Philadelphia · NW

Aging-in-place work in Roxborough

Roxborough is built on a hill. The houses are tight, the staircases are tighter, and a lot of the people we meet have been in their homes for forty years. The work is mostly about getting safely in the front door and out of the bathtub.

Roxborough houses, in our experience

Mostly turn-of-the-century row homes along Ridge Avenue and the side streets between Henry and Manayunk Avenue. Narrow lots, narrow stairs, and front porches that often have four to seven steep concrete steps up from the sidewalk. Many have only one full bathroom — second floor, original tile, original five-foot tub.

What we get called about

• Porch railings on steep front steps. The single most common first call. A solid handrail on both sides of the front steps changes everything about how someone uses the front door.
• Tub-to-shower conversions. Pulling the original cast-iron tub and putting in a low-threshold or curbless shower in the same footprint. Usually one to three days of work.
• Stair lifts on Roxborough staircases. Narrower than most — we measure carefully and spec units that actually fit. Most go in without modifying the staircase itself.
• Anti-scald valves and lever handles. Quick safety upgrades for older plumbing.

What we charge

Front-step railings typically run $650–$1,400 depending on the run and material. A tub-to-shower conversion in a Roxborough second-floor bath is usually $7,500–$13,000. Grab bars are $180–$320 each, installed into studs or blocking. Stair lifts start around $3,800. We don't quote until we've walked the house.

Who we work with here

We get a lot of word-of-mouth in Roxborough — folks talk to their neighbors. We've taken referrals from the Roxborough Senior Center, from staff at Roxborough Memorial Hospital before discharge, and from a handful of Manayunk physical therapists. PA-licensed (PA090916), family-owned, same crew start to finish.