Aging-in-Place Remodeling in Salt Lake City, UT: Costs, Licenses

Salt Lake County had 152,296 residents 65 and over on July 1, 2024, 12.5% of its 1,216,274 people and the most of any Utah county, up 15.0% since 2020 (Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates). It also has the oldest and largest housing stock in the state: median year built 1985, with 7.2% of homes from before 1940 (ACS 2023 5-year data via Stacker). So the work here is stairs, brick and 1980s bathrooms, with snow at the front door for part of every year. Contractors are licensed by the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), and the projects that come up most are the bathroom safety remodel, a stair lift for a split-entry or two-story home, and a covered, step-free entry.

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Salt Lake City by the numbers

• 152,296 residents 65 and over in Salt Lake County, 12.5% of the county and roughly a third of all Utah seniors (Census Bureau Vintage 2024).
• The 65 and over group grew 15.0% from 2020 to 2024 (same Census file).
• Median year built 1985, with 7.2% of homes built before 1940, the oldest stock in Utah (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

Salt Lake County homes fall into three rough groups: the pre-1940 brick bungalow in the Avenues, Sugar House and the older parts of the valley (narrow doors, a steep basement stair, one small bathroom); the 1960s to 1980s rambler or split-entry with a full basement, where the front door opens onto a landing with a half flight up and a half flight down; and the newer two-story in Sandy or West Jordan with the main suite upstairs.

The entry. Winters bring heavy snow, and the bench neighborhoods get more. A split-entry puts stairs on both sides of the door, so there is no step-free way in without a lift or a long ramp; a covered landing, handrails on both sides and a zero-step entry through the garage are the usual answers, with a vertical platform lift as the fallback.

The bathroom. A 1985 bathroom has a tub-shower combo with a high curb, a towel bar standing in for a grab bar, and a door too narrow for a walker. The fix is a curbless shower with grab bars anchored into the studs, a comfort-height toilet and a wider door where the wall allows.

The stairs. Basements hold the laundry, the storage and often a bedroom, and a split-entry has two short flights in opposite directions. A stair lift handles one straight flight at the cheap end of the range; two flights or a turn means two units or a curved rail, the expensive end.

Brick and earthquakes. A state handbook flags pre-1970 brick bearing walls as the highest earthquake risk and suggests retrofitting during a remodel. Widening a doorway in a brick bearing wall needs engineering.

Licensing and permits in Salt Lake County

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. Salt Lake City and the county's other cities 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 Salt Lake County families pay directly, from savings, home equity or siblings splitting the cost; paying out of pocket covers the tools. Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services (385-468-3200) is the local Area Agency on Aging and the first call. Inside the city limits, the ASSIST Community Design Center installs grab bars, curbless showers, ramps and rails at no cost for income-qualified homeowners (801-355-7085), and the city's Home Maintenance and Minor Repair program covers up to $1,500 for residents 62 and over under 80% of area median income (801-535-7228). Statewide, the Utah Assistive Technology Foundation makes loans of $1,000 to $50,000 for home modifications and pays half the interest up to $2,500. Original Medicare pays nothing toward remodeling, 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 and VA grants.

Common projects in Salt Lake City

• Bathroom safety remodel: $6,600 to $28,000 for the full remodel, $2,500 to $9,000 for the curbless shower alone (national estimates, 2022 to 2026).
• Stair lift: $3,000 to $20,000 installed; a straight basement flight is the cheap end, a split-entry with two flights is not.
• Covered, step-free entry: $875 to $5,000 for a ramp; the garage entry is often the easiest place.
• Grab bars and railings: inexpensive hardware; the right anchors in old plaster or brick walls are what you pay the installer for.

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