By Ronald B Moldenhauer
When deciding on a handicapped accessible house plans, it is always best to work with a checklist of the major areas that require renovations. Whether you want to build your home right from the foundation or to make some changes to adapt your existing home to an accessible design, here are some of the important areas to consider.
Entry
You will have to renovate this area as wheelchair accessible home plans always ensure that the entryway is flat or gently elevated, as well as wide enough for a wheelchair to fit in properly. In addition, you will need to add rails at an ideal height so that the using the wheelchair can use them for support if need be.
Check that the actual front of the house is also adapted for a handicapped user. There should be ample space for the door to open completely on both sides of the entry, and well lit both on the inside and outside for easier navigation. The entrance of the home must be free of stairs and raised thresholds to avoid chances of accidents and inconvenience when getting to the front door.
Living and Dining
It is ideal to have a single type of flooring for the entire house, particularly in the living and dining areas. If there is a transition, such as from wood to carpet, there is a higher chance of causing spills in case the handicapped individual is carrying food or drinks from one room to the other. There should also be enough space and ease to move between the rooms, from the kitchen to the dining to living room.
Bathroom
Do ensure that the wheelchair accessible home plans have plenty of floor space in the bathroom to enable the handicapped individual to use the amenities with ease. The wheelchair should easily move from the shower area to the sinks and toilet. Full length mirrors are ideal for universal designed bathrooms, as well as durable rails or grab bars on the bathroom walls.
Kitchen
An important detail to look at is the space underneath the kitchen sinks in an accessible design home. The sink should be low enough for a person seated on a wheelchair to use, but with the pipes properly insulated. The flooring underneath the sink should also be laid all the way to the wall for smoother navigation with the wheelchair. Apart from this, ensure that all appliances including the dishwasher and ovens are at the appropriate height and come with easily legible controls.
Doors, Floors and Windows
When choosing accessible home designs for the elderly or handicapped, avoid getting round knobbed door handles and opt for the lever type handles. This is also for security reasons, meaning that the handicapped person needs to open, enter and close the doors as quickly and easily as possible, especially late at night. As for the windows, tilting types are better for the sake of easier handling cleaning. Stone and ceramic flooring usually lasts longest in handicapped accessible house plans, and carpets should be glued on the floor to prevent tripping.
Do work with an experienced designer to determine the best ways to create a handicapped friendly environment in your home, incorporating these tips and plenty more.
As a architectural designer/builder expert, Ronald Moldenhauer has extensive knowledge in handicapped accessible house plans. In his articles he covers important information about handicapped accessible house plans. To learn more you can visit http://www.barrierfreehomeplans.com/
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