Aging in place renovations are becoming the fastest-growing segment of the home remodeling industry — and for good reason. After more than 20 years helping homeowners across Gloucester County make their homes safer and more functional, I’ve seen a major shift in what families ask for. More and more South Jersey homeowners are investing in smart modifications that allow them — or their parents — to stay safely in the home they love as they age. At JAM Building & Renovations, we design and build these features into every project where they make sense.
What You’ll Learn
- Why So Many Homeowners Struggle with This Decision
- What Makes Homes Unsafe as We Age
- How to Assess Whether Your Home Is Ready
- The Smartest Aging in Place Features for South Jersey Homes
- Why South Jersey Homeowners Choose JAM Building & Renovations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Next Steps
Why So Many Homeowners Struggle with This Decision
You’ve lived in your home for decades. Your family’s memories are woven into every room. The thought of leaving because of a narrow hallway or a slippery bathtub feels wrong — but the worry about safety is real. According to the AARP, roughly 80% of adults over 50 want to remain in their current home as they age. Yet studies show that 90% of American homes lack even basic accessibility features like a step-free entry, a main-floor bedroom, or grab bars in the bathroom.
That gap between where homeowners in Gloucester County, Camden County, and Burlington County want to age and where they can safely age is the core problem. Most families don’t address it until after a fall or health scare forces their hand — and by then, they’re making rushed, expensive decisions instead of planned, thoughtful renovations.
What Makes Homes Unsafe as We Age
The home that worked perfectly at 55 can become genuinely dangerous at 75. In our 20-plus years renovating homes across Gloucester County and the Delaware Valley, we’ve identified three reasons homes stop being safe for aging residents.
Standard Home Design Ignores Changing Mobility
Most South Jersey homes — especially those built before 2000 in Swedesboro, Woodbury, Cherry Hill, and Mullica Hill — were designed for young, fully mobile families. Doorways are 28 to 32 inches wide, too narrow for a walker or wheelchair. Bathrooms have bathtub-shower combos requiring a high step-over. Bedrooms are upstairs. None of these were problems when you moved in, but as strength and balance change, standard design choices become daily hazards.
Bathrooms Are the Most Dangerous Room
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for Americans over 65, and the bathroom is where most in-home falls happen. Wet tile, high bathtub walls, low toilet heights, and nothing to grab onto create a perfect storm of risk. Homeowners across Camden County, Burlington County, and Salem County frequently tell us they’ve been nervous about their bathroom for years but didn’t know what to do.
Waiting Too Long Makes Everything Harder and More Expensive
The biggest cause of unsafe aging situations isn’t the home — it’s timing. Families who wait until a crisis to renovate pay more for emergency modifications and make compromises on design. Proactive aging in place renovations done on your schedule cost less and deliver better results.
How to Assess Whether Your Home Is Ready
Walk through your home and honestly evaluate these areas:
- Bathroom access. Can you enter the shower without a high step-over? Is there something sturdy to grab if you lose balance?
- Main-floor living. Could you sleep, bathe, and prepare meals on one floor if stairs became difficult?
- Doorway widths. Are hallways and doorways wide enough for a walker? Accessibility standard is 36 inches.
- Flooring. Are there tripping hazards like raised thresholds or slippery surfaces in wet areas?
- Lighting. Are hallways, staircases, and bathrooms well-lit? Can you navigate safely at night?
- Entryways. Can you enter without climbing steps?
If you answered “no” to two or more, it’s worth having a conversation about modifications. Homeowners in Haddonfield, Voorhees, Deptford, and Washington Township who address these issues early tell us they wish they’d done it sooner.
The Smartest Aging in Place Features for South Jersey Homes
You don’t have to renovate everything at once. The most effective approach is starting with the highest-impact features and adding others over time. Here are the modifications we recommend most at JAM Building & Renovations.
