Aging-in-Place Remodelers in Ogden and Davis County, UT: Costs

Weber County (Ogden) had 35,808 residents 65 and over on July 1, 2024, 13.0% of its 276,118 people, and Davis County (Layton, Bountiful) had 44,182, 11.7% of 378,470 (Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates). The two counties are different houses: Weber has one of the oldest housing stocks in Utah, median year built 1983 with 9.9% of homes from before 1940, while Davis is newer suburbs, median 1993 with 2.2% pre-1940 (ACS 2023 5-year data via Stacker). So Ogden work is steep stairs and brick, Davis work is stairs and bathrooms in 1990s subdivisions, both under heavy Wasatch Front snow, done by contractors licensed through the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), and paid for directly by most families.

Ready to talk to a certified aging-in-place remodeler? Tell us about the home and get matched with a licensed remodeler serving Weber and Davis counties.

Ogden and Davis County by the numbers

• Weber County: 35,808 residents 65 and over, 13.0% of the county, up 14.5% since 2020 (Census Bureau Vintage 2024).
• Davis County: 44,182 residents 65 and over, 11.7%, up 16.5% since 2020 (same Census file).
• Weber County's median year built is 1983, with 9.9% of homes built before 1940; Davis County's is 1993, with 2.2% pre-1940 (ACS 2023 5-year data via Stacker).
• FEMA puts the chance of a magnitude 6.75 or greater earthquake on the Wasatch Front within 50 years at 43%, with more than 140,000 unreinforced masonry buildings in the region.

The homes here

Ogden's older neighborhoods on the east bench and around downtown are pre-1940 brick: steep, narrow stairs, a single bathroom that is often upstairs, doorways cut for a different century. Around them are 1950s to 1980s ramblers and split-levels with full basements. Davis County is Layton, Bountiful and Kaysville subdivisions from the 1980s through the 2000s, two-story and split-level plans with the main suite up a flight of stairs. Hill Air Force Base sits in Davis County, so many homeowners here served.

The entry. Both counties get heavy Wasatch Front snow. A covered landing, handrails on both sides and a zero-step entry through the garage are the first fixes; a split-level with stairs on both sides of the front door may need a lift instead of a ramp.

The stairs. This is the Ogden project. Old brick homes have steep stairs, often with a turn, and some are too narrow for a stair lift rail, in which case a main-floor bedroom and bath is the better answer; a Davis County two-story with a straight flight is the cheap end of the range.

The bathroom. A pre-1940 Ogden bathroom is small, upstairs, with a cast-iron tub with a high side; a 1993 Davis bathroom has a tub-shower combo with a curb and a door a few inches too narrow. Either way the fix is a curbless shower, grab bars in the studs, and a wider door where the wall allows.

Brick and earthquakes. A state handbook flags pre-1970 homes with brick bearing walls as the highest earthquake risk and suggests retrofitting during a remodel. Widening a doorway in a brick bearing wall needs engineering; budget for it in an older Ogden house.

Licensing and permits in Weber and Davis counties

Utah licenses contractors through DOPL: a B100 or R100 license for the remodeler, plumbing and electrical as separate licenses, and a handyman exemption for jobs under $7,000 including materials, with an insurance affirmation on file for jobs over $3,000. Check the DOPL license lookup first. Ogden City, Layton, Bountiful and the two counties issue building permits under the statewide 2021 International Residential Code; moving plumbing, electrical or walls needs one, cosmetic work usually does not. The full rules are on the Utah state page.

Who pays

Most Weber and Davis families pay directly, from savings, home equity or siblings splitting the cost; paying out of pocket covers the tools. The Weber County Area Agency on Aging (801-625-3770) and the Davis County Area Agency on Aging (801-525-5050) are the first call for what exists in each county. With Hill Air Force Base next door, ask about VA grants if the homeowner served: the HISA grant pays for medically necessary alterations prescribed by a VA clinician. Statewide, the Utah Assistive Technology Foundation makes loans of $1,000 to $50,000 for home modifications and lifts, pays half the interest up to $2,500, and needs no proof of disability. Some Medicare Advantage plans add a bathroom safety allowance, long-term care insurance often has a capped home modification benefit, and the Utah state page covers Medicaid.

Common projects in Ogden and Davis County

• Stair lift: $3,000 to $20,000 installed, averages $7,000 to $8,000; a straight Davis County flight is the cheap end, a turning Ogden stair is the expensive end (national estimates, 2022 to 2026).
• Bathroom safety remodel: $6,600 to $28,000 for the full accessible bathroom, $2,500 to $9,000 for the curbless shower alone.
• Widened doorways: cost depends on whether the wall is load-bearing or brick; the target is a 32 to 36 inch clear opening.
• Covered, step-free entry: $875 to $5,000 for a ramp; the garage entry is usually the shortest route.

Ready to talk to a certified aging-in-place remodeler? Request a match and talk to a licensed remodeler serving Weber and Davis counties.