Imagine your dream home – not much unlike your current home, only you would take out that wall in the kitchen or really open-up the living room for entertaining. Now imagine moving about your dream home in a walker or a wheelchair, imagine having to reach for a mug in all the extra cabinet space, and imagine having to get in and out of that whirlpool bath with aching joints. Your needs have changed and so should your idea of a dream home. Below are some tips on how you can modify your current home to turn it into your accessible dream home.
Curb Appeal
- Consider replacing the steps leading up to your entryway with a ramp to allow for easy access in a wheelchair or walker. Estimated cost between $1,000 and $3,000.
- Add lighting along the entry path and to the exterior of your home for better visibility at night. Estimated cost between $150 and $300 per light.
- If you don’t already have a covered entryway, considered adding one to your home for protection in inclement weather. Additionally, a modest sized portico will give a wheelchair or walker added ‘breathing room’. Estimated cost between $2,500 and $5,000.
- Replace your door with one wide enough, at least 36 inches, to accommodate a wheelchair. Side windows or dual-peepholes (one at standing eye-level and one at seated eye-level) will provide security. Estimated cost between $2,000 and $6,500.
A Spacious Kitchen
- Replace older flooring with non-slip flooring for fall prevention. Estimated cost between $5 and $20 per square foot with installation.
- Ditch traditional cabinets and fixed shelves for roll-out shelves and pull-down shelving units to allow for easy access to hard-to-reach items. Estimated cost between $25 to $100 per unit for roll-out shelves and approximately $525 per pull-down shelving unit.
- Add lighting above and below cabinets for better visibility when preparing meals. LED strip lighting is an affordable alternative to traditional light fixtures and will for at least a decade. Estimated cost between $200 and $400 with installation.
- When selecting new appliances, look for easy-access models like a counter-top microwave (est. cost $180 – $500), raised dishwasher (est. cost $650 – $1,200), a stove with controls near the front (est. cost $450 – $2,000), and a side-by-side door refrigerator (est. cost $900 – $3,000).
Master Bathroom
- Replace your standard toilet for a comfort-height toilet to prevent injury. Estimated cost between $350 and $1,200 with installation.
- Add a larger vanity for your sink to accommodate a wheelchair underneath. Estimated cost between $550 and $1,500.
- Install a roll-in shower for a wheelchair or walker, and add grab bars and a shower chair for fall prevention. Estimated cost between $10,000 and $15,000.
- When remodeling your bathroom, if possible request that your contractor create a large enough space, approximately a five-foot radius, to allow for a wheelchair to turn.
Odds and Ends
- Add D-shaped pulls, which are easier to grip than standard knobs, to drawers and cabinets throughout your home. Estimated cost $1.50 per piece.
- If your home has old high-pile carpet or rugs, consider ditching them for low-pile carpeting or non-slip flooring. Estimated cost between $5 and $20 per square foot with installation.
- Replace interior and exterior doorknobs with lever-style knobs. Estimated cost between $10 and $100 per piece.
- Install lever-style faucets to sinks for an easy-to-grip option, or install touchless faucets. Estimated cost between $350 and $550 with installation.
- Replace standard light switches with rocker-style switches, which are easier to use and a better option for arthritic hands. Estimated cost between $400 and $1,000 with installation.
- Widen interior doorways to at least 36 inches to accommodate a wheelchair. Estimated cost between $1,800 and $2,000.
- Swap-out your top-loading washer and dryer for front-loading models on pedestals to reduce back strain. Estimated cost between $1,000 and $2,000 per unit.
- Convert closets to walk-in or reach-in closets with lowered shelving and hanging units. Estimated cost between $1,000 and $5,000.
If staying in your home as long as possible is important to you, or if you feel you need help with planning for the future, contact one of our experienced elder law attorneys today and we can help you prepare for tomorrow.