Accessible bathrooms in County Durham

What does an accessible bathroom cost in County Durham?

Our guide range in County Durham is £5,400–£12,500 including VAT. Prices in County Durham run at about 10% below the UK guide, based on North East England labour rates.

Guide prices for County Durham including VAT. Your itemised written quote after the free survey is the price that counts.

Which towns do we cover in County Durham?

• Darlington
• Hartlepool
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Durham
• Chester-le-Street
• Billingham
• Stanley
• Consett
• Newton Aycliffe
• Bishop Auckland
• Seaham
• Thornaby-on-Tees
• Peterlee
• Yarm
• Spennymoor

Water across much of County Durham is moderately hard. A quick wipe of the glass and an easy-clean coating are worth having on a new shower in Darlington. Hardness varies street by street, so check the figure for your postcode with your water supplier. If you are applying to your council for a grant, we provide an itemised written quote for your Darlington home to go with the application.

What the job includes

• A fold-down shower seat and grab rails fixed into solid wall or timber backing fitted behind the boards
• A basin set at a height that suits sitting or standing
• Electrics by a qualified electrician, tested and certified, and an itemised quote you can give to a grant officer
• A home survey of how the room is used now and what needs to change, including door width and turning space
• A thermostatic shower valve, so the temperature stays safe and steady
• Removal of the bath and a level-access or low-profile shower in its place, or a full level-floor wet room

Decisions to make first

Rail positions

Rails go where you need support: beside the WC, at the shower entry and near the seat. We set heights with the user at the survey so they suit their reach.

Walk-in bath

A door or low-entry bath suits people who want to keep bathing, but you have to sit inside while it fills and drains.

Screen or curtain

A half-height or folding screen lets a carer help without getting soaked. A weighted curtain is easier than glass for some people to move.

Colour contrast

Contrast between floor, walls, rails and the WC seat makes the room easier to use for people with sight loss or dementia.

Rules that apply in England

Building work to adapt a home for a disabled person can be zero-rated for VAT under HMRC VAT Notice 701/7. It is not means-tested; the person signs an eligibility declaration before work starts. Disabled Facilities Grants and similar schemes are means-tested and need council approval before any work begins. All electrics must meet BS 7671, with 30 mA RCD protection on every circuit.

In England, a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council can pay up to £30,000 towards adaptations such as a level-access shower. Fitting a new electric shower, or any other new circuit or wiring change in the bathroom, is notifiable under Part P.