By Katherine Salant
How do you build for the future when that means building for your old age? Most buyers know of the advantages of a first floor master bedroom, but other less obvious modifications will also make a house easier for an older person to live in. Most of these can be done inexpensively during initial construction; waiting until they are needed invariably means costly remodeling.Zeroing in on specifics, listed below are 15 modifications suggested by Rick Millard, an accessibility expert with Access Unlimited in Richmond, Va. Many of his suggestions, such as lowering kitchen wall cabinets, will make a new house easier for a person of any age to live in.
1. Doors: Install a 36-inch door for all openings so that all rooms including walk-in closets are accessible to someone in a wheelchair or a walker. A wider door should not cost more than the typical 28- or 30-inch interior size door that most builders use, Millard said.
2. Hallways: Three feet is wide enough for a wheelchair to pass through going straight, but a 42-inch width will feel more comfortable. To make a 90-degree turn into a doorway in a wheelchair, a hall width of four feet is required. Doorways that are angled at 45-degrees are easier for a person in a wheelchair to pass through.
3. Stairs: The current building code for new houses in most jurisdictions mandates a stair with a 7-3/4-inch riser and a 10-inch tread, but Millard said one with a lower riser and a wider tread is easier to use and a person is less likely to trip. He recommends a 7-inch riser and an 11-inch tread at a minimum, but a 6-inch riser and a 12-inch tread is even more user-friendly, he noted. Three feet is the standard width for a staircase, but a stair lift can be more easily added later if the stairs are four feet wide. He also recommended railings on both sides of the staircase and lights in the stairwell that illuminate the stair treads.
4. Light switches: A rocker type switch can be easily operated by someone with arthritis. A switch that is 48 inches above the floor or lower will be easier for someone in a wheelchair and small children to use.
5. Electrical outlets: These should be no lower than 18 inches from the floor so that taller people don't have to bend down so far. This is also easier for a person in a wheelchair to use.
6. Bathroom grab bars: These may not be needed for years and can be installed on an as-needed basis. The important first step during construction is to have the proper wood backing installed and a type of shower or tub unit that can be modified easily. A builder-grade fiberglass tub or shower unit is generally not adaptable, Millard said.
7. Bathroom toilet: An 18-inch high toilet rather than the standard 15-inch high one will be easier for an older person to use. The higher toilet will cost more, though as demand increases, the cost of the higher toilet is going down, Millard observed.
8. Showers: A roll-in shower with a seat that a person in a wheelchair could use might add as much as $1,000 to the cost of the house. If this is a consideration, make sure that the seat is near the shower controls so that the shower can be used in either a standing or a sitting position, Millard said.
9. Kitchen wall cabinets: Lowering the wall cabinets from the standard 18 inches above the counter to 15 inches will make the second shelf accessible for everyday use for most people.
10. Kitchen counter height: Varying the counter height will make the kitchen an easier place for taller adults and shorter children to work in. Raising the dishwasher so that the counter above it is at bar height (42 inches) provides a taller person with a more comfortable workspace. It also means that the tall person or someone in a wheelchair doesn't have to bend over so far to load the dishwasher.
11. Kitchen base cabinets: For a person in a wheelchair to be able to use a cooktop and a sink, a recessed area must be provided underneath and the counter height must be no higher than 34 inches. Such an arrangement can also benefit anyone who spends a long time chopping and peeling at the sink or cooking foods that require constant stirring and who wants to sit down while doing this.
12. Kitchen aisle width: A width of 42 inches instead of 36 allows several people to work in the kitchen at the same time; it also allows someone to get around a person in a wheelchair. A 48-inch aisle width is even more comfortable, Millard said.
13. Kitchen counters: Make the corners are rounded so that no one will bump into them when, for example, they are bringing groceries into the house.
14: Windows: A cranking, casement type window is easier to open than the standard double hung type used by most builders. Casement windows are more expensive, but these don't have to used everywhere in the house, Millard pointed out.
15. Entries into the house: Having at least one level wheelchair accessible entry, preferably in the garage, will eliminate construction of an elaborate, unsightly and costly ramp later, Millard said.
. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted our "