Bathroom Remodel in Davidson, NC: Safer, Low-Maintenance Walk-In Showers

Problems we fix most often in Davidson bathrooms

• A tub wall that is hard to step over. Lifting a leg over a 15 inch wall gets harder with every year. A low threshold removes the climb.
• A cracked or yellowed shower base. Old fiberglass flexes, cracks and stains. A new base is firm underfoot and easy to clean.
• Grout that stays dirty. Grout lines hold soap scum and mildew. Seamless acrylic panels give them nowhere to hide.
• A slippery floor. A new base with a textured surface and a seat to sit on makes wet feet safer.
• A shower that is too small to use comfortably. Replacing a tub or a cramped stall can open up the room without moving walls.
• Fixtures that are hard to reach. A handheld shower head and controls placed near the entry mean you do not have to step into cold water to turn it on.

What to check before remodeling a Davidson bathroom

Start behind the surfaces

An attractive wall finish is only one part of a shower. Ask what the contractor will do about the base, the drain, the wall framing and the plumbing valve behind it. Do not assume a new shower will fit just because the old tub did. The doorway, the door swing or slide, toilet clearance and room to reach the controls all matter. If the old surround has been leaking, a new surface will not fix it, so the EPA guide to mold and moisture in your home is a good primer on what moisture does inside walls.

Older home? Ask about lead before demolition

Davidson has historic homes near Main Street and newer homes on the lake side, so the age question varies house by house. If your home was built before 1978, ask any contractor how they handle lead safe work practices before walls and surfaces are disturbed. The EPA renovation, repair and painting page explains the rules for homes of that age, and a home's age by itself does not tell you whether a particular surface contains lead.

Do you need a permit?

Davidson is one of the six Mecklenburg County towns whose building permits and inspections are handled by Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement. The Town of Davidson can answer zoning and planning questions. If your home is in a historic area, ask the town whether anything on the exterior is affected. Interior shower work usually is not, but confirm for your address.

• Ask who will arrange any permit that is required.
• Make sure the written scope names any plumbing or electrical changes.
• Ask how unexpected repairs would be approved and priced before they are done.

This is general planning information, not a permit determination for your address.

Why bathroom safety deserves a place in the design

A federal study of 2008 emergency room visits counted about 234,000 nonfatal bathroom injuries in people aged 15 and older, and 81 percent were falls. The details are in the CDC bathroom injury report.

A lower entry and well placed support do not make a shower fall proof, and no single product replaces thinking about the person who uses it. For practical ideas, the National Institute on Aging has a room by room guide to preventing falls and a page on aging in place. Public bathing rooms follow the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the U.S. Access Board bathing room guide is a useful reference for grab bar and seat dimensions, even though a private home is not covered by those rules.

Questions to ask any bathroom contractor near Davidson

Whoever you hire, a few plain questions tell you a lot. Our guide to the questions to ask a bathroom remodeling contractor goes deeper, but these are the ones we would ask.

• Is the price in writing? It should list what is included, not just a total.
• Who does the work? Ask whether it is the company's own crew or a subcontractor you will meet for the first time on installation day.
• How long will the bathroom be out of use? A walk-in shower conversion should be measured in days, not weeks.
• What is the warranty? Ask to see it in writing before work begins. Ours is a written workmanship warranty, and we read it with you.
• What happens if something unexpected is behind the wall? Ask how repairs are approved and priced before they are added.
• Will you leave the room clean? Floors and hallways should be protected, and the bathroom should be cleaned up before the crew goes.

What a shower remodel costs near Davidson

Our shower packages start at $8,500 and run up to $21,591, depending on the walls, door, seat and fixtures you choose, and full bathroom remodels start around $17,491. Our bathroom remodel cost guide explains what moves the number, the tub-to-shower cost calculator gives you a quick estimate, and our financing page covers monthly payment options.

Veterans in Davidson may qualify for the VA HISA grant for a tub to shower conversion. The grant gives up to $6,800 and our price starts at $7,500.

What a Davidson project looks like

1. Free consultation. We visit your home, talk about what you would like to change and measure the bathroom. There is no cost and no pressure.
2. One written price. You get a clear written quote that explains what is included. Take your time with it.
3. Professional install. Most walk-in shower installs are finished in one to two days, and we clean up before we leave.