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Because it is designed around one person's body and equipment, this kind of renovation starts with an occupational therapist's assessment and ends with a fitting, not just an inspection. Much of the work touches the structure or the plumbing, so it calls for a contractor experienced in accessibility projects, licensed trades and, often, a permit.
This page covers the main types of accessibility renovation, the assessment, roll-in bathrooms, funding in Ontario, Quebec and federally, and the mistakes that leave a space hard to use. Grab bars, stair lifts and smaller products are covered on our accessibility equipment page, and planning for later life on our aging-in-place renovations page.
Wheelchair-accessible home renovations: entrances, doorways, bathrooms, kitchens and a main-floor bedroom
- A step-free entrance, by ramp, regraded walkway or porch lift, is usually the first project, since everything else depends on getting in and out of the house independently.
- Wider doorways and hallways, with clear turning space at the ends, let a wheelchair move through the home without scraping frames or reversing out of rooms.
- A roll-in shower with no curb and room for a shower wheelchair replaces a tub or stepped shower the person can no longer use.
- Lowered or adjustable counters, a cooktop with open knee space below and drawer-style storage bring the kitchen within seated reach.
- A main-floor bedroom and accessible bathroom, often carved out of a den or dining room, can remove the need for a lift when the layout allows it.
- Vertical platform lifts at an entrance or through-floor lifts inside serve homes where the essential rooms can't all be on one level; see our home elevators and lifts page.
Occupational therapist assessment for accessibility renovations: measuring the person, the chair and the tasks
An occupational therapist's assessment comes before any drawings. The therapist records how the person transfers to and from the chair, bed, toilet and shower, how far they can reach while seated, their strength and endurance, and the size and turning needs of their wheelchair or walker, then writes recommendations that the designer and contractor turn into a plan. When the condition is progressive, ask the therapist to plan for the equipment the person is likely to use later, so a doorway or shower isn't rebuilt twice.
For design details, CMHC points to Canada's national standard on accessible dwellings, CSA B652:23, which sets requirements and recommendations for designing, building and modifying homes for people with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities. Ask whether your designer works from it.
- Bring the actual wheelchair, walker or shower chair to the measurements, since models differ in width, length and turning circle.
- Test heights with a mock-up, such as a temporary counter or a taped outline on the floor, before cabinets and fixtures are ordered.
- Have the contractor price each recommendation separately, so funding applications and phasing can follow the therapist's priorities.
Roll-in showers and accessible bathrooms: floor framing, waterproofing and fixtures
A curbless shower is the most technical part of most accessibility projects. For water to stay in the shower without a curb, the shower floor has to sit lower than the rest of the bathroom or the whole room has to slope toward the drain, which often means recessing the subfloor between the joists or, on a slab, cutting and repouring concrete. Any change to joists needs a design by a qualified person, and the waterproofing has to extend well beyond the shower because water will reach more of the floor. Ontario's Home and Vehicle Modification Program lists a wet room built on universal design principles as an alternative to conventional bathing and toileting designs.
- Solid backing throughout the bathroom walls, not only where supports go today, lets bars and a fold-down seat be added or moved as needs change.
- CMHC suggests a shallow sink that can be used both standing and seated; with open space below, insulate or cover the pipes so legs can't touch hot surfaces.
- A handheld shower on a slide bar, with controls reachable from a seat near the shower entry, lets the person adjust water before it reaches them.
- Slip-resistant flooring across the whole room matters when the entire floor may be wet.
- A pocket door or an outward-swinging door keeps the doorway clear if someone falls inside the room.
Accessibility renovations, aging-in-place renovations and accessibility equipment: which one you need
These three kinds of work overlap, so it helps to know which fits your situation. Accessibility renovations respond to a specific disability that exists now, often for a wheelchair user of any age, and usually change the structure: doorways, floors, bathrooms, kitchens and entrances. Aging-in-place renovations anticipate the gradual changes that come with getting older, with an emphasis on preventing falls, better lighting and keeping options open. Accessibility equipment covers products installed within the existing layout, such as grab bars, stair lifts and lever hardware, and is often the right first step while a larger renovation is planned.
Funding accessibility renovations: the federal tax credit, Ontario's HVMP and Quebec's PAD
The federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit, claimed on line 31285, covers renovations that let a qualifying individual get into the home or be mobile or functional in it, or that reduce their risk of harm; our accessibility equipment page explains who qualifies. Two conditions matter when planning: the dwelling must be owned by the qualifying individual, or owned by the family member claiming the credit who lives there with them, and the Canada Revenue Agency allows an expense that also qualifies as a medical expense to be claimed under both credits.
Ontario's Home and Vehicle Modification Program serves permanent Ontario residents with a disability that impedes mobility and substantially restricts activities of daily living, within a household income threshold. It lists ramps, lifts, door widening and rearranging bathrooms or kitchens among eligible modifications, and its service coordinator approves expenditures and may assess the home. In Quebec, the Société d'habitation du Québec's home adaptation program, the PAD, helps owners adapt the home of a person with a significant and persistent disability so they can get in and out and reach essential rooms such as the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Apply before signing a contract, since each program has its own approval steps.
Common accessibility renovation mistakes that leave a home hard to use
- Widening a door but leaving a raised threshold or a tight turn into the room, which still stops a wheelchair.
- Building a ramp that is too steep, or without a level landing at the door where the person has to stop to open it.
- Lowering every counter when others in the household cook standing, instead of mixing heights or adding one adjustable section.
- Installing a curbless shower too small to turn a shower chair in, or with controls out of reach from the seat.
- Forgetting the route: an accessible bathroom helps little if the hallway or bedroom door leading to it is still too narrow.
Accessibility Renovations: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a roll-in shower and a walk-in shower?
A walk-in shower has an open entry but may still have a low curb or step. A roll-in shower has no curb at all, with the floor recessed or sloped so a wheelchair or shower chair can roll straight in, which usually means changing the floor structure beneath it.
Do I need an occupational therapist before an accessibility renovation?
It's strongly recommended. The therapist's measurements make sure the doorways, counter heights and shower suit the person and their equipment, and their report helps show a funding program why each change is needed.
How wide should doors be for a wheelchair?
It depends on the chair and the approach: a doorway entered straight on needs less width than one reached by turning from a narrow hallway. The occupational therapist measures the chair and the route, and a designer working from the national accessible dwellings standard, CSA B652, can size openings and turning spaces.
Can a tenant make accessibility renovations to a rental unit?
Only with the landlord's agreement, since the changes alter the building. The federal tax credit applies to a dwelling owned by the qualifying individual or the family member claiming it, and Quebec's PAD assists owners, so agree with the landlord on who applies for what.
Does an accessibility renovation need a permit?
Often. Widening a doorway in a load-bearing wall, recessing a shower floor, adding a lift or building a ramp can involve structure, plumbing, electrical work or zoning setbacks, so check with your municipality before work starts.
Sources
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides