10 Remodeling Tips To Improve Your Home’s Accessibility

Your house must be a place of comfort. However, if you or your loved ones live with a disability or have some mobility issues, building a comfortable home can be a little daunting. Even before you get home-remodeling estimates, the process of determining the changes in your home can be exhausting.

Luckily, there are some resources and professionals out there who could help you during the planning process. If you don’t know where to start, below are some of the remodeling tips that will improve your home’s accessibility:

1. Consider Stairlifts

Companies providing stairlifts can help you choose the right one suited for your house. It’s perfect for those who have a 2-story home and families who need to go upstairs frequently if rooms are situated on the second floor.

The best thing about stairlifts is that they can quickly transform troublesome tasks into simple chores. Whether you need to prepare meals downstairs or bring food upstairs, a stairlift is a good investment for everyone who wants to make their home more accessible. Depending on your needs or preferences, choose the one perfect for your budget.

2. Have an Open Floor Plan

Achieving optimal accessibility might be as easy as rearranging furniture. Determine the specific areas that pose potential accessibility hazards by taking a stroll through bathrooms, hallways, and rooms. Consider portable wheelchair ramps for safe travel and clean up the clutter in your home.

3. Arrange Your Kitchen Properly for Better Accessibility

If you want to improve your home’s accessibility, one aspect of the remodeling projects you should consider must involve your kitchen. Make some necessary changes to your kitchen by arranging the appliances near the counters and sink to make various tasks much more straightforward. For easy access, you can also move your essential items into low cabinets.

4. Install Handrails

From room to room, moving around your home is something that most people take for granted. However, with just several adjustments to the house, you don’t need to worry about it either. Installing some handrails in some key areas, including the living room, kitchen, corridors, and bathrooms, will let you move around with much ease and can improve your confidence once you do so.

5. Get Temperature Control Units

It’s a great idea to add convenience like a temperature control unit in your home. This ensures that room temperature won’t be too hot or cold, and the house will stay a comfortable place to live in throughout the whole year. More often than not, suffering from mobility problems means you can be susceptible to changes in climate and temperature. Hence, maintaining your home temperature inside is crucial.

6. Widen Your Doorways

Most walkers and wheelchairs can be too wide to quickly maneuver through the doors. The best solution is to widen your doorways, but you may use offset hinges to help swing your doors clear of the opening to add a few inches of space.

7. Have An Automatic Door Opener

If the budget allows, install automatic door openers for better accessibility to all of your rooms. Bathrooms and kitchens can be dangerous for anybody using wheelchairs. Secure such areas by opting for such technologies. Aside from that, think of installing emergency pull cords, which may alert some care providers if you might have any type of accident.

8. Construct A Ramp

Having a ramp on your doorways won’t just help those who are in wheelchairs, but other people with disabilities and mobility problems, too. However, since building a ramp requires a permit, it’s best to check your local building codes before you start construction.

9. Consider Proper Furniture Placement

To enable ease of movement, create a path of several inches between your pieces of furniture. You might also have to raise your furniture to help others sit comfortably. You may achieve this by inserting small blocks of wood or furniture coasters into your furniture’s legs.

10. Rethink Your Closet Space and Wardrobe

Think of how you access your clothes. Several individuals prefer to use low-lying cabinets to make it simpler to choose what to wear, particularly if you’re wheelchair-bound. 

And, if possible, look into automatic closet bars because they’ll bring your clothing to a certain level that will provide you easier access.

Conclusion

Making your home more accessible doesn’t need to be challenging, both financially and physically. If possible, ask for help from professionals, especially if you don’t know where to start. Just make sure to set your budget and keep your loved ones’ needs in mind.

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