I am hoping you know those grab bars cannot be properly placed inside that surround you have pictured? Planning given the before is easy as a good cleaning/declutter alone would make a world of difference. Sink bases at kitchen height are all the rage, as are taller sitting toilets. It all needs upgrading anyway and getting the fit correct won't cost you that much more.

Grab bars need to have support built into the walls before installing a shower that is made with grab bars. A to scale floor plan was what was needed you lost me after the book and then the ton of posts that needed going back and forth from. IMO old houses with old bathroom s need gutting since there is very often mold behind the walls and the plumbing usully needs a bit of an upgrade .Post a floor plan and have you actully done your homework on ADA bathrooms they are more than just a toilet and grab bars

We had remodeled a bath prior to my father in law moving in with us in our last house. YES to what everyone is stressing- the grab bars are not just placed like a new towel bar ; they really do need additional blocking or whatever the word is. We had to do that and trust me it is very necessary. We had several grab bars installed properly, but he still ended up grabbing the shower a towel bar and pulled it out of the wall. (Fortunately he was not hurt....but the point is definitely get it installed properly).

If you are going to paint the vanity (and she really doesn't want white ?) and get a new vanity top, would it be easier to paint the vanity maybe a navy blue or black and get a white laminate countertop? That would work nicely with a nice blue wall.........

I second the suggestion to get a new vanity. The newer ones are taller. The old one is in such bad shape I don't see the point in trying to get another 5-10 years out of it. Get a standard size at Ikea or a big box store and trim it out if it's not quite wide enough for the space. Semi-custom Kraft Maid isn't that expensive, either. If she really doesn't like white there are wood shades available. This is something that will also pay off when you have to sell the house later. Definitely install a grab bar next to the toilet as this is an area the elderly have a lot of trouble with.

Hello again zannej. I recall you are a resourceful DIYer. Is there overhead lighting in the bathroom? The choice of lighting will affect how the paint and laminate colors look to you. Your mother needs bluer light than younger people because of her ageing eyes. Try some 4000K LED bulbs, often sold as "bright white" not "soft white".

To answer your question about paint colors: I suggest picking the blue laminate, then choosing a lighter shade of the same blue for the cabinet paint. The walls can be the same blue paint color.

If you want advice on decluttering her bathroom, will you be doing that for her or will she do it herself with your help? Try separating the few things she needs now every day from those she doesn't use as much and those she hasn't used in years. Pack the latter two groups away during the remodel. Cosmetics and lotions over a year old may be contaminated with bacteria and should be discarded.

Yes to what others have said about grab bars, and install grab bars as towel rods too so that if she grabs the towel rod, she has support.

I would purchase a new vanity. We just did an inexpensive bathroom update before putting our house on the market. A Glacier Bay vanity from Home Depot worked just fine and is taller. There are lots of blue vanities on Wayfair and Home Depot on sale now. Get the colors she likes, who cares if anyone else likes them or if they look good together. At this stage in life, why not make her happy?

Upon my dad's request, as we've needed to replace toilets we have done so with Toto ADA. They are great.

To clarify some things:

1. The vanity is made of plywood and there are no storebought ones in the same size-- it would have to be custom and a custom one would most likely be particle board. I'd rather stick with plywood. The vanity itself, while ugly, is in great shape. Making it higher is a simple matter of pulling the old countertop (which we have to do anyway to put no laminate on) and building a box out of 2x4s and putting furring strips either below or on top. I can sand it smooth so it will look like one piece. Given the quality (or lack thereof) of the ones for sale these days, it's a hard pass. Particle board falls apart & soaks up water. Ruined within weeks or months. My best friend's new vanity didn't even last a full year. So, I appreciate the suggestion, but No to getting a new one. I do wish I could find the right sized countertop premade but they don't make them (unless it's custom & would be very expensive).

2. I intend to put backing in the shower. These shower walls are sometimes sold by Kohler with backing boards pre-adhered to the walls. My plan is to use plywood as a reinforcement anywhere there will be holes. So, where the grab bars screw in, where shower trim comes out, etc. I will reinforce and seal the plywood to make it waterproof. I will also add support boards inside the walls between the studs to add additional support for the grab bars. A vapor barrier will be added in behind the shower walls as well. Once I have my grab places completely selected, I may add additional blocking to make sure there are no gaps between the plywood and the support boards. I've made a sketch of the general idea. I will use joist hangers for the boards where I won't be able to screw all the way through the studs or have access to the other side. I'll use extra long screws to grab the middle board (reinforced with nails toenailed in). I will probably use adhesive too just to make sure everything is solid. I will have to add extra boards (and re-use ones already in the walls that I spotted when cutting an access panel) for the vertical bar and make sure nothing is in the way of the PEX lines/shutoffs). Pink in the drawing is insulation as this sketch was intended for another room with an exterior wall. I do appreciate the concern for safety. No way in hell would I expect Vikrell to support grab bars without reinforcement. Hell, I wouldn't trust it to support towel bars without serious reinforcement.

