3 Home Features to Boost Accessibility

While your family members might not call for any changes to your home right now, think about those seeing your property. Perhaps you have friends, parents, grandparents or other people with mobility devices. Including the following three accessibility features will make your home easier for them to visit.
A minumum of one zero-step entrance on a route that’s accessible from the driveway or sidewalk — a slight slope combined in with the landscape is always more difficult than a bulky ramp.Interior doors that have at least 32 inches of unobstructed width (such as walkers and wheelchairs). A half bath on the main floor (accessible without stairs).These features also will help any nonimpaired people remain in the home down the street if they develop a disability, either temporary or permanent.

Once we’re independent and vibrant, we rarely give consideration to these concerns. However, consider for a moment the possibility that you or one of your family might maintain a temporary injury necessitating the use of a chair or walker to your recovery interval. How would your home measure up?

Claudio Ortiz Design Group, Inc..

The Entry

This really is a wonderful example of how to add a ramp on a traditional house. A gentle incline in the driveway contributes to the courtyard entry and a door. Materials such as stone, flagstone, bluestone and pavers offer you strong foundation and gripping touch for wheelchairs. Make certain that there are no trip hazards for those with walkers or crutches.

Glickman Design Build

Composite decking material, as exhibited with this ramp, is another popular choice. This material is best used on a covered area in climates with snow and ice, as it could get slippery. Be careful when shoveling not to harm the surface.

Glickman Design Build

Concrete or stamped concrete also offers good touch for wheelchairs and walkers. It can be more affordable than traditional flagstone and may be colored to match your exterior colors. Stamped concrete also comes in many different shapes and patterns to mimic flagstone, slate, bluestone or pavers.

House + House Architects

On hillsides, ramps and slopes can be blended into the landscape. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifications require a slope ratio of 1:12, which means that for every 1 foot of ramp, the rise should not exceed 1 inch. Consequently, if your home has an entry level that’s 16 inches over flat ground, your ramp will need to be 16 ft long.

Louise Lakier

A covered or sheltered entryway provides visitors and homeowners alike shelter in the weather. This benefits people who have mobility aids who should put things aside to control doors and keys. For even quicker access, keyless push-button entry systems remove the need to bother with keys, and a door with a lever handle is easier to control than a thumb latch or round knob. Keep this area well lit for security reasons, also.

Camber Construction

Think about having a bench or other landing area beyond the entry door to put packages on.

Colleen Brett

A bench or table on the inside of the entry is a bonus also for those penalizing keys, walkers and bundles.

Michael Robert Construction

Doorways

Wider doorways and halls contribute to the accessibility of any home. Aim for at least 32 inches of clear opening. This measurement might need to be adjusted depending upon the individual and freedom device. 1 simple choice for retrofitting existing doors to present the minimum clear opening is to replace existing door hinges with swing-away hinges. These are hinges that allow a doorway to completely swing away in the opening, making a broader passage; they may be used on doors 30 inches or wider. A door smaller than 30 inches wide might not comply with the minimum clear opening of 32 inches.

Pocket doors may also minimize door swings, but they need more remodeling job compared to swing-away hinges do. The Modernus Roto door reduces swing space by 40 per cent and has a 30 percent force requirement for ADA accessibility.

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

Turn zones and hallways make it possible for people with wheelchairs to easily turn and navigate. Aim for at least 5 ft wide on averagenonetheless, a few in motorized chairs will require a more generous 7 ft radius to turn their chairs.

Veranda Estate Homes & Interiors

A Main Floor Half Bath

A powder room on the primary level adopts entry. Aim for ample floor area for navigation.

Enviable Designs Inc..

While the doorway with this quaint powder room leads to, ample floor area signifies a wheelchair can navigate it. The light switch is also lower for simplicity of use. A pocket door in this room would completely free up floor space for simple transfer to the bathroom.

ladimoradesign.com

This vanity allows for a front approach as well as a side approach to access the wall-mounted faucets. It’s ample room beneath for wheelchair users, also.

Tell us : What have you done to boost your home’s accessibility?

More: Explore more designs for accessibility

See related