier-free shower

This specific bathroom remodel was completed in Lee’s Summit, MO. The bathroom remodel was intended to modernize the space, enlarge the shower, add in some aging in place modifications, and widen the entrance. This shower replaced an old whirlpool tub and provided enough space to be able to eliminate the need for a door at the entrance.  The window in the shower offers a dramatic element of natural light and cool architecture.  The etched glass panels that replaced the window sashes are a nice feature as well.

Given the size of the shower, our clients wanted a large format tile to highlight the space. Accent tile rows complement the wall and floor tile.  The base is barrier-free, of course, and the water is channeled to the central drain by virtue of the positive slope built into the Wedi system material that it is constructed of.  Wedi products, incidentally, have a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty.   

Modernizing your bathroom will result in increased resale values

The modernization of this space allowed for the clients to remodel for life and make minor adjustments now to ease their trip hazard concerns. If you’re in the Lee’s Summit area and want to explore the leading bathroom remodeling pro, reach out today! 

 

Barrier Free Shower and Bathroom Remodel

Wineteer’s team grows together, and has the same crew working in the home throughout the entire remodel. This is a unique aspect for a home remodeling company, as many subcontract all of their work. This homeowner in Mission Farms, Kansas wanted to remodel their master bathroom. The master bathroom entailed the removal of a large whirlpool tub. While this was not an aging in place project specifically, the amount of space afforded by the removal of the tub for a barrier free-shower, or zero entry, makes it look as though it was. Our design team and craftsmen utilized the natural light and capitalized on the orientation of the seat, window and walls in conjunction to one another.

This particular client prefers a more contemporary, California-influenced style in their home and surroundings, and this did the trick. The large format floor tile is a nice contrast to the shower tile. Heated floors provide a nice respite to the cold winters of the Midwest.

Have you considered a bathroom remodel? Wineteer specializes in bathrooms of all sizes, shapes, and configurations. Reach out to discuss your ideas! 

     

 

Getting Your Home Ready for a Spring Remodeling Project

In spring, nature refreshes itself with new leaves and flowers, and this season is also one of the best times to renovate your home. From bathroom and kitchen remodeling to outdoor and windows/doors, the spring can bring the desire for a change.  There are many different reasons why you may want to renovate your house in the spring season, especially around the Kansas City and Overland Park areas. The weather is typically fairly mild, not incredibly wet, and generally an ideal time for a home refresh. Let’s explore some ways for getting your home ready for a spring remodeling project.  

Also, many homeowners in Overland Park and the Johnson County, KS area explore the Home + Garden shows for inspiration. https://www.kcremodelandgarden.com/

Why Should You Remodel Your Home in Spring?

There are many reasons why remodeling your house in the spring is a good idea:

• Spring is favorable for outdoor remodelings, as spring has a mild temperature with minimal rain showering.
• Spring gives off the vibe of starting the new season with something new and fresh.
• After a long and dreary winter, you are ready for some change! 
• In springtime, the days are longer than usual, which gives a longer time of sunlight, which will require different designs for parts of your house.
• Spring provides better ventilation and humidity than other seasons. That’s why it’s also the best time to work on indoor projects such as painting the walls, installing tile, or replacing doors and windows. 
• Many families move, vacation, or have child activities throughout the summertime. Schedules can be hectic and limited on finding a time to schedule your remodel. 
• The prices of materials and renovation work go up in the summer, so renovating in the spring can save you money.

 

I’m ready for a home remodel… what now?

Although remodeling your house is an exciting activity that motivates anyone, it comes with some challenges and considerations. Here are some tips and courses of action in detail to get your house ready for renovation and pull out the project perfectly:

Setting Goals

The first step to getting your home ready is to set intentions about what you want and why you want it. Since planning and preparation are the keys to a perfect renovation, the design, planning, and budgetary phase is very important to do thorough research and set the goal. Moreover, deciding on what you want to do and the reasons behind it is necessary for setting priorities for your project.

Budget Setting

One of the crucial steps in home renovation is to set up the budget, as using your money efficiently will result in a more effective renovation. It will also save on excess costs that come with unplanned budgets. Also, if you prepare the budget and see that some renovations are expensive for you, you can omit them more efficiently.

Ensure Safety

Ensuring safety for your family during a home renovation is important. Make sure your family and pets are comfortably enjoying their lives, even though there’s renovation going on in the house. You can renovate parts by parts to make sure it doesn’t hamper anyone’s work.