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I will use very low expansion spray foam inside the shelves to reinforce them and reduce noise. I'll add a furring strip behind the front lip of the shower pan to keep it from moving (but I will also put down roofing paper over the wood, mortar, and a layer of plastic in case anything goes wrong and the pan needs to be moved later. I will use a template to mark where the feet are on the pan (it has a honeycomb like pattern on the bottom with little support feet in various spots) so I can keep the mortar out of their way so the pan will sit flat/level.

@Patricia Colwell Consulting the plumbing is getting gutted. We have already replaced the water supply lines and added shutoffs inside the wall with an access panel on the other side. Next we will replace the valve and trim. Since nothing is vented, we will have to add a branch vent for the DWV system. It will be in the wall shared with the adjacent bathroom as there appears to already be a defunct vent there. We will call in a pro for getting that vent through the roof. Not sure if it's a TL: DR situation or if you replied before I updated, but I did add flooplan pictures. I need to make some improved ones though.

@apple_pie_order I somehow missed your post. I appreciate the advice. I forgot to mention that there is an existing Broan heat/light/vent in the ceiling but we need to upgrade the switch and perhaps fix the motor or replace the unit. It currently is not working-- but given it was installed over 40 years ago, that is not a surprise. I forgot to mention that part. We will be getting a triple rocker switch and using colored plastic crystals or stickers to mark which is heat, which is fan, and which is light. So, a lighter shade of the countertop? Hmm.. That is an interesting idea. I'll have to figure out how to get that shade lighter and have it still match. As for the decluttering, it's not just her stuff, it's my baby brother's stuff as well. He's 41 but has COPD and is living with us. He'll be getting his own bathroom so much of his clutter can be moved to another room. I have a separate post about that one but I've pretty much figured out everything but the plumbing for the lavatory (I have a good idea though). The situation is that neither my mother or brother clean and I have no clue what to do with their stuff and I get screamed at if I touch/move anything.

One other point of clarity is that my widowed mother does not live alone. My brother and I live with her, but I'm the only one who does any cleaning and, as I mentioned before, I get screamed at if I touch/move their stuff. I only have a few things in the bathroom (my toothpaste/brush, a hairbrush, 1 bottle of body wash, & 1 bottle of 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner). We share the wet wipes and body powder. I've had back injuries so bending and picking stuff up is not as easy as it once was. I did clean the sink and wipe up the countertop after the last pic of that sink though. We've been procrastinating on putting stuff away/organizing. My brother's stuff takes up the most space in the bathroom.

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Some things already in the bathroom that I did not draw:

Towel rack in the corner near the closet (near shower), trash bin between toilet and tub, magazine rack between toilet and tp holder, overhead light, gfci outlet near sink, outlet on bottom wall in front of vanity, towel bar on top wall in front of vanity...

@Kendrah I appreciate the feedback. We already upgraded to an ADA height toilet and it has been great. I hope I don't offend you by saying Glacier Bay is absolute garbage. I'm on home improvement and plumbing forums and the pros always talk about what a horrible brand it is. Very poor quality. The big box stores have vanities made from particle board. They start breaking in transport because they are so flimsy. They soak up water like crazy and I live in a damp humid area. The plywood on the vanity is old plywood back when it was better quality than the newer stuff. Fewer voids and sturdier material. It just happens to be ugly on the surface. I'm going to sand everything, add paintable wood filler to edges, and make it look smoother and nicer. I just need to pick the right colors to complement the countertop. Mom said big NO on painting anything white. Not sure why she's so opposed to it, but it's her bathroom. I'm also trying to find some sort of light to go over the window above the lavatory. She's very picky so getting her to decide is difficult.

I did find the Toto sink for cheaper on Build.com and found a coupon code so I got it for much less. It is backordered so it will take a few months to get it in though.

