When someone has a disability and wants to live comfortably in their own home, it must be repurposed to accommodate their needs. Remodeling a home with accessibility in mind can be tricky, but there are ways it can be done. When prioritizing the needs of those with disabilities, you’ll need the right tools and an eye for design. Whether physical or cognitive, you can get creative with how you remodel homes and make a positive difference in their quality of life.
While different people will have different needs for improving their home’s accessibility, these are some general tips that can help guide you along with these types of projects. Here are three things you should know about home remodeling for people with disabilities.
Make Sure the House Is as Easy as Possible to Navigate
For any remodeling project with disability in mind, the top priority must be to ensure those living in the home can have optimal mobility within it. This means you must make it so that they can navigate all areas of the home with ease. For example, you can install a stair lift on flights of stairs, so that those with mobility difficulties can sit on the lift as it moves up and down. You’ll also want to make sure the home’s flooring is smooth and wheelchair-friendly, and that the kitchen is also re-designed for accessibility. Furthermore, make sure all doors in the home are wide enough for them to easily enter and exit (though this may be a time-intensive part of the project), and that doorknobs are low enough for those in a wheelchair to open them.
When You Become a Home Renovation Technician, Focus on the Outside Too
If you’re remodeling the home of someone with a disability after your home renovation technician training, keep in mind that the accessibility of both the interior and exterior of the home should be accounted for. Therefore, think about how outdoor areas such as the backyard can be remodeled, such as widening doorways. You can work on paths so they can be more friendly for those with reduced mobility, or you can try to make the ground more level so that those in a wheelchair can go outside without risk of falling. One of the easiest ways to make the exterior more accessible is to add ramps in the front and the back, so those living in the home can easily move in and out.
The Bathroom Is Also a High-Priority Area in the House, Especially for Safety
Perhaps one of the most crucial areas of the home to remodel is the bathroom, as not doing so can create safety hazards for the person living in it. After you become a home renovation technician, the most important parts of a bathroom to repurpose are: the doorways (to ensure they are wide enough for easy access), sinks and countertops (so that they’re low enough to be used by those in a wheelchair), bathtub (a roll-in or walk-in bath is likely your best bet) and the shower (installing a walk-in shower is ideal for safety and mobility reasons). Another feature you can add to the bathroom is grab bars, which improve accessibility for those living in the home, since they can grab onto them whenever necessary—for example, on the sides of the toilet.
