Begin with how your parent uses the room today and how they might in five or ten years. A full accessible remodel usually means a curbless shower, a seat, solid backing for grab bars, a comfort-height toilet, lever handles, good lighting, and a slip-resistant floor. A wider door and space to turn a walker or wheelchair are worth planning even if they aren't needed yet.
Markham's housing mix changes the job. Older back-splits in Thornhill and Milliken often have a tight upstairs bathroom, and some families move the accessible bathroom to the main floor instead. Heritage homes near Main Street Unionville may need more careful plumbing work behind old walls. Newer houses in Berczy Village and Cornell often have room to enlarge an ensuite. In multigenerational homes, the design should work for grandparents, parents and kids alike, which universal design does well.
A bathroom for seniors doesn't need a clinical look. Prioritise a contractor who has built accessible or aging-in-place bathrooms before and can show photos and references. Confirm they carry liability insurance and WSIB coverage, pull permits when needed, and put the scope, price, timeline and warranty in writing. Ask how your parent will bathe during the work. If the family prefers to discuss plans in Cantonese or Mandarin, ask whether the project lead speaks it. Much of this work may qualify for the federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit, and a veteran parent may get help through Veterans Affairs Canada.
Our recommendation is a full universal-design remodel when the bathroom needs updating anyway. The trade-off is a bigger budget and several weeks without that room, compared with a quick tub conversion. Markham has only a few specialists, so families often also compare contractors in Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Stouffville.