Aging-in-Place Remodeling in Holladay, UT: Homes, Licenses, Costs

Salt Lake County had 152,296 residents 65 and over on July 1, 2024, 12.5% of the county (Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates). Holladay is one of the older and more affluent parts of the Salt Lake Valley: 18.9% of its 31,099 residents are 65 or older, 1.6 times Utah's statewide 11.9%, and the median home is worth $763,400 (Census American Community Survey 2024 five-year estimates). The houses are older too, median build year 1969: brick ramblers and split-levels with full basements. The Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) licenses contractors, the city issues the permit, and the usual projects are the bathroom safety remodel, a covered step-free entry for the snow, and a lift for the split-entry stairs.

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Holladay by the numbers

• 18.9% of Holladay's 31,099 residents are 65 or older, 1.6 times the Utah share of 11.9% (Census American Community Survey 2024 five-year estimates). Salt Lake County as a whole is 12.5%, or 152,296 people (Census Bureau Vintage 2024).
• Median home value $763,400 and median household income $117,043, against $489,400 and $95,166 for Utah (same ACS file).
• 79% of homes are owner-occupied and 68% are single-family detached; the median home was built in 1969, against 1985 for Salt Lake County (ACS 2024 five-year; ACS 2023 five-year via Stacker for the county).

The homes here

A 1969 median build year puts half of Holladay's houses before 1969. The typical one is a brick rambler or a split-entry with a full basement, and in a split-entry the front door opens onto a landing with a half flight up and a half flight down. The rambler already lives on one level; the split-entry has no step-free way in without a lift or a long ramp.

The entry. Salt Lake City airport averages 51.9 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals), and the bench neighborhoods on the east side get more. A zero-step entry through the garage with a covered landing and handrails is the usual answer for a rambler; a split-entry usually ends up with a vertical platform lift, which costs a fraction of an elevator. Some subdivisions have a homeowners association with rules on street-facing changes, so check before a ramp or lift goes in.

The bathroom. The bathroom safety remodel here is a curbless shower, grab bars anchored into studs, non-slip tile and a comfort-height toilet, with a widened door where the wall allows. The door is the Holladay problem: a state handbook flags pre-1970 brick bearing walls as the highest earthquake risk and suggests retrofitting during a remodel, and widening a doorway in a brick bearing wall needs engineering.

The stairs. A straight basement flight takes a stair lift at the cheap end of the range; the two short flights of a split-entry mean two units or a curved rail.

Licensing and permits in Salt Lake County

Utah licenses contractors statewide through DOPL: a B100 General or R100 Residential contractor license for the remodeler, with electrical (E200) and plumbing (P200) as separate licenses. Work under $7,000 including labor and materials can be done without a contractor license under the handyman exemption, with a one-time insurance affirmation on file at DOPL for jobs over $3,000, but plumbing and electrical system work still needs the licensed trade. Check the DOPL license lookup for status, classifications and discipline. Holladay issues building permits under the statewide 2021 International Residential Code; moving plumbing, electrical or walls needs one, cosmetic work usually does not. The Utah state page has the full rules, the Salt Lake City page covers the city next door, and our guide to choosing a remodeler has the checklist.

Who pays

With a median home value of $763,400 and a median household income of $117,043, most Holladay families pay directly, from savings, home equity or siblings splitting the cost; paying out of pocket covers the tools and the payment schedule. Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services (385-468-3200) is the local Area Agency on Aging and the first call; 211 Utah is the other door. Original Medicare pays nothing toward remodeling, some Medicare Advantage plans add a bathroom safety allowance, and long-term care insurance often has a capped home modification benefit. For Medicaid, ask the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Integrated Healthcare, about coverage and waitlists (Medicaid waivers). The Utah Assistive Technology Foundation lends $1,000 to $50,000 for home modifications and lifts and pays half the interest up to $2,500 (1-800-524-5152).

Common projects in Holladay

• Bathroom. Curbless shower conversion $2,500 to $9,000; a full aging-in-place bathroom $6,600 to $28,000, average near $11,000. Bathroom safety remodels.
• Stair lift. $3,000 to $20,000 installed nationally, averages $7,000 to $8,000; a straight basement flight is the cheap end. Stair lifts.
• Widened doorway. A few hundred to a few thousand dollars per door, toward a 32 to 36 inch clear opening; a brick bearing wall is the expensive case. Widened doorways and hallways.

Wasatch Front construction costs track near the national average. Get 3 written local quotes.

Ready to talk to a certified aging-in-place remodeler? Request a match and talk to a licensed remodeler serving Holladay and Salt Lake County.