Austin's established neighborhoods are filled with homeowners who have built their lives here — and plan to stay. We help make that possible with CAPS-certified modifications tailored to Austin homes, from mid-century pier-and-beam cottages to two-story homes in the hills.
Serving Travis County
You've built your life in Austin. Your neighborhood is home. You have roots here — the house you know, the garden you tend, the neighbors you trust. Leaving because of a fall risk or a difficult bathtub shouldn't be the only option.
Our CAPS-certified team works in Austin's established neighborhoods every week. We know the homes — the older tub surrounds, the steep two-story staircases, the front-porch steps that get harder each year. We measure your specific home, understand your needs, and recommend only what makes sense for you.
No pressure, no obligation — just an honest look at your home and your options.
Austin's established neighborhoods — Northwest Hills, Tarrytown, Hyde Park, Allandale, Travis Country, Circle C — are home to thousands of 65+ adults who have built their lives here and want to stay. Older homes in these communities have specific challenges: pier-and-beam foundations that raise entry thresholds, original cast-iron tubs that are hard to step over safely, and two-story layouts that make daily stairs difficult. The right accessibility modifications let homeowners age safely in place without leaving the neighborhoods they love.
Pier-and-beam homes (Hyde Park, Cherrywood) have higher entry steps than slab homes — a real fall risk. Original bathrooms in these neighborhoods have high-threshold tubs that are hard and unsafe to step over alone.
Mid-century ranch homes (Allandale, Brentwood) are naturally suited to single-story aging in place — grab bars, comfort-height toilets, and curbless showers integrate easily.
Two-story homes (Northwest Hills, Travis Country, Tarrytown) built 1960–1990 often have bedrooms upstairs. Daily stair-climbing gets harder with age — a well-fitted stair lift restores access to every room.
Newer communities (Circle C Ranch) benefit from forward planning: a curbless shower installed proactively is far less disruptive than emergency work after a fall.
Austin homeowners aren't looking for basic grab bars. They want a partner who understands older homes, navigates permitting, and makes modifications look like they belong. That is what we do.
We work throughout Austin and Travis County. Below are some of the communities where we regularly help homeowners stay safely and comfortably in the homes they love.
Don't see your neighborhood listed? Reach out — we serve all of Austin and Travis County. See our full service areas list for surrounding communities.
Austin's home styles and building eras create specific, predictable needs. Here are the modifications our Austin clients ask about most — and why each one matters in this market.
The fastest, most cost-effective safety upgrade for most Austin homes. Original bathrooms in Northwest Hills and Allandale frequently lack any support near the toilet or tub. We install grab bars that are rated for real load, anchored into studs or blocking — not drywall — and styled to fit the home.
Older Austin homes — especially in Hyde Park, Tarrytown, and Allandale — have original cast-iron tubs that are beautiful but genuinely difficult to step over safely. A tub-to-shower conversion, particularly a curbless or roll-in design, eliminates the main fall risk in the bathroom. We match tile and finishes to your home's character.
Northwest Hills, Travis Country, and many Tarrytown homes are two-story. When a knee, hip, or heart condition makes those stairs feel like a barrier, a stair lift restores access to every room in the house. We carry straight and curved rail options and handle all installation and City of Austin permitting requirements.
Many Austin homes — particularly pier-and-beam construction in Hyde Park and Cherrywood — have front entries with two or three steps and narrow interior doorways built to older standards. We widen doorways to ADA-recommended clearances and create smooth, ramp-free transitions to the entry, keeping the curb appeal intact.
Sometimes the right answer is a complete rethink of the bathroom — new layout, curbless shower, comfort-height toilet, wider doorway, blocking for future grab bars, better lighting, non-slip flooring. Our OT-informed design process ensures the finished space is both beautiful and genuinely safe to use every day.
Austin Client Reviews
Verified client reviews coming soon — ask us for local references.
