Aging Gracefully At Home: Incorporating Accessibility Features In Custom Builds

As time marches on, it’s important to have a home that can continue to meet your daily needs. Even though your home may not need to be handicap accessible now, it’s good to have a plan in place so your home can age with you and accommodate what you need.

You may even find a handicap-accessible home design to be beneficial now when you have elderly company over. Join us as we explore some of our favorite features that provide an extra touch of accessibility at home.

Ramps And Step-Free Entries

The first step to making your home more accessible is to do away with steps in entryways. When creating a custom build, request that the doors that lead into your home be on the same level as your home.

If you prefer to have multiple levels in your home design, consider adding a ramp. Whether the ramp is built into your design so you can use it now, or you add a removable or retractable ramp, this feature is the perfect way to easily transition levels and provide accessibility.

Open Floor Plan

While open floor plans have become increasingly popular in custom homes, they’re a great way to make a house more handicap accessible. Without extra walls and obstacles, your home will be much easier to navigate using a wheelchair or walker.

Accessible Bathrooms

One of the most difficult areas to get around in your home as you age is the bathroom. A great way to address this issue is by being proactive and designing your bathroom to be handicap accessible from the start.

Consider choosing a curbless shower so there is no need to step up to enter. You can also add grab rails in key locations such as in the shower and near the toilet to make it easier to move around. 

Finally, consider adding a shower chair or bench. Not sure about how it will look? Shower benches can be easily disguised in the design of your shower and can simply be used as a shelf until you grow to need it as a bench.

Single Story

As you age, stairs become harder and harder to climb day in and day out. With that being said, single-story homes are much easier to navigate.

When building a custom home, consider who will be living there and for how long. Sometimes a single-story home just makes more sense.

Stairlift Or Elevator

If a single-story home isn’t for you, think about adding a stairlift or elevator into your design. Even if you don’t consistently use these tools now, they’ll be beneficial when you begin to struggle with stairs.

Not to mention, if you need to carry large items up and down the stairs an elevator makes for an easier job. It will often get more use than you think.

Smart Home Technology

Smart home technology has a variety of benefits such as voice-activated controls, automated lighting, and adjustable countertops. These features not only enhance convenience and functionality now, but as you age, they can cater to different accessibility needs.

Make Your Home Accessible With Timber Rock Construction

Whether you want to create a more handicap accessible house, a more adaptable home, or simply start creating the home of your dreams, we’re here to help. At Timber Rock Construction, we work hard to stay at the forefront of the home-building industry by incorporating the newest designs and technology into our custom builds.

Our team works closely with clients to understand their needs to effectively enhance their living experience. If you’re ready to build your own custom home, contact us to get started on your dream project.