4 Things Every Accessible Home Needs

By Patrick Young, ableusa.info

Note from Kate Norlander: This is a first for my blog — a guest post. While this is not something I intend to do regularly, Patrick Young pitched me an idea he is well-suited to address: what to look for in an accessible home. I’ve failed to address accessibility so far, so I appreciated his pitch. How does knowing what to look for in an accessible home relate to making a difference? While you may be looking for an accessible home for yourself, you may also need to help someone you know, such as a parent, find a home that meets their needs. Patrick’s advice will help. And if you are in the position to build your dream house or extensively remodel your home, consider adding one or more of these features, even if you don’t need them right now. They will enable you to open your home to more people, and when it is time to sell your home, it may be an attractive option for people who are looking for something accessible.

Remodeling is part of the territory when it comes to living with a disability. Many families pay in the thousands to retrofit a home for accessibility, spending money on projects like stairlifts, wider doorways, and accessible bathrooms. But shoehorning accessibility into an older home may not be the best choice.

In many cases, homeowners can save money and achieve a greater degree of accessibility by purchasing a home designed with inclusion in mind — or one that is more easily amended. To help with the hunt, check out these tips.

Accessibility and Universal Design

Why is buying a new home a smart move? Today’s home builders are factoring open floor plans and universal design into their construction.

Universal design is about building homes that are livable for everyone, whether you’re a young family, an adult with a disability, or a senior aging in place. Universal design aims to eliminate barriers without sacrificing design so homeowners can enjoy a house that’s as beautiful as it is accessible.

Throughout much of the United States, the housing market is competitive, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. That means you need to act fast when a property that suits your needs and lifestyle becomes available, so make sure you know your priorities.

4 Things You’ll Want in Accessible Homes

Consider these accessible features you’ll find in newer homes — and what you’ll pay to add them to your old one.

1. A Step-Free Front Entrance

Stepless entrances are helpful for everyone, not just people with disabilities. Whether you use a wheelchair, are a senior with mobility problems, or a parent pushing a stroller, you’ll appreciate a step-free approach. They also create a clean look, making them a popular trend for modern home exteriors.

What You’ll Pay to Add It:

Retrofitting a zero-step entrance isn’t cheap. Most homeowners don’t care for the look of portable or wooden ramps, but in order to build a rampscape, you’ll need to grade the approach before laying concrete. Minor grading starts around $500 while walkways range from $6 to $10 per square foot for materials, plus labor costs.

2. Hardwood Floors

There’s a reason hardwood is the most popular flooring. Not only is real hardwood beautiful, but it’s also durable, easy to clean, and warm underfoot. That makes it a great fit for families of all types, but especially people with disabilities who need a surface that’s easy to navigate, but not so hard it’s hazardous if they fall.

What You’ll Pay to Add It:

Homeowners save big with a home that already has hardwood flooring. However, installing hardwood can be surprisingly affordable. In addition to opting for a moderately priced wood, homeowners can save money by purchasing materials and prepping the area themselves. This could bring hardwood flooring costs down.

3. Open Floor Plans

Narrow doorways and cramped rooms leave little room for wheelchairs to navigate. They also make life at home more challenging for people with hearing loss who rely on lines of sight to monitor what’s happening at home. Open floor plans eliminate these barriers by providing ample floor space and bringing a home’s living areas together.

What You’ll Pay to Add It:

Changing your home’s floor plan is rarely cost-effective. RemodelingImage.com notes prices start at $8-$15 per square foot to remove non-load-bearing walls, reroute wiring, and fix the flooring. If you need to remove load-bearing walls or move plumbing, the cost spikes dramatically.

4. A Roll-In Shower

Curbless showers are sleek, modern, and luxurious. They’re also great for wheelchair users, seniors, and other people with disabilities. Known as zero-threshold showers, roll-in showers, or wet rooms, these bathroom fixtures offer clean lines and barrier-free access.

What You’ll Pay to Add It:

Since building a curbless shower requires changes to framing, it’s expensive to add these fixtures after the fact. Per the Orange County Register, homeowners should expect to pay $2,500 to $5,000 to replace a bathtub with a curbless shower, but prices vary depending on shower size, layout, and how much framing is needed to accommodate the new shower.

Before you start retrofitting your old house, compare the costs of renovating with what you’d spend moving to a new home. While moving is a hassle, you’ll appreciate having a barrier-free home without the expense and disruption of a major remodel.

Visit Patrick’s blog at ableusa.info. You’ll find posts on home modification resources for a family member with visual impairments, raising a child with special needs, finding funding if you are an entrepreneur with disabilities, and more.

If this is your first time at katenorlander.com, check out some of the other posts about making a difference. I also post about books, movies, and other forms of entertainment under the category “Something Wonderful,” because everybody needs to take a break and recharge!