Bathtub cutout conversion for seniors in Ontario is the fastest, least disruptive way to turn a high-sided tub into a low-step shower entry, and most of the OTs and care coordinators I meet have never seen one done. This is a plain-language guide to what it is, who it suits, what it costs relative to the alternatives, and how to refer a client so nothing falls through the cracks.
I’m Robby Raay. Trenworks BathCutter has been in business since 2004 and has specialized in bathroom safety since 2012. We have completed several thousand bathtub cutouts and grab bar installations across Ontario, from London to Kingston and from Niagara to Barrie and Peterborough, out of offices in Oshawa, Toronto and Etobicoke.
The problem you already know
The tub wall is the single hardest thing in a home for an aging client to get over. A standard tub wall is typically 15 to 20 inches high, and clearing it means a one-legged stance on a wet surface, usually while turning. That is the moment where balance, hip strength and confidence all get tested at once.
The usual answers are a full walk-in tub, a tub-to-shower renovation, or a transfer bench. The first two cost several times what a cutout does and take days or weeks of contractors in the home. The bench works but takes up the whole tub and many clients quietly stop using it.
What a step cutout actually is
We cut a section out of the existing tub wall and finish it with a moulded, reinforced insert, so the tub stays in place and the bathroom is untouched.
- Opening: 24 inches wide, standard on every job.
- Step-over after the cutout: about 5 to 6 inches measured from the bathroom floor, about 3 to 4 inches from inside the tub.
- Construction: a Canadian-made assembly. We build reinforcement into the tub wall around the opening, so it is a permanent installation that never needs upgrading.
- Time in the home: one visit. The client can shower 24 hours after installation.
- Tub types: acrylic, fibreglass and enamelled steel tubs are routine. Unlined cast iron can be done at a higher cost after our team looks at it. Cast iron tubs with an acrylic liner are the one thing we do not currently convert.
For clients who still want a soak, our patented removable door cap closes the opening in about two seconds and comes off just as fast. It can be used 48 hours after installation, and its waterproof seal is guaranteed for life.
Grab bars, done properly
Most cutout clients also need bars, and we install them the same visit. We use brushed stainless bars with a diamond-knurled grip, rated to 500 pounds, with covered end caps and anchors matched to the wall surface. Ceramic tile is the standard surface; porcelain, marble and granite take extra work, and any bar going into drywall gets a WingIts anchor installed with it. We also install shower wands, toilet safety rails and anti-slip treatment on request. How the installation works is on our grab bar installation page.
Warranty
Two terms, and we state only these two:
- Installed bathtub step cutouts and installed stainless grab bars carry a five-year parts and labour warranty.
- The removable door cap’s waterproof seal is guaranteed for life.
What it costs, honestly
Every tub is different, so we price each job individually after seeing photos. What I can say is that an installed cutout is a fraction of the cost of a walk-in tub, and the whole thing is finished in an afternoon. Clients referred by an OT or care coordinator receive a free stainless grab bar with their cutout installation; the details are on our free grab bar offer page.
There is also a federal credit most families do not know about. The Home Accessibility Tax Credit returns 15 percent of up to $20,000 in eligible accessibility work per year, and grab bars and walk-in shower access are named eligible expenses. The client, or a family member who supports them, claims it on their own return with our invoice. Anyone 65 or older, or eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, qualifies. Starting with the 2026 tax year the same expense can no longer be claimed under both this credit and the Medical Expense Tax Credit, so the family’s accountant picks one.
How to refer a client
You do not have to write anything up or wait on a site visit.
- Give your client (or their son or daughter) our number: 905-436-5965, call or text.
- Ask them to text two photos of the tub, one from the doorway and one straight on, to 365-654-9174, or WhatsApp them to 905-436-5965. Someone who can’t manage photos can simply call; we’ll talk it through.
- We call back with a free written quote and available install dates, usually within 24 hours of the photos. Tell us who referred them and we take it from there.
We are fully insured with liability and WSIB coverage, we clean up after ourselves, and we work in houses, condos and retirement residences.
If you would like a one-page handout for your clients, or you want to see a cutout in person before you recommend one, email info@trenworks.com or call 905-436-5965. I’m happy to walk through a job with you.
Robby Raay
Trenworks BathCutter
bathtubtoshowerconversion.com · mygrabbar.ca
905-436-5965 · info@trenworks.com
