Homeowners often know they need a safer bathroom long before they know what the project will involve. An ADA bathroom contractor guides that process from an initial home assessment through design, permits, demolition, waterproofing, installation and a final test with the person who will use the room. Knowing the sequence ahead of time helps you budget, plan where everyone will bathe during construction, and spot a builder who is skipping steps. Here is how a well-run accessible bathroom project unfolds in a Florida home, phase by phase.
Phase 1: The Home Assessment
The first visit should feel more like an interview than a sales pitch. Expect questions about who will use the bathroom, which mobility aids are involved now, how needs might change, whether a caregiver assists, and which side the user prefers for transfers. The builder measures the doorway clear width, the hallway approach, the existing tub or shower, the toilet location relative to walls, and ceiling height for any lift track.
They should also look below and around the room. In Florida, most houses sit on slab foundations, so the location of the existing drain lines decides how easily a curbless shower can be achieved. Attic access matters for exhaust fan ducting and new lighting. A quick look at the electrical panel shows whether new GFCI circuits or a heated floor will fit.
Phase 2: Layout, Selections and the Written Quote
With measurements in hand, the contractor proposes a layout. A good proposal shows the turning space, the shower entry, grab bar locations and the clear floor area beside the toilet. Many homeowners use the ADA Standards for Accessible Design as a reference, even though private homes are not legally bound by them, because the dimensions are proven.
This is also when you pick fixtures. Making these decisions before demolition prevents delays later:
- Shower valve type, ideally pressure-balancing or thermostatic for scald protection
- Handheld shower on a slide bar that doubles as a grab bar, or a separate fixed head
- Fold-down teak or phenolic seat, or a built-in tiled bench
- Comfort-height or wall-hung toilet
- Wall-mounted vanity with knee clearance and a lever or touchless faucet
- Grab bar finish and style matched to the rest of the hardware
- Floor tile with a wet-area slip-resistance rating
You should receive an itemized written quote that names these items or sets realistic allowances, and explains how change orders are handled if hidden damage turns up.
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Phase 3: Permits and Ordering
Most accessible conversions move plumbing, change framing or add circuits, which triggers a building permit under the Florida Building Code. Your contractor prepares the application, and plan review time varies by jurisdiction. While the permit is processed, special-order items are purchased. Linear drains, specific grab bar finishes, and certain wall-hung toilets can carry long lead times, so ordering early keeps the crew from waiting on parts once the room is gutted.
Use this window to plan around the disruption. If the house has a second bathroom, that becomes the main one for a few weeks. If it does not, ask about phasing the work or arranging a temporary solution. For someone with limited mobility, this planning is not a minor detail.
Phase 4: Demolition and What It Reveals
Once the old tub, tile and vanity come out, the true condition of the room appears. Common findings in Florida bathrooms include rotted bottom plates behind a leaking tub, mold in wall cavities where an old exhaust fan never vented outdoors, deteriorated cast iron drain pipe, and subfloor damage around a toilet flange. A careful builder photographs these conditions, explains the fix and prices it through a written change order before continuing.
This phase is also when the slab may be cut. For a zero-entry shower, a section of concrete is removed, the drain is lowered or moved, and the area is prepared so the finished shower floor can slope properly while meeting the bathroom floor at the same height.
Phase 5: Framing, Blocking and Rough-In
Before walls are closed, three things happen that you will never see again. First, solid blocking is installed between studs wherever grab bars, a fold-down seat or a vanity bracket will be mounted, with extra blocking added for future flexibility. Second, plumbing is roughed in: valve heights set for seated use, supply lines for the handheld sprayer, and drains placed for the new layout. Third, electrical wiring for lights, GFCI outlets, the fan and any heated floor is run. A rough inspection then confirms the work meets code. Ask for photos of the blocking with a tape measure in the frame; they are invaluable years later when adding accessories.
Phase 6: Shower Pan, Waterproofing and Flood Test
This is where accessible showers succeed or fail. The sloped mortar bed or pre-formed base is set so water moves steadily toward the drain with no low spots. A continuous waterproof membrane covers the floor and runs up the walls, with every seam, corner and pipe penetration sealed. Then the pan is plugged and filled with water for a flood test, typically left for about a day, while the crew checks for any drop in level. Only after it passes does tile begin. Skipping this test is a shortcut no homeowner should accept.
