Aging-in-Place Remodeling in Pennsylvania: Homes, Licenses, Who Pays

Pennsylvania had 2,665,932 residents 65 and over on July 1, 2024, 20.4% of the state, according to the Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 county estimates. The homes are old (median year built 1964, about a quarter from before 1940), so the usual job is entry steps, narrow doorways, a staircase between the bedroom and everything else, and a bathroom as old as the house. There is no statewide contractor license; contractors register with the Attorney General under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA), and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh add their own trade licenses. Most Pennsylvania families pay directly, with Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, long-term care insurance, VA grants and a few state and local programs covering specific cases.

Ready to talk to a certified aging-in-place remodeler? Tell us about the home and get matched with a registered Pennsylvania remodeler serving your area.

Pennsylvania by the numbers

• 2,665,932 Pennsylvanians were 65 or older in July 2024, 20.4% of the state (Census Bureau Vintage 2024 county estimates).
• That is 254,974 more than in April 2020, up 10.6% in 4 years (same file; the Pennsylvania State Data Center reports the same).
• The median Pennsylvania home was built in 1964, the fourth oldest stock in the country; about a quarter of occupied homes predate 1940 (PHFA 2023 housing study, via Pennsylvania Realtors).
• Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) has the largest county count of residents 65 and over, 260,548 (21.2%); Philadelphia County is next at 242,489 (15.4%) (Census, 2024).

Why Pennsylvania homes are different

Old houses, upstairs bathrooms. In Philadelphia rowhomes and the older boroughs across the state, the typical house has several entrance steps, narrow halls and doorways, and no first-floor bathroom (WHYY); basements are common and the only full bath is usually upstairs. So the biggest projects are a stair lift or a main-floor bedroom and bath.

Pre-war wiring, plumbing and doorways. Houses from before the war often still carry knob-and-tube wiring and galvanized pipe, so a bathroom remodel that opens a wall can turn into a rewiring or repiping line item. Pre-war doors rarely give the 32 to 36 inch clear opening a wheelchair needs, which makes widened doorways and hallways a normal line on a quote.

Winter. Ice on stoops and sloped walks makes a covered, railed entry a frequent request; a ramp or step-free entry here has to shed water and survive a shovel.

Permits set by the township. The Uniform Construction Code is administered locally by more than 90% of Pennsylvania's 2,562 municipalities (Pennsylvania Housing Research Center), so permit rules and fees depend on the township.

Checking a Pennsylvania contractor's license

Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license. Anyone who performs at least $5,000 of home improvements a year must register with the Office of Attorney General under HICPA ($100 every 2 years); those under $5,000 in the previous tax year are exempt, which is how a handyman hanging a few grab bars can be legally unregistered. Anyone remodeling a bathroom is not.

Registration confirms identity and insurance (at least $50,000 of personal injury and $50,000 of property damage coverage), not skill. Verify the number at the Attorney General's Home Improvement Contractor search (only active registrations show), ask for the insurance certificate, and call 1-888-520-6680 with questions.

HICPA also requires a written contract for any job over $500, showing the registration number, start and finish dates, specifications, the total price with the down payment listed separately from special-order materials, the Attorney General's toll-free number and your 3-business-day right to cancel. On contracts over $5,000 the deposit may not exceed one-third of the price plus special-order materials, and nothing can be demanded before signing.

Electrical and plumbing licenses are municipal and do not transfer; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have their own. The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation is training, not a license, and a good sign on top of it. Our guide on how to choose an aging-in-place remodeler has the full checklist.

Who pays in Pennsylvania

Most Pennsylvania families pay directly, from savings, home equity or siblings splitting the cost: no pre-approval, your choice of contractor, and work can start this week. Paying out of pocket covers the tools, including the reverse mortgage (HECM) for homeowners 62 and over.

• Medicare. Original Medicare pays nothing toward home modifications; some Medicare Advantage plans add a bathroom safety allowance (a commonly cited figure is $500 a year), and structural work is rarely covered: Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
• Long-term care insurance. Many policies include a home modification benefit tied to help with activities of daily living, with pre-approval and a cap: long-term care insurance.
• Medicaid. Pennsylvania's Medicaid agency is the Department of Human Services, Office of Medical Assistance Programs. Ask it about home modification coverage and waitlists: Medicaid waivers.
• Veterans. The VA's HISA grant pays for medically necessary alterations prescribed by a VA clinician; SAH and SHA grants cover qualifying service-connected disabilities: VA grants.
• The Department of Aging and your AAA. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging funds 52 Area Agencies on Aging covering all 67 counties; call 717-783-1550 to reach yours. Its OPTIONS program (residents 60 and over, no income requirement, sliding-scale cost share) lists home modifications as a supplemental service that depends on the local AAA. PA Link (800-753-8827) helps with funding forms.
• Loans built for this. The Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation lends for ramps, roll-in showers, widened doorways and stair glides: Mini-Loans of $100 to $7,000 at 0%, larger loans at 3.75% up to $60,000, and a Mini-Grant of up to $1,000 for households at or below 200% of poverty (PATF).
• City programs and taxes. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh each run an income-tested home modification program (see their pages), and modifications made for medical reasons can be a deductible medical expense: tax deductions.

Where we work in Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh. Allegheny County has 260,548 residents 65 and over (21.2%) and the 7-county metro 527,154 (22.5%). Aging-in-place remodeling in Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia. 242,489 residents 65 and over (15.4%) in the oldest housing in the state (median year built 1949). Aging-in-place remodeling in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia suburbs. Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Chester counties have 527,729 residents 65 and over (19.7%). Aging-in-place remodeling in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Lancaster. Lancaster County has 115,601 residents 65 and over (20.5%). Aging-in-place remodeling in Lancaster.

Harrisburg. Dauphin County has 54,969 residents 65 and over (18.8%) and Cumberland County 53,988 (19.6%). Aging-in-place remodeling in Harrisburg.

Outside these areas, request a match anyway; there is no charge, and a certified aging-in-place remodeler serving your area will reach out once matched.

What it costs in Pennsylvania

National installed ranges from 2022 to 2026 secondary sources: a curbless shower conversion $2,500 to $9,000; a full aging-in-place bathroom $6,600 to $28,000, average near $11,000; a stair lift $3,000 to $20,000, averages $7,000 to $8,000; an entrance ramp $875 to $5,000. Philadelphia is a union-heavy metro and labor there likely runs above the national average, while Pittsburgh sits closer to it. Get 3 written local quotes; the cost guide has every range.

Ready to talk to a certified aging-in-place remodeler? Request a match and talk to a registered Pennsylvania remodeler serving your area.