Adapting the house to grow older in it: prices and tax relief
Many Costa Blanca houses were bought at 60 with summers in mind, and are now lived in all year at 80. The two jobs that change life the most are the same in almost all of them: the bathroom and the stairs.
What each job costs
| Job | Guide price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Replace bath with shower tray | 800 to 3,500 €; basic job 1,200 to 1,800 € | renovation company |
| Straight stair lift | 1,900 to 4,500 € | Habitissimo, 09/2026 |
| Curved stair lift | 5,000 to 10,000 € | Habitissimo, 09/2026 |
These are ranges: a shower that needs plumbing work, or a staircase with two turns, goes to the top end. Get at least two fixed quotes in writing.
What the tax office gives back in the Valencian Community
The Valencian regional part of income tax (IRPF) has a deduction for improvement works on your main home: 20 % of what you pay, and 50 % for accessibility works when someone with a disability of 33 % or more lives in the house. The maximum base is 5,500 € a year, and there is an income limit: 30,000 € on an individual return and 47,000 € on a joint one. Cash payments do not count: pay by transfer or card.
It only applies to people filing Spanish income tax as residents. And the VAT on these works is 10 %; in September 2026 the government blocked an amendment to lower it to 4 %.
Direct grants
National and regional housing plans often include accessibility grants, but they open through calls with deadlines. We do not write percentages we cannot confirm: ask your town hall social services or the regional housing department whether a call is open before starting work, because many do not accept work already done.
The small things that help most
- Grab bars next to the toilet and in the shower.
- Motion sensor lighting in the corridor from bedroom to bathroom.
- Remove loose rugs and single steps at the entrance.
- A phone that has signal in the bedroom and the bathroom: that is how help is called.
Where the figures come from
Prices checked in September 2026. They change: take them as an order of magnitude and always ask for the final price in writing.
Questions about this
Can I deduct the work if I am not tax resident?
Is a permit needed to replace the bath?
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