For example, you can send your pet or family member to another place for a few days to ensure their safety, as accidents can happen when roaming around a renovation project. You can also make temporary spaces in your yard to lessen the need to go near the renovation project for any work.

Hire Professionals

You should hire design build professionals to remodel your house for a seamless experience. If you find the right partnership, you should be looped into every decision, and communicated to on everything. Companies like Wineteer are very meticulous about communication and respect the homeowners space and time. 

Energy-Efficiency

After hiring a professional, make sure to provide your remodeling designs that maximize natural light and ventilation, which will save you money on energy.

Work Collaboration

Maintaining and collaborating on the renovation project is also very important to ensure quality remodeling. Also, don’t just sit still depending on the professional fully, as some of their work may not be likable to you. Also, do your research about the materials, finances, and documents.

Make sure to document every financial transaction and list of materials. Try to give feedback to them after completing every step to provide better results in later steps.

Spring Remodeling Ideas for Your Home

Here are some spring remodeling ideas for your next project:

• Basement: Your basement takes on a lot of elements in the cold winter. This can result in wall and floor maintenance, and possibly even leaking foundations or windows.
• Kitchen: You can update your kitchen with new countertops, flooring, and cabinets with new colors and designs. This will give your kitchen a new and fresh look.
• Bathroom: In the spring, try to give your bathroom a new look by changing faucets, shower heads, and other items. You can give your bathroom a tropical look, which will give it a spa-like vibe.
• Outdoor Seating Area: An outdoor seating area where you can enjoy your afternoon or enjoy a starry night later at night is a good idea for spring.
• New Paints: Coat your walls and other areas with new paints matching the spring season in both interior and exterior parts of the house for a refreshing vibe.
• Dining area: It will make anyone feel better to use a sunny dining area with transparent glass walls and indoor plants in this season while enjoying their meals.
• Windows and Doors: Constant rain, snow, and strong sunlight can damage your doors and windows. It is better to change your windows and doors to match the spring vibe so that more air and sunlight can enter the house.

As homeowners are beginning to long for the spring weather, don’t miss out on the opportunity to begin your home remodeling projects.  Reach out today for a free estimate on your next remodeling project. 

How to Evaluate Home Remodelers Before Hiring

Thinking of remodeling your house? Your kitchen, basement, laundry/mud room, bathroom, or outdoor space? Based on the scope of work, the design, and the budget, you will probably need a remodeler’s assistance. However, not just any home remodeling company, it must be the right fit. To hire a home remodeling company, there are many factors that the homeowner should consider, including a contractor or company who aligns with the intended design and build process, budget, timeline, and communication. Remember, only a good home remodeler can design a plan that fits your idea and budget perfectly.

Home remodeling companies can even identify the most cost-effective and resourceful methods for an expensive and elaborate project. Some homeowners receive the construction and remodeling company options from referrals, Better Business Bureau, or even simply on Google. It is overwhelming to look at an extensive list of companies, so be sure you have a thorough list of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and not important. Some considerations can include experience, design and employee rapport with homeowners, dedication, temperament and communication skills. Therefore, this article will outline some essential criteria on how to evaluate home remodelers before hiring. Let’s get started. 

The Factors to Evaluate Home Remodelers Before Hiring

Remember, only an expert home remodeler can bring you success and make the most of your budget, while reducing the stress and anxiety throughout the entire process.  Homeowners need someone reliable, trustworthy, and professional, so you’re comfortable with the team in your home for weeks or even months!  Consider the below factors before hiring a home remodeler:

