The hidden dangers of a high shower curb (dam, hob etc)

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JohnfrWhipple

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I got an email yesterday form my number one client. He is number one in days paid. Projects built. And interests shared. I love this man - like family and have been working for him for the past 12 years. He lost his wife last year. The result of implications steming from a fall. A fall in a bathroom I built.

His wife wiping out after her walking aid slide across some 8"x8" Italian Marble. (Watch out your parents don't get hard wheels on these types of devices). The home this happened in is now sold. My client deciding to simplify his life and get rid of all his old crap for new modern stuff. He lives in a nice condo out in the UBC area.

Last week. Guess what? He fell. In his bathroom. This one I did not build but it has a high curb. He landed right on it and cracked a rib. I know from study that 65% of all the people living in assisted living are doing so because of a fall. Falls hurt and falls kill. The shower my client used to use was a barrier free shower. The only hurdle getting into the bathroom a 1.5" transition.

Now he lives with a monster curb.

I just started up a large West Vancouver Steam Shower that I promised to wrap up quickly. I do not have time to break away. I need a quick fix and am booking it out there today to see what the options are. I want to rip out the old shower. Gut the bathroom and do a nice safe barrier free shower. These can be tricky in Condo's but with the layout possible I think.

The lesson of the day. Once you go curbless there is no going back. It's a safety thing....
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Any of you men had good luck with temporary grab bars?


Something like this.

Tub-Rail-SafeerGrip.png


They worry me about letting go when needed most.

How do you tell a client you like. "Dude - your getting old. I'm installing these things wether you like it or not."?

I tried to install grab bars for my Nana back in the day. She said she would let me when she was old. She was freaking pushing 80 when she said it...

Such a pickle.

I could not live with myself if something happens to him and I don't push the subject. Today I'm going to meet with him. Tell him we should plan a curbless. And get rid of the hard sharp eyes in the showers footprint. I'm going to have him shop for a nice bull nosed tile to start as a design jumping off point.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Maybe this is the ticket.

202.jpg


I could clap that over the curb (after a trip to my metal shop) and this should help.

$$^&^% I don't want to get old.
 

ShowerDude

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Maybe this is the ticket.

202.jpg


I could clap that over the curb (after a trip to my metal shop) and this should help.

$$^&^% I don't want to get old.


Definitely like the ridgid/screwed/fixed version over the suction cup. It may be assumptive to trust your client to verify proper suction daily, and an insult to assume he or she would not.? and yes the guilt you would feel if a spill occured would suck...... however, if someone fell on it ...the suction cups may be seen as a safety release component???? tough call.


UPDATE: edited bad humor.
 
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Jadnashua

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The question is, is he going to tear it out and rebuild soon, or live with it? That might affect the best choice if it's temporary.

There is one company that I have used that makes an ADA safety bar anchor that can go into a tiled wall and meets all of the specs for ADA without hitting blocking. I've installed three sets of them, and they've been in for a number of years without issues. http://www.wingits.com//products.php?id=2 They are not inexpensive, but they work. They come in both a residential (plastic) and commercial (ss) format. I've used both, and they both meet the ADA requirements. Many, but not all grab bars will work with their anchors - you need to check the anchor screw spacing and circle. Very simple to install IF you measure carefully as most bars do not have much slop in the hole alignment.

Course, John ignores my inputs, so he'll probably miss this...his and his client's loss. But, for others, give them a look if you need something like this as an afterthought. Cheaper to always plan ahead and put in blocking, but that often doesn't' work after the fact...and, it seems, most bars aren't the right length to hit two studs so you can anchor into them unless going vertical. A vertical bar is often not the right choice...older people tend to be weaker, and with a wet hand, slide on the things, so horizontal is often the best. I have both in my shower.
 

Vegas_sparky

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John, when you get old, you'll be sent to a place that has nothing but uncut K-curb tool box sized shower thresholds. You will fall, and you won't be able to get back up. You'll be stuck on the floor, with rocking, de-bonded tiles that have 1/4" of lippage, and crooked 1/2" grout joints. To make it even better, the wax ring under the toilet has been leaking for years. The age old drainage path from the leak travels right under your mouth. Karma, dude. LOL

On a serious note, sorry to hear about your friend. You gotta take care of the ones that matter to you.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Thanks guys.

I'm designed a couple simple grab bars on site. Heading now to the metal shop to get them made.

One for outside the shower and one for beside the tub.

This will make things safer until we can do a total rip out one day....

I'm never ours about the window curb and that there is no hand rail on the window wall. This is a huge walk in shower. If memory serves me right showers with walls wider than 36" need grab bars on all three sides.... I might be wrong about that.
 

ShowerDude

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John, when you get old, you'll be sent to a place that has nothing but uncut K-curb tool box sized shower thresholds. You will fall, and you won't be able to get back up. You'll be stuck on the floor, with rocking, de-bonded tiles that have 1/4" of lippage, and crooked 1/2" grout joints. To make it even better, the wax ring under the toilet has been leaking for years. The age old drainage path from the leak travels right under your mouth. Karma, dude. LOL

On a serious note, sorry to hear about your friend. You gotta take care of the ones that matter to you.


When john gets his first wheelchair he will be alarmed to see "orange Jim Jr." in a candystriper outfit pushing him toward said shower vegas mentions.......... There will be no grab bars to grab onto and pull himself out........ as he is forced up and over the tacklebox into the "K" shower he will be told....."This ones for my pops"........
 

Reach4

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It seems to me that for people who do not want grab bars now, it would be good to make provisions during construction. I suggest to screw and glue a section of 4x4 to the side of studs at appropriate studs. Then take a photo or make a dimensioned sketch of where those blocks are before covering the studs. That would let you later screw long #12 screws via holes that you drill through the tile to mount a grab bar. There would be a lot more wood to attach to, and you wouldn't have to work so hard to hit the middle of a 1-7/16 inch wide stud.

Increased cost and time would be fairly small.

I ran through-bolts into the adjacent closet to mount grab bars for my parents. Very strong.

Beside grab bars, there are hold bars. These are less beefy, and many look like towel racks.
 
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