By Michael Chandler, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS)
Austin's building stock is genuinely diverse — and that diversity shapes how we approach each project.
Most grab bar installations, threshold ramp additions, and in-bathroom safety work do not require a permit in Austin. Projects that change the structure of the home — widening a doorway, adding an exterior ramp, or installing a residential elevator — typically require a City of Austin building permit. We research permit requirements for every project and handle the filing process on your behalf. You will never be left to navigate the permit office alone.
A large share of Austin's older homes in Hyde Park, Cherrywood, and parts of Brentwood sit on pier-and-beam foundations. That construction style elevates the floor, which can mean the front entry step is taller than it looks — sometimes eight inches or more. A zero-step entry or exterior ramp for one of these homes needs to account for that extra rise. We measure the actual threshold height during the in-home visit and design accordingly.
Northwest Hills, Travis Country, and much of Tarrytown have two-story homes built between the 1960s and 1990s. In many of these houses, the master bedroom is upstairs. We often see homeowners who have quietly started sleeping in a downstairs room because the stairs have become difficult. A stair lift returns full use of the home. If the staircase is curved or has a landing, we assess custom rail options during the free visit.
Some Austin neighborhoods and master-planned communities — including parts of Circle C Ranch and Barton Creek — have active HOAs with design review requirements for exterior modifications. We are familiar with this process and can help you prepare any documentation your HOA requires. Most accessibility modifications are protected under the Fair Housing Act, which limits an HOA's ability to deny a medically necessary modification request.
Many Austin homeowners are surprised by how affordable aging-in-place modifications can be. And several programs may reduce costs further:
We help with paperwork and documentation, but we are not medical, legal, or financial advisors. Verify program eligibility and current details directly with each program.
Read our complete Texas Home Modification Funding Guide for all major assistance programs available to Austin and Central Texas residents.
We serve Austin and all of Travis County. If you live in the Hill Country or Central Texas, we likely serve your area too.
Nearby communities: Lakeway & Lake Travis, Canyon Lake, Georgetown & Sun City, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Buda, Kyle, and throughout the Hill Country. Not sure about your location? Contact us or call (512) 797-6518 — we'll let you know right away if we can serve you. See our complete service areas list for all communities.
Most grab bar installations and minor bathroom modifications in Austin do not require a permit. Projects that change the structure of the home — such as widening doorways, adding a ramp to the exterior, or installing a residential elevator — typically require a City of Austin building permit. We handle permit research and filing as part of your project, so you never have to navigate the process alone.
Most staircases in Austin's older two-story neighborhoods — Northwest Hills, Allandale, Tarrytown — can accommodate a stair lift. Curved staircases and half-landings may require a custom rail, which takes a bit more lead time. We assess your specific staircase during the free in-home safety visit and give you honest options, including alternatives like a vertical platform lift if the layout calls for it.
Yes — pier-and-beam construction, which is common in Hyde Park, Cherrywood, and many older Austin neighborhoods, raises the floor level compared to slab homes. That means a zero-step entry or exterior ramp may need to account for more elevation change. Our CAPS-certified team measures the actual rise during the in-home assessment and designs a code-compliant ramp or threshold solution that fits both the home and your budget.
Several programs may reduce out-of-pocket costs. Veterans may qualify for VA HISA grants; eligible Medicaid enrollees can access Minor Home Modification benefits through the STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver; and some Medicare Advantage plans offer limited home-safety benefits. Austin residents also may qualify for assistance through the Capital Area Agency on Aging. We help with paperwork and documentation — but always verify current program details and your eligibility directly with each program. Read our complete Texas Home Modification Funding Guide for details.
A free in-home safety assessment is the best place to start. We come to your home, look at your specific layout and needs, and give you a clear, honest recommendation — no sales pressure, no obligation. Most Austin homeowners are surprised by how affordable the right modifications turn out to be.
Prefer to text? Reach us at (512) 797-6518. We respond Mon–Fri 8–6, Sat 9–2.
