Walk-in tubs for Joliet and Will County homes
Joliet's housing spans more than a century, from limestone-era neighborhoods near downtown to subdivisions built in the last few decades. Here is what to plan for in each, and where Will County seniors find help.
- Real people on the phone
- One-day installation often possible
- DIY drop-ship option
- Helping families since 2012
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Two very different Joliets
Joliet is one of the region's oldest cities, and it has also grown quickly in recent decades. Near downtown and the Des Plaines River, neighborhoods like the Cathedral Area and the near east and west sides have homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s, some with the local limestone the city was known for. On the far west side toward Plainfield and Minooka, newer subdivisions fill in the map.
Those two housing eras call for different walk-in tub plans. Older homes bring narrow stairs, small bathrooms and older plumbing. Newer homes bring larger bathrooms, often upstairs. We help Joliet families with both, planning by phone and photos and confirming measurements before ordering. We do not have a local showroom.
Older neighborhoods near downtown
Many older Joliet homes have one full bathroom, often on the second floor of a two-story house or at the back of a single-story cottage. Bathrooms are small, with a standard or slightly short tub alcove and walls that have been patched over the years.
Plumbing can include original cast iron drains and galvanized supply lines. They may be fine, or they may limit how fast a tub fills and drains. We look before quoting. If a home has only one bathroom on the second floor and stairs are getting hard, it may be worth asking whether a first-floor shower is possible.
Older-home checklist
- Stair width and turns
- Alcove length (some are under 60 inches)
- Pipe materials, if known
- Electrical panel age and space
Newer subdivisions on the west side
Upstairs primary baths
Two-story homes often have the primary suite upstairs, sometimes with a decked soaking tub. Replacing a decked tub with a walk-in tub removes one of the hardest fixtures to use safely.
Ranch homes
Single-story ranch homes in newer areas make aging in place easier. A walk-in tub in the hall bath is often a direct swap.
HOAs
Many subdivisions have HOAs. Interior work usually needs little approval, but rules on contractor parking and dumpsters may apply.
Water heaters
Builder-grade water heaters are often sized for standard tubs. A deep walk-in tub in winter can outrun them, so we check yours.
Veterans and VA HISA grants
Will County is home to many veterans and military families. If a veteran in your home needs a safer bathroom, ask a VA health care provider about the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations grant before work begins. The VA prosthetics office handles the application, and approval generally comes first.
We can provide the itemized quote and product information VA requests. See our Illinois funding guide for current amounts and steps.
Do not start early: beginning work before VA approval can affect whether the grant pays.
Shorewood, Crest Hill, Lockport and New Lenox
The communities around Joliet mix postwar ranches, 1970s split-levels and newer two-story subdivisions. Ranch homes here often have one hall bath with a standard tub and a basement below, one of the simplest walk-in tub layouts there is. Split-levels put bedrooms and baths a half-flight up, so the bathroom near the bedrooms is usually the right place for the change.
Each community has its own building department and permit rules. Your installer should know which applies to your address.
Basement below? It usually makes drain connections easier than on a slab, and it is where many water heaters live. A photo of both helps.
Property tax relief outside Cook County
Illinois offers senior property tax relief statewide, administered locally. Homeowners 65 and older who live in their home may qualify for the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption, and those who also meet an income limit may qualify for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze. There is also a homestead exemption for persons with disabilities. In Will County, these are handled by the county's supervisor of assessments office, which publishes forms and deadlines.
None of these pay for a bathroom project, but they can ease the ongoing cost of staying in your home.
Ask the assessor's office whether exemptions renew automatically or must be filed each year, and what documents they need.
Help for Joliet and Will County seniors
AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois
The Area Agency on Aging for Will County and seven other northeastern Illinois counties.
ageguide.orgSenior Services Center of Will County
Based in Joliet and listed as Will County's care coordination agency, which connects residents to programs such as the Illinois Community Care Program. Confirm current contacts through the Senior HelpLine.
Illinois Senior HelpLine
1-800-252-8966 for statewide programs and Medicare counseling.
ilaging.illinois.govTownship offices
Joliet, Troy, Plainfield and other townships offer varying senior services. Contact the township for your address.
Nearby communities we serve
Joliet, Shorewood, Crest Hill, Lockport, Romeoville, Plainfield, New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort and Minooka, along with communities throughout Will County.
Joliet questions
My Joliet home's tub alcove is shorter than 60 inches. Can I still get a walk-in tub?
Possibly. Compact walk-in tubs come in shorter lengths. If no tub fits well, a low-curb shower conversion may work in the same space.
Which agency serves seniors in Will County?
AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois is the Area Agency on Aging for Will County. Senior Services Center of Will County, based in Joliet, is listed as the local care coordination agency.
Can a veteran get help paying for a walk-in tub?
Eligible veterans may qualify for the VA HISA grant for medically necessary home changes. It starts with a VA provider's prescription, and VA approval generally comes before work begins.
Do you serve the smaller towns around Joliet?
Yes. We help families throughout Will County and nearby areas. Call to talk through your home and location.
Nearby: Naperville, Orland Park, Aurora, IL.
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