1. Years of Business
   A factor to consider when thinking about How to Evaluate Home Remodelers Before Hiring is the contractors business history. It is essential for you to find out how long the potential home remodelers you are considering have been in business. Someone new, of course, can prove to be efficient, but someone years into this business will have a deeper understanding, and have more depth to the design and build process. Therefore, prioritize the ones who have worked in this field for a longer period of time. Expect experienced teams to have more familiarity with past and present market scenarios, broader connections, resourceful design elements, and valuable insights. By now, experienced home remodeling companies have learned from each project. At this point, home remodeling contractors with years of experience should be pros at seeking the best subcontractors.  However, it would be a plus if the remodelers have experience working on projects similar to yours.
2. License and Insurance
   It is absolutely crucial to verify whether each remodeler you shortlisted is registered as a home improvement contractor. What certifications do the potential home remodeling companies hold?  In addition, when interviewing the final candidates, ask for a copy of the contractor’s workers’ compensation and liability insurance policy. Make sure the home remodeling company’s insurance policy is active.
3. Experience and Portfolio
   Experience is one of the vital factors to look for in a kitchen and bathroom remodeler. Only an experienced remodeler can offer the best ideas on a budget, critical perspectives, help with complexities and efficiently handle unexpected events. Initially, when researching remodelers, you should look for their recent work portfolio which should be on their website. If not, feel free to ask them for some before/after pictures, and they should be able to showcase their best skills. This will give you a rough idea of how they handled their past projects.However, when the number is narrowed down to a few, you must ask for their experiences in detail and portfolio during the interview. The portfolio must reflect all the details of their previous projects. Additionally, you can request the few selected candidates to drive you to their previous project sites.
4. Communication and Compatibility
   Proper and transparent communication is a must when it comes to an expensive home remodeling project. Remember, remodeling may be something very new to the homeowner, so it can be a process that requires hand-holding. Therefore, if the remodeler is impatient, or fails to communicate and cannot give you a detailed view of each step of the process, then mistakes (and frustrations) are inevitable. Additionally, a good contractor will keep you updated on the progress, from design to build. While interviewing each potential home remodeling company, note your feelings and first impressions. Typically, as the saying goes… trust your gut. It is essential to understand if you can keep up with their temperaments and style of conducting business. Look for someone who listens and responds to you, communicates clearly, and is focused on you in each step of the way. To give life to your vision, you must understand each other and have a compatible work relationship.
5. Check for Online Reviews and Seek Recommendations
   One of the first things you do as the homeowner when researching remodelers is visit their website or social media pages. This is where you can find a section featuring testimonials from previous clients. Besides, you can also check out popular websites such as Angi, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook. These platforms have lists of contractors, their details and reviews from their clients.To get more recommendations, you can also speak with friends, neighbors, and relatives who have recently had remodeling work done. They can give you an accurate picture of the work’s quality, price and integrity based on their first-hand experiences. 
6. Contract and Written Estimates
   Before you decide on the remodeler, you should ask for a written estimate. It could be in the form of a bidding document. The document tells you what to expect, with details on inventories and the expected prices. Do you choose the one that has the lowest estimate? No, the lowest estimate does not necessarily mean the best offer, but the contractor may often come out as inefficient. Or the contractor will inundate you with change orders, which will end up costing you more than a higher budgeted amount to begin with. Instead, try to choose based on pricing that is fair, both with respect to your budget and market price.  When both parties agree, you must create a contract paper describing every aspect. You may hire a lawyer to outline each of the segments, plans and discussions in detail. Make sure they should comply with local and international laws.
7. Timeline and Schedule
   Setting a timeline and scheduling the work requires a discussion with the selected remodeler. Firstly, check for their availability. They may be equipped with other projects as well. If you have a contractor who is ready to begin the work tomorrow… run! Contractors should set a specific timeline and schedule dedicated to your project. The contract should specify the start and end dates. When going through their portfolios, if you find that a remodeler exceeded the completion date on some projects, you shouldn’t assume they are inefficient. This could be a result of unfavorable events.
8. Payment Terms
   With a mutual agreement, you must discuss payment terms and schedule. The payment schedule should have tentative dates. It must be presented on the contract. All in all, you should have a clear and transparent understanding and agreement of the payment terms so none of the parties has any objection during the process or in the end. Note that, when a remodeler asks for all or a large down payment, this may indicate a problem. In such cases, you may have to consider another contractor.

 

Questions to Ask Your Home Remodeling Contractor at the First Meeting:

Here is a list of some possible questions to consider in the design and build consultation:

• What type of experience do you have managing this type of project?
• Do you have a license and certification?
• Do you have workers’ compensation and liability insurance?
• Does your company handle building permits?
• Can you provide references?
• Does the project involve a dedicated team and subcontractors?
• What is the cost estimate?
• Can you give me an idea of the timeline for this project?
• Do you have insurance?
• How do you deal with budget overruns, change orders?
• Do you run multiple projects at the same time?
• What measures will you take to prevent damage to my property?

When seeking a construction and remodeling contractor, you must know how to evaluate them to sift out the best among the many. The process involves learning about their experiences, expertise, integrity, communication skills, and availability. Of course the number of years in the home remodeling business matters, however you should also consider the remodeling design creativity. Plus, One of the ways to find a home remodeling company that has a similar project to your own is to find neighbors, friends, or family who have worked with the home remodeling company you are considering. Homeowners in the Leawood, Olathe, Overland Park, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Parkville, and all of Kansas City are looking to Wineteer for their superior kitchen, bathroom, whole room, aging in place, and outdoor remodeling projects. 