Thanks for new info. Try replacing the switch(es) for the existing light/fan/heater combination first. Then, if the light/fan/heater doesn't spring to life, and if that Nutone fan/light box on the shelf actually contains a new fan/light, you could install that. It will really help to get a functioning overhead light and ventilation in the bathroom.

Sorry about the loss of your father. An outsider such as a doctor may help with advice about the screaming.

Who, in addition to you, is doing the fix-up?

A few random thoughts...1) You could paint the frame of the cabinet and replace the door and drawer fronts, like they do in cabinet refacing. 2) If you add the additional height on top of the current vanity, put one long grab bar all across the front for her to steady herself. Ideally she needs to be able to walk around the room holing onto something the entire way. 3) Since you are cutting into the hallway linen cabinet anyway, you could steal a space about 10" wide and 10" deep from it and make that accessible from her bathroom. Towels could go there, or paper, or even small toiletries. 4) The door needs to be wider, 36" if at all possible. Also you may end up widening it in order to get the new shower/tub unit into the room, those units are usually placed during framing, before doors. 5) I think a dark blue vanity would be nice, with a lighter, whiter top, pale blue walls. 6) LOTS more lighting.. recessed cans and vanity lights. 7) Did you consider flipping the position of the shower/tub and the vanity? Then a nice mirror could go on the wall above the sink; I am guessing that right now she is standing in front of the medicine cabinet in order to see herself? You wouldn't be able to use the all in one unit because of the window (unless you closed it in or shifted it) You could probably use the existing vanity and just cut it down some. Or look for an old dresser or server and retrofit to be a vanity. But the result might be an easier layout. Rough drawing:

Vanity?? Waste of effort for ugly jury rig. Cancel the sink, top issue solved and add good looking open shelving, She wants it AT HAND. Look at your own pictures. It's a clutter mess and I am being kind.......: ) There are many like this. Humid? That's a fan, and how long has that bath "lasted" ?This need not last as long,. A virtual guarantee. 1389.00 Use the mirror elsewhere. Paint the walls the palest blue. Match the shelves to the wall paint.

Now? You cancel the sink, this gives you a sink

She " has a hard time making a decision" .......That is part of why why horders hoard. There are more problems here than you know jmho . I will bet a month of lunches on it.

Valentino Single Vanity, Blue, 48" · More Info

Avery 48" Dark Blue Single Vanity, Carrara Marble Top, Oval Sink, 46" Mirror · More Info

Thank you for the additional replies.

@apple_pie_order I consulted some electricians and was told that old switches going bad is often the #1 problem so new switches are the first thing we will try. It's entirely possible the motor burnt out though as we get a lot of power surges (we will install a whole house surge protector) and the unit may predate some of the modifications to the bathroom. There is a beam under the house that indicates that this extension of the house was built in 1947. Original house was from 20s or 30s. Well, very original house burned down, then this "new" one was built and modifications were done in the 70s-- including putting carpet in the bathrooms. It was absolutely disgusting. Sadly the Nutone one in the box won't fit. My father bought it thinking it could be a good replacement but it was not the right size/shape. We plan to use it in the guest bathroom since we can make the hole in the ceiling whatever size we want. I will consult with the AC repair guy (who is actually the nephew of the original owner of this house) about whether or not the heaters/fans can be fixed or if we need to replace them. I'm hoping they can be fixed. Might end up having to get ones with just light and fan. I would love to replace the old steel window with a double pane argon vinyl window.

@Jean She doesn't need to hold on to something all the way, but she sometimes needs to grab something if her balance starts to go-- something to do with inner ear damage. I wish the door could be widened but there is no room to widen it.

@JAN MOYER, I appreciate the links and pictures. The bright blue one is very pretty. Unfortunately, the new vanities are made from mdf/particle board and are way out of budget. Vanity is staying but getting modified. The fan hasn't worked in years. This bathroom has lasted a good while, although because they initially put carpet in the bathrooms, the old green toilet fell through the floor years ago. Floor is roughly patched but needs to be fixed better.

Since this post I was thinking more about grab bar locations and realized from the measurements that I will need to put the vertical bar just outside of the shower in order for it to fit. Which is fine. I can put a 2x4 in the wall behind it and put PVC board over the shower flange and have it wide enough for the grab bar.

I'm still debating whether the controls should be above or below the grab bar. If they are above, they might get in the way or the items in the shelf might get in the way. But I worry the controls may be too low if they are below it. I might just need to leave more space between the controls and grab bar shelf.

