How Much Does It Cost to Make My Home Wheelchair Accessible? [2025 Data]

Cost by Type of Accessibility Modification

The final costs for installing accessibility features in your home depend on your particular needs. Mobility accessibility renovations are more expensive than modifications for sight and hearing impairments. The costs are broken down below by type of alteration.

Interior Accessibility Alterations

To make a home fully wheelchair accessible, expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $75,000. On the low end, you’re looking at minimal simple upgrades like adding grab bars and interior railings or lowering the height of thermostats. On the high end, you’re looking at the cost to widen a doorway for a wheelchair or the price to add an elevator. Here are some common interior upgrades:

• Adding grab bars and handrails: $100–$500 each

• Interior railings: $1,000 on average

• Cabinet and sink installations: $1,500–$8,500

• Installing nonslip flooring: $3–$22 per square foot

• Installing a stair lift: $1,500–$5,000 each

• Install an elevator in your home: $2,500–$60,000

• Lowering thermostat height: $75–$300 for each unit

• Converting to bathrooms and kitchens that comply with the standards for accessible design outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): $9,000–$40,000

• Widening a doorway: $700–$2,500

• Widening hallways: $30,000–$40,000

Exterior Accessibility Alterations

Exterior accessibility features (think: ramps, railings, door handles) can cost anywhere from $200 to $16,000 or more. Here are some common modifications and costs:

• Adding a wheelchair ramp to an existing deck: $1,000–$4,000

• Adding railings: $1,000–$2,500 

• Installing a front porch or patio lift: $2,000–$6,000

• Widening paths: $650–$2,000 (depending on the length of the path)

• Increase outdoor lighting: $2,000–$6,000

• Adding motion sensing lights: $200–$600

• Changing the landscaping: $300–$16,000 (depending on square footage)

Additional Cost Factors to Consider 

Several additional factors impact the cost of building an accessible house. These include the full scope of the project, the specifics of the rooms you plan to upgrade, the quality of materials, local labor prices, and legal compliance. Here are some costs to consider.

Number of Rooms

The more rooms you need to remodel, the higher the cost. Making your home wheelchair accessible costs anywhere from $100 for small DIY upgrades to more than $20,000 for substantial upgrades per room. Homeowners who upgrade multiple rooms during their accessibility remodel spend $18,000 to $75,000 total. 

Room Type 

The cost to increase accessibility depends on the rooms you plan to renovate. Different types of rooms require different accessibility upgrades, which impacts the total cost.

• Bathroom: Remodeling a bathroom to add accessibility features costs $3,000 to $25,000. Some upgrades include curbless showers, ADA-compliant toilets, grab bars, shower seating, nonslip flooring, and ensuring bathroom fixtures are the proper distance apart to accommodate wheelchairs.

• Kitchen: Adding accessibility features to a kitchen costs $13,000 to $38,000. These upgrades include lowering cabinets and countertops and widening open floor space for more mobility.

• Bedroom: Bedroom accessibility upgrades cost $100 to $12,000. This could include widening doorways and closet entrances, adding grab bars and bed rails, and installing brighter lighting and slip-resistant flooring.

• Office: Making a home office more accessible costs $50 to $5,000. This can include adding a wheelchair-accessible desk or widening the doorway. Depending on your job, your employer may pay for ADA accommodations or you may receive a tax break to help offset costs.

• Stairs: Accessibility upgrades for stairs cost $1,000 to $6,000, including installing a chair lift and adding a railing. On the high end, installing an elevator could cost as much as $60,000.

• Hallway: Most modern homes already have hallways with the correct width, but you may need to widen hallways in older homes to make them wheelchair accessible. Remodeling your space into an open floor plan costs $30,000 to $40,000, depending on the extent of the work.

Materials 

Material prices vary with the type of upgrade. Features like prefab walk-in tubs or curbless showers, which are made from acrylic or fiberglass, cost less than building a custom shower with luxury tiles. Similarly, hardwood or bamboo flooring costs more than adding slip-resistant vinyl flooring. 

Compliance

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. Though ADA guidelines are a requirement for public property, most homeowners choose to follow them as closely as possible when remodeling their homes for accessibility.

Converting a bathroom or kitchen into an ADA-compliant space costs $9,000 to $40,000. This is more expensive than basic accessibility upgrades because it requires more labor and can include structural changes.

Labor 

Labor accounts for 10% to 20% of the total project cost, and most contractors charge between $50 and $150 per hour (though they’ll likely give you a quote per job or per day). For accessible design, it’s important to hire a local home remodeler who understands ADA guidelines.

Since accessible design could include simple renovations or an entire remodel, you may need to hire a range of different contractors, including:

• General contractor: 10% to 20% of the project cost 

• Electricians: $50–$150 per hour

• Plumbers: $45–$200 per hour

• Structural engineers: $70–$250 per hour

Location

The amount you pay to make your home accessible depends on factors such as labor, local cost of living, and the number and types of modifications needed. Here’s the average range for accessibility modifications by state:

Home Accessibility Remodeling vs. Modification

Home modifications for accessibility include any changes within a home that improve functionality for people with disabilities or older adults. This could include small jobs like installing grab bars or lever-style faucet handles. Other jobs include larger structural changes and remodeling like widening doorways to accommodate wheelchair users.

Retrofitting your space for accessibility costs an average of $4,500, but remodeling your home will cost $18,000 to $75,000. Small home modifications can make your space safer and more functional, but it depends on your specific needs, which will change if you plan to age in place.

The only way to remedy issues like a narrow egress or limited floor space, which makes using a wheelchair or walker in the room difficult or impossible, is to remodel. It’s common for homeowners to move plumbing fixtures and knock down walls to create more accessible open floor plans in bathrooms and kitchens and to meet ADA guidelines. 

DIY Home Accessibility Modification vs. Hiring a Pro 

You can make small accessibility modifications on your own—like adding grab bars and railings, swapping faucets and door handles, installing smart appliances, changing smoke detectors, and swapping your light bulb—and you’ll save on the cost of labor.

For larger upgrades, it’s best to hire a home remodeling contractor with experience in accessible redesigns. ADA guidelines are extensive and regulate everything from the height of your countertops to the required space around your toilet. They’re not beginner-friendly, and these types of remodels require structural, electrical, or plumbing work that’s dangerous to perform on your own.

How to Save on Wheelchair Accessibility Home Modifications  

If you need wheelchair accessibility home modifications, the costs can seem overwhelming. A wheelchair ramp alone costs $2,300 on average. Luckily, there are a few ways you can save:

• Look for grants: People with disabilities may be entitled to a home modification grant to help cover accessibility upgrades in their homes. There are various federal and state grants, including grants through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), so research potential opportunities.

• Talk to your accountant about tax deductions: You might be able to deduct certain accessibility upgrades, like adding a ramp or widening doorways, as a medical expense. Talk to your accountant before you start your project.

• Choose mid-range materials: Instead of springing for luxury materials, choose mid-range materials for your remodel. Choose durable materials with a budget-friendly price tag.

• Only make the necessary upgrades: Consider pairing down your remodel to include only the necessary upgrades. For example, if you plan to age in place, rather than remodeling both of your bathrooms, focus your accessibility upgrade on the lower-level bathroom that you’re more likely to use.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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