Most people want to stay in their own home for as long as they can. A few well-placed grab rails and some small changes around the house can make a big difference to that. They help prevent falls in the bathroom, make getting on and off the toilet easier, and add support at steps and doorways where balance is most often lost.

We install grab rails and carry out minor home safety modifications for older residents, people living with disability, people recovering from surgery and families planning ahead across Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Newborough, Churchill and the wider Latrobe Valley. We work to the plan from your occupational therapist where you have one, and we take the time to get the details right, because a rail is only useful if it is in the right place and fixed strongly enough to hold your weight when you need it.

Why falls at home matter

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospital admissions for older Australians, and most happen at home. Bathrooms are the riskiest room, because wet tiles, hard edges and the need to step in and out of the shower or bath all add up. Steps at the front and back door, and getting up from the toilet at night, are other common points. A grab rail placed at the right height and angle gives a secure hand-hold at exactly those moments.

Latrobe Regional Hospital in Traralgon and the local community health services see many fall-related injuries every year. Small changes at home are one of the most effective ways to reduce that risk.

Grab rails we install

Bathroom and shower rails

• Straight rails beside the shower entry and on the shower wall
• Angled or L-shaped rails for standing up and balancing in the shower
• Rails beside the bath for stepping in and out
• Fold-away shower seats fixed to the wall (where the wall can take the load)

Toilet rails

• Horizontal or angled rails beside the toilet
• Drop-down or swing-away rails where there is no side wall
• Toilet surround frames (freestanding) assembled and positioned

Steps, entries and hallways

• Hand rails at front and back steps, inside and outside
• Short vertical rails at doorways and thresholds
• Rails along hallways or passages for support at night
• Rails at the garage step into the house, a step many people miss in the dark

Fixing rails properly

A grab rail must hold a sudden load, like someone grabbing it as they slip. That means fixing into something solid:

• Timber or steel studs in plasterboard walls, using the right screws for the frame. We locate studs with a stud finder and confirm them before drilling.
• Noggings or backing boards. Where a stud is not in the right place, we can add timber backing behind the wall when access allows, or use a long rail that spans two studs.
• Brick, block or concrete using masonry anchors suited to the material.
• Tiled walls. We drill tiles with diamond or tile bits to avoid cracking, and seal around each fixing so water cannot get into the wall.

We do not fix grab rails with plasterboard-only anchors. Plaster alone is not strong enough for a safety rail. If there is no solid fixing available, we will tell you and suggest a different solution, such as a floor-mounted or freestanding frame.

Rails we install are designed to comply with the relevant Australian Standard for grab rails (AS 1428.1 is the accessibility standard often used as a guide for heights and positions). In a private home, the right position for you may differ from the standard, and an occupational therapist’s advice always comes first.

Working with occupational therapists and funding providers

Many of our rail jobs come from an OT assessment. If you have an OT report or a home modifications plan, send it with your quote request and we will follow it exactly: height, length, position and orientation. We can also take photos after installation for the OT or your case manager.

If your modifications are funded through a government aged care program, the NDIS or another provider, the provider or plan manager usually needs a written quote first. We provide clear written quotes and invoices with the details they normally ask for. We do not give advice on funding eligibility, but we are happy to work with your provider or coordinator.

Other small safety modifications

• Lever taps and handles. Replacing round door knobs with lever handles that are easier to use with arthritis or weak grip. Tapware changes themselves are plumbing work, which we refer to a licensed plumber.
• Removing trip hazards. Securing loose carpet edges, fixing lifting floor transitions and trimming door bottoms where they catch.
• Lowering or raising shelves and hanging rails in wardrobes for easier reach.
• Door modifications. Removing door stops or swapping door swing direction, and adjusting doors that stick or close too fast.
• Hand-held shower slide rails fixed securely into studs (connection of the shower head is plumbing work).
• Outdoor steps. Repairing loose or uneven timber steps, adding non-slip treads and fitting hand rails.
• Key safes and door viewers for carers and home support workers.
• Small ramps. Fitting or securing small threshold ramps at doorways. Larger permanent ramps may need a builder and sometimes a permit.

How we work with older clients

We understand that having a tradesperson in the house can be stressful. We arrive when we say we will, explain what we are doing, protect floors, clean up properly and make sure you are comfortable using the rails before we leave. We are happy to have a family member present, or on the phone, during the visit, and to send photos and a short summary to family who live away.

If you are organising work for an older parent in Traralgon, Moe or Morwell while you live in Melbourne or interstate, we can deal with you directly by email, arrange access with your parent and send photos once the job is done.

Planning ahead

You do not need to wait for a fall. Many people add grab rails when they renovate a bathroom or when they turn 70, before they need them. Modern rails come in finishes that look like normal bathroom accessories, including matte black, brushed stainless and white, so they do not need to look clinical. If you are renovating, ask your builder to add noggings in the bathroom walls so rails can be fitted strongly later. If the walls are already closed, we can work with what is there.

Rental properties

Tenants can ask their rental provider for permission to install modifications such as grab rails. In Victoria, rental providers must not unreasonably refuse certain minor modifications, and some can be made without consent. Check the current rules from Consumer Affairs Victoria, and get written approval where needed. We are happy to quote for the tenant or the agent and to remove rails and patch the wall at the end of a tenancy if required.

Areas we cover

We install grab rails and home safety modifications in Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Newborough, Churchill, Yallourn North, Glengarry, Tyers, Traralgon South and Hazelwood North.

See also bathroom fixtures and accessories, door repairs and installation and floor and skirting repairs.

A room-by-room safety checklist

If you are not sure where to start, walk through the house with this list:

• Front entry: Is there a rail at the steps? Is the path even, and is the doorway well lit at night?
• Hallway: Are there loose rugs or mats? Is there a light switch, or a night light, near the bedroom door?
• Bedroom: Can you get in and out of bed easily? Is there a clear path to the toilet at night?
• Toilet: Is there something solid to hold when sitting and standing? Is the toilet a comfortable height?
• Bathroom: Is there a rail at the shower entry and inside the shower? Is the floor slippery when wet? Is there somewhere to sit?
• Kitchen: Are the things you use every day within easy reach without a step stool?
• Laundry: Is there a step down to the laundry or outside? Is it marked and supported?
• Back door and yard: Are the steps solid, with a rail? Is the path to the clothesline even?

Any “no” on that list is worth a conversation, with us or with an occupational therapist.

What to send for a quote

Send photos of each wall where you want rails, the approximate positions, and a copy of any OT report. Let us know the wall type if you know it (plaster, tiles on plaster, brick) and whether the person using the rails is left- or right-handed, because that often changes the best position.

After hospital or surgery

A hip or knee replacement, a stroke, or a long hospital stay can suddenly change how someone moves around the house. Hospitals usually want basic safety equipment in place before discharge. We can often fit rails at short notice so a family member can come home from Latrobe Regional Hospital or a Melbourne hospital to a safer bathroom and entry. Send the discharge plan or OT recommendations and we will prioritise the essential rails first. Less urgent items can follow later.

Rails outdoors

Outdoor rails need different materials. We use galvanised or powder-coated steel, or stainless steel suited to outdoor use, and fix them into concrete, brick or treated timber posts with suitable fixings. On timber steps and decks, we check that the frame is sound before adding a rail. A rail fixed to rotten timber gives false confidence. Where steps themselves are uneven or loose, we fix those first.

Frequently asked questions