Just thinking out loud, how old is your mom? Part of why I am asking is because I would think that perhaps through her doctor or if there might be a social worker team/ occupational therapist/etc... who could probably give you some very good suggestions about placement of the bars and other requirements. It's really admirable that you are going to do all this work and it would be great if you could get some assistance even if it's just guidance ( aside from the wonderful decorating advice here lol) and information regarding the needs as people age.

@salonva She's 71 but she's diabetic and has the balance issues. I'm currently her caregiver but the wreck I was in a few years back gave me permanent injuries & led to other health issues that have made things difficult. I have a friend who is a certified electrician who is helping. I helped him with his house (he knows anytime he needs something painted he can let me know-- I even spent my birthday painting his cabinets because it made me happy). He is often busy, but when he has free time he helps. He's the one who helped me with the waterlines. He's going to help with the rest of the work since he's pretty handy. I helped him install a shower-tub so he's going to help me. We have another mutual friend who said he will work for food. LOL. The first friend is going to help me with the decluttering.

There are no groups that help with elderly in my area- I'm too far out in "no man's land".

Other than the mobility issue due to her balance, my mother is probably in better health than I am at this point. But, we are managing. Once we declutter and get these bathrooms fixed up, things will be a lot better.

The Moen shower arm we got is 6" long. The slidebar (from bottom of showerhead to base) is 19" IIRC, showerheads are 4" diameter, diverter is at top left of showerhead (not ideal), grab bar shelf is 16", shower trim escutcheon is 7" diameter.

I know that recommended grab bar height is ~36, showerhead height between 72-80", shower controls 40-50" high. But I'm trying to figure out what would look & work better. Shower with flange is ~76". I think the shower arm escutcheon is around 2.5" but I haven't measured it yet. Images are not proportional here. She's 5'6". I want the showerhead to be a comfortable height if she needs to reach the diverter while standing (we bought it before we found out the diverter wasn't a the bottom). I want her to comfortably reach the controls and handheld shower. She can have her washcloths and whatever in the shelf right in front of her. Shampoo bottles should probalby go on the corner shelves. I need to measure the height of her shower seat-- it is not adjustable.

Mom's Ensuite · More Info

Countertop samples arrived today. I handed them to Mom in the order I figure was worst to best. First was Formica blue felt. Meh. Not blue enough and too many other colors. Said it was too green.

Next was Wilsonart Brittany blue. Meh.

Wilsonart Lapis blue. "This is the one!"

Formica Spectrum blue. "oooh! This one is better!"

We have some Behr Deep River left over. I'm wondering how it would look on the cabinets and shelves. Do these colors go well?

Mom's Ensuite · More Info

TL: DR? she chose spectrum blue. Next step is to compare it to paint chips at the store and see what colors complement it.

This is a sketch of the general idea- sky blue wall, spectrum blue countertop, behr deep river paint on vanity... vinyl sheet flooring with mixture of gray & brown colors in it. It's ugly, but it's what was available when we were buying new flooring. Dad picked it out but then passed away before it could be installed.

Mom's Ensuite · More Info

Sink arrived intact. Waiting for Mom to approve purchase of countertop material and pick wall and cabinet color. She said Deep River looked to light from the image (I got her a paint chip to compare). She's worried that being too light will make it show more dirt. I said that is why we have this thing called "cleaning". Also mentioned that darker colors will show shower powder and toothpaste more anyway.

Sounds like things are moving forward.

What would it take to get the other bathroom in good working order? It would be nice to have another usable bathroom when you are working on the avocado one.

@apple_pie_order bare minimum I need to fix botched leveling mix on floor (it's too tough to break up and remove so has to be smoothed out), level the toilet flange, secure the sheet vinyl (it's already cut & loosely placed- just needs to be secured), hook up water supply lines under sink, and install the toilet. I want to get water working for the sink before I mess with leveling mix again bc I want to have water just in case. Shower can't be used bc it needs new surround & controls-- it's not hooked up to water anymore. I do have the supply lines for my sink, but I need my friend to come remove the old copper lines and hook up the new supply lines. I don't have the flexibility to squeeze in and do it myself. But he mistakenly reversed the lines so I need to get that remedied- which should only take a few minutes.

So, to have a working sink and toilet isn't too far off. I need to find the tape for securing the vinyl sheet flooring though. Stuff keeps disappearing on me.