Curbless walk-in showers. The single highest-impact aging in place renovation. Removing the bathtub and replacing it with a zero-threshold shower eliminates the most dangerous daily activity in the home. Add a built-in bench, handheld showerhead, and grab bars, and you’ve transformed the riskiest room into one of the safest. These showers look beautiful in modern designs — nothing institutional about them.
Grab bars throughout the bathroom. Installed at the toilet, inside the shower, and near the vanity, modern grab bars come in finishes that match any aesthetic. They’re inexpensive to install but dramatically reduce fall risk.
Wider doorways. Widening doorways from 28–32 inches to 36 inches accommodates walkers and wheelchairs. This is especially important for bathrooms, bedrooms, and main entry points. JAM handles the framing modifications and finish work seamlessly.
Main-floor bedroom and bathroom. Converting a main-floor room into a bedroom with an adjacent accessible bathroom eliminates stair dependence entirely. This is one of the most requested aging in place renovations we complete across Gloucester County.
Lever-style door handles and faucets. Replacing round doorknobs with lever handles makes a surprising difference for anyone with arthritis or reduced grip strength. The same applies to kitchen and bathroom faucets.
Improved lighting and smart home features. Motion-activated lights in hallways and bathrooms eliminate fumbling for switches at night. Smart systems controlling lighting, thermostats, and locks from a phone or voice command add convenience and safety.
Non-slip flooring. Replacing slippery tile or worn carpet with slip-resistant flooring in bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways is a low-cost, high-impact modification. Many homeowners pair this with eliminating raised thresholds between rooms.
Why South Jersey Homeowners Choose JAM Building & Renovations
For over 20 years, JAM Building & Renovations has helped families across Gloucester County, Camden County, Burlington County, and Salem County make their homes safer and more functional for every stage of life. Our “Start AND Finish On Time” commitment means your aging in place renovation gets done on schedule. We’ve earned a 4.8-star Google rating with 33 reviews and were named Swedesboro’s Best General Contractor of 2025.
JAM is fully licensed in New Jersey (#13VH08660000), Pennsylvania (PA148690), and Delaware (2019101357), and we handle everything from design consultation to permits to final cleanup. With 100% financing available, critical safety modifications don’t have to wait.
As Ian & Kayla shared about their bathroom renovation: “Andy was quick to come out to meet with us. His team transformed our tiny bathroom. Josh and Efron were both very professional, kept the space neat, and worked efficiently.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do aging in place renovations cost? Basic safety modifications like grab bars, lighting, and lever handles run $500–$3,000. A full accessible bathroom remodel ranges from $5,000–$25,000. JAM provides free estimates so you know exactly what to expect.
What’s the most important aging in place modification? A curbless walk-in shower. The bathroom is where most in-home falls occur, and eliminating the bathtub step-over is the single most impactful safety improvement.
Should I renovate now or wait until I need modifications? Now. Proactive renovations cost less, give you more design choices, and let you make decisions without the pressure of a health crisis.
Does JAM handle permits for accessibility modifications? Yes. JAM handles all building permits, inspections, and code compliance across Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Salem Counties.
Can aging in place renovations increase my home’s value? Yes. Curbless showers, wider doorways, and main-floor bedrooms appeal to buyers of all ages. These features are increasingly viewed as desirable design upgrades, not just accessibility modifications.
Does JAM offer financing for aging in place projects? JAM offers 100% financing on all projects. Ask about our current promotion: 10% off Remodeling, Renovation, Siding, and Roofing projects.
Next Steps
Your home should support you at every stage of life — and with the right modifications, it can. Whether you’re planning ahead or helping a parent stay safely in the home they love, the smartest move is starting now.
Call (856) 579-5987 for a free, no-obligation consultation. Andy will personally walk through your home, assess what modifications would make the biggest difference, and give you honest recommendations. Visit jambuildingandrenovations.com or stop by 1252 Kings Highway, Swedesboro, NJ 08085. We serve homeowners throughout Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Salem Counties.
Ask about our current promotion: 10% off plus 100% financing available.