National Senior Citizens Day

With many Aging in Place modifications, seniors are still active in their communities, have a strong presence in the workforce, and live independently. 

RELATED: Check out this project that includes an elevator for aging homeowners. 

Optimizing a Spacious Master Bathroom: Part Two

The story of the luxury spa bathroom continues! If you haven’t yet, check out part one here where we discuss the tub area and vanity remodel. Our couple also needed help organizing their closet space. We made some simple updates by adding hardwood floors and new lighting in the ceiling. While the overall layout and function of the closet worked for this client, they didn’t like that they couldn’t close off the space, bringing the clutter of the closet into the bathroom. To combat this the Wineteer team added new barn doors, a simple way to section off the closet from the rest of the suite. These simple white barn doors with matte black fixtures bring a coziness and warm feel to the environment. While the doors are certainly a functional element of the room, they also bring in an organic and earthy vibe, making the bathroom truly an oasis.  

For the couple’s new shower, we repurposed the area which previously held the toilet closet to install a new barrier-free shower. While the couple previously had an extremely small shower area, by taking over some of the spacious bathroom we were able to create a luxury shower experience in their bathroom remodel. The toilet then moved to the space where the previous shower lived. We also installed a pocket door to close off the shower and toilet area from the rest of the bathroom and suite to create privacy.

The new shower is gigantic and a much better use of the suite real estate. We used 4 x 16 subway tile in white for a simple design throughout, but we added matte black edge profiles to add a striking design element. This complements the matte black fixtures in the shower, vanity, and tub area. The shower door is a frameless shower door, standard for our barrier free showers. The floor and shower caddy both feature a black penny tile for a contrasting design element. Overall, this bathroom remodel transformed from spacious but awkward to a complete luxury spa experience! 

Bathroom Design: Aging in Place

At Wineteer Construction we are Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists and are experts when it comes to creating accessible spaces. We approach these projects no differently than any other bathroom remodel, and always start by asking questions to better understand our clients and their needs. Some of the questions we ask our clients is to share their likes and dislikes and what works in the current space and what doesn’t. We ask who uses the space and at what times and talk about functions pertaining to both storage and physical needs. For accessible spaces we ask specific physical needs questions which may include asking if there’s a side that is stronger than the other, how many years the person has been managing their condition, the person’s weight, the strength of caregiver, type of wheelchair or walker, and progression of the condition. We know that remodeling with accessibility as a main focus can be a stressful time and even overwhelming, but we strive to make this process as easy as possible. We know what questions to ask so you don’t have to worry about it!

For this particular client in Kansas City, they were interested in redoing their master bathroom to allow the wife to care for the husband who has Parkinson’s disease. The wife wanted the master bathroom to still have the aesthetic appeal of a high-end master bathroom and not look like a sterile hospital setting. We specifically chose features to make the home accessible and ensure that the bathroom stood the test of time: a prime example of remodeling for life. You wouldn’t know this bathroom was designed to be Aging-in-Place (AIP) unless someone told you.

The design of this aging in place modification project was crucial to a successful remodel. We ended up changing the entire layout of the space to ensure accessibility and accomplish our client’s goals. With Parkinson’s we know that the patient can become cold very easily so we elected to install heated floors (a standard feature in a high-end master bathroom). Heated floors are best used with cool-to-the-touch tile floors and include a digital screen for floor warming to customize the temperature. We of course installed a zero-entry, barrier-free shower. We made a design choice here specifically for the needs of the patient to add slight color variations. With Parkinson’s a person can literally freeze if too much looks the same and these color variations help to minimize the freezing up of the patient.

RELATED: Why Consider Heated Floors in Your Bathroom Remodel

As certified Aging in Place modification specialists, our goal with this project was to update a bathroom to look great but also be accessible for our client and the needs of her husband. By knowing the right questions to ask in the consultation we were able to reduce stress on our client. She didn’t have to worry about educating us on AIP remodeling. In fact, with our knowledge we were able to prescribe certain design features to her! This project is exactly what we mean by remodeling for life: creating a beautiful, adaptable bathroom that can accommodate people of all sizes and shapes, but is also tailor-made for this individual.