I do plan to do some things a little at a time. Like do the countertop raising, new formica install, and put the new sink in before doing the rest of the master bathroom. The other bathroom still needs some finish work, electrical, paint, etc, but it can be made usable semi-simply if I can fix the floor.

While the master bathroom countertop is being worked on (I plan to take it to the workshop) I could set up something with a bucket for hand-washing temporarily. We keep water in bottles around the area for washing hands when power is out (pumps can't run when power is out so we lose running water too).

It is kind of a small bathroom with less space so using the blue tile all over and the in the color you have shown will make it look smaller. go for a light blue color or mix and match with white color tiles.

Just wondering if there might be some trade association or social service that could possibly help get some of this done for you? I would think that with your mom who i am sure is quite in her "senior" years, that there might be some very skilled help available for free or very modest price. Having a reliable and usable bathroom is so important.

Is there anyone you could reach out to? Church? Town hall?

@CoolAir Inc. There will be zero tile in the bathroom. She HATES tile. The walls are printed wood paneling with green strips. I'm going to sand them, prime them, and paint them. I told her I think too much of the darker blue will make the room look smaller, but she doesn't want white. I'm encouraging her to get a light blue wall color.

@salonva sadly there are no such amenities in my area. I'm outside of the jurisdiction/coverage area for many services. I don't even have paved roads, mail delivery, or trash pickup. Even in town there are no such services. It's a low income community & the mayor is siphoning all the $ for himself. There are no churches that help with renovations in this area. None of the churches will help anyone who isn't a member in this area. There is one guy in the "neighborhood" (as in he lives out in the woods a few miles from us) who comes by to help with yardwork from time to time and brings us hay for our cows, and helps us out sometimes, but he's getting older & is very busy. He's stretched thin helping people since so few people help others around here. My friend would help me out more but he's had health issues and now we've both been exposed to Covid so we have to quarantine.

Thanks for explaining about the other-bathroom situation and plan. The covid exposure could be a good prompt (that is, unarguable by your mother and brother) to get the avocado bathroom cleaned and decluttered. The less stuff, the easier it will be to keep clean when someone is sick.

Creating two separate staging areas in the second bathroom for the pieces for each bathroom would make it easier to do a dry run on each fix-up. For example, move the new Nutone fan from the avocado bathroom to the other bathroom.

Look for the missing pieces in the trucks, the garage, and anywhere else as you do your regular cleaning and straightening up. Things turn up in the oddest places, but often they are in the "I'm just going to set this down for a minute" place when we come in the door, or in the place where things get put when the table is cleared for dinner, or piled in with the other projects-in-progress on the workbench.

@apple_pie_order

No garage. We have cats so they knock stuff down and it rolls and gets batted under tables and furniture sometimes. The 2nd bathroom is just as cluttered if not more as I'm storing stuff in it while preparing to fix it. It's got a bunch of tools and stuff. We do have a workshop but it's about 200ft from the house down in the barnyard and it is starting to fall apart. Needs a new roof. We've tried to get people out for estimates but people won't come out to the remote area.

I wish I could get them on board with helping me clean, but just today my brother griped at me about not cleaning up a mess that he made. Mom has not been exposed to Covid so I need to try to avoid exposing her for the next 10 days (if I don't get symptoms-- if I get sick I'll have to quarantine for longer).

As an update: I'm recovering from a bad reaction to a generic medicine. My friend has continued to have health issues and hasn't been as available. The spectrum blue laminate came in and is put away for safekeeping.

Still no luck getting help from either of my family members on cleaning. I need to get them to both agree with locations to put stuff.

I need to find a way to get the colors scanned in, but I found some rejected gallons of paint in some blue colors for cheap. They can be options for the vanity colors.

I will need to get the floor fixed soon as the toilet is starting to lean and the floor is getting more flex to it. But plywood prices are insane right now.

You know how life sometimes keeps bonking you with lemons? Last November I had an electrocution injury to my left bicep and deltoid (induction cooktop cracked & electrified the pan) rendering my left arm mostly immobile and useless for several months. I've been slowly regaining mobility and function. The hand works fine, but the shoulder and upper arm part are a bit borked. I have regained maybe 80% of the mobility but strength is still an issue.

I focused on renovating my other ensuite. Got the floor fixed, flooring installed, toilet installed, and then spent the last few months working on the shower. Finally have a functional shower. You can see that reno over here: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/848818/ensuite-2-for-bedroom-3-renovation-work-in-progress#28603957

Next reno will be the laundry room and guest bathroom. Then this one.