Rental homes are an important element of urban living. A segment of the population seems to be missed when these buildings are designed. One in seven Americans have a disability. Older people have mobility needs that aren’t often considered when building halls, doors, bathrooms and kitchens.
We’ve experienced the challenges of trying to navigate homes in a wheelchair and crutches. It is really tough. When we decided to build this house, we chose to incorporate as many accessible and universal design elements that were feasible. The house entry is ground level so a wheelchair can enter with ease. The halls, doorways and kitchen are all wider than the normal prescriptive width. There are three bedrooms on the ground floor, with one upstairs that could be used for a caretaker if needed.
We believe that many of these elements make the home safer for all ages, and adds comfort for anyone who lives there. The choices we made did not add cost to the project.
If you have any questions about the details for this project, please call our office.