Phase 7: Tile, Fixtures and Final Inspection
Tile goes down with careful attention to slope and joints, and the transition at the shower entry is kept flush. Fixtures, grab bars, the seat, vanity and accessories are installed into the blocking placed earlier. After the final inspection, the most important step is a real-world test. The person who will use the bathroom should try the transfer to the toilet and the shower seat, reach the controls, roll or walk through the door and turn around. Small adjustments, such as moving a towel hook or adding a second bar, are easy now.
Choosing an ADA Bathroom Contractor Who Follows Every Phase
Not every remodeler works this way. When you interview candidates, ask them to describe their own sequence from assessment to final inspection and listen for the details above: who measures, when fixtures are chosen, where blocking goes, how the slab is handled and whether a flood test is standard practice. Confirm the license on the Florida DBPR lookup and request a current certificate of insurance. A company comfortable explaining each phase in plain language is usually comfortable being held to it in a written contract.
Insist on two checkpoints you can witness: photos of blocking before drywall, and a passed flood test before tile. Both protect you for the life of the bathroom.
To prepare further, see our guide to converting a tub into a walk-in shower, learn how to prevent mold in Florida bathrooms, and understand what drives bathroom remodel costs in Florida. When you are ready to meet an ADA bathroom contractor, Assured Supreme Contracting is a licensed and insured Florida team that pulls permits, provides an itemized written quote and offers a workmanship warranty. Schedule a free in-home consultation to begin with an assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
The builder asks about the user's mobility, aids, transfer habits and expected changes, then measures the doorway, approach, shower, toilet location and ceiling. They also check drain locations, attic access and the electrical panel. The goal is to understand both the person and the house before proposing any layout or price.
If there is a second bathroom, it usually becomes the primary one for the project's duration. If not, discuss options with your contractor early, such as phasing work so the toilet stays usable longer, or temporary arrangements with family. Planning this ahead matters even more when the user has limited mobility.
Valve heights, drain locations, blocking positions and vanity brackets all depend on the specific products. Some items, such as linear drains and certain wall-hung toilets, also have long lead times. Picking them early lets the crew rough in correctly and prevents the bathroom from sitting gutted while waiting for parts.
Rotted wall plates behind leaking tubs, mold in wall cavities, corroded cast iron drain lines, damaged subfloor near toilets and exhaust fans that vent into the attic are frequent discoveries. A careful contractor documents each one with photos and prices the repair in a written change order before proceeding.
Blocking is solid lumber installed between wall studs to give grab bars, seats and wall-hung fixtures something strong to fasten into. Without it, a bar can pull out of the wall under load. Adding generous blocking during the remodel costs little and makes future accessories easy to install.
After the waterproof membrane is installed, the shower drain is plugged and the pan is filled with water. The level is marked and watched for roughly a day. If the water level holds and no moisture appears outside the shower, the waterproofing is sound and tile installation can begin.
Water should move steadily toward the drain without puddling anywhere, including at the entry. During the flood test and after tile, pour a bucket of water and watch the flow. A linear drain often makes consistent slope easier on a curbless shower, especially when the slab recess is shallow.
Yes, and they should. Ask for a walkthrough after fixtures are installed but before the final payment. The user can try transfers, reach controls and move through the doorway. Small changes, such as adding a grab bar or shifting a towel hook, are simple at this stage.
When plumbing moves, walls change, circuits are added or the slab is cut, Florida jurisdictions generally require a permit. Permits bring inspections, which add a layer of protection. A licensed contractor normally prepares and submits the application and coordinates each inspection with the building department.
Choose a fan sized for the room's volume, quiet enough that people actually run it, and ducted to the outdoors, not into the attic. A humidity-sensing or timer switch helps clear moisture after showers. Good ventilation keeps a curbless floor drier and limits mold in our climate.
It can. The height is adjustable during installation, the floor beneath is easy to clean, and the tank is hidden in the wall, which can free a few inches of space. It requires an in-wall carrier and access panel, so it is best planned during a full remodel with open walls.
Each change should be written, priced and signed before the extra work starts, including any repairs for hidden damage. Photos help explain the need. A clear process keeps the budget transparent and avoids disagreements at the end. Ask to see a sample change order before signing the main contract.