What makes a home handicap
and wheelchair accessible? It's
the ability to enter and move
around without any of the
obstacles such as steps and
narrow doors. The bathrooms,
bedrooms and kitchen are
wheelchair accessible.
Everyone's needs are a little
different, so you'll have to
make a few changes to any plan
to suit your individual
requirements and physical
limitations.
Bathroom
Remodeling:
Your bathroom can be
modified or re-designed
for wheelchair access.
Modifications to the
bathroom will help avoid
injury and is our most
requested service.
Lets start at the
bathroom door. Why do
architects design, and
builders insist on
installing a 24" door to
the bathroom?
Wheelchairs need a
minimum 32" door for a
straight in approach. If
the doorway is located
in the typical hallway
and requires turning a
wheelchair, you'll need
a 36" door.
Handicap Grab
bars: We install
grab bars and safety
rails to insure you
won't lose your balance
and provide a safe,
accessible surrounding.
Safety bars provide
stability for everyone,
including the elderly
and those with physical
limitations. It's the
most cost effective home
modification we make! |
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Faucets can
be replaced with single
lever controls. Consider
the use of anti-scald
temperature controls
that prevent the water
temperature from
exceeding an established
limit. Sinks
can be installed to
allow wheel chair
access. Vanity cabinets
can be removed from
below the sink. This
will expose the plumbing
pipes requiring covering
with insulation or boxed
in to prevent contact
with sharp edges and
burns by hot water
pipes. Pedestal style
sinks can give you a
little more room to
maneuver, but can be
difficult to use from a
wheelchair and are
usually a couple of
inches higher than the
standard vanity top. We
suggest a wall mounted
lavatory.
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| Toilet
seat height varies
from one individual to
another, usually between
17" to 19". Toilets can
be replaced with special
units or raised seats
can be installed. Grab
bars can be installed
for balance and support
and to allow individuals
to safely transfer from
a wheelchair. |
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Bathtubs can
be hazardous.
Transferring from a
wheelchair to the tub
can be difficult. The
tub area must be
carefully designed to
provide maximum safety.
Grab bars can be
installed to provide
support. Tub transfer
seats allow persons to
sit in the tub and take
a bath or shower without
having to lower
themselves to the tub
floor. Many people find
it difficult to use a
tub. Bath tubs can be
replaced with showers.
It can be difficult for
some of us to step in
and out of a bathtub
because of the high tub
walls. We can make it
easier by replacing your
tub with a shower. We
custom build our showers
depending on your site
conditions. The
configuration of most
existing bathrooms will
limit the size of the
shower to the tub area
(standard tubs measure
30"– 34" x 60") |
| .Doors can be
widened for wheelchair
and walker access. We
remove the existing door
unit, relocate the light
switch, widen the framed
opening, install a new
wider door unit and
repair the finished
flooring. With our
experience, two good
carpenters will complete
this in about 4 hours,
and that includes paint!
Closets: Most
walk-in closet doors are
only 24" wide. The door
can be widened, shelves
and rods lowered or
adjustable shelving
installed. Usually the
light switch must be
re-located and made
accessible per the
individuals requirement. |
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Accessible Kitchens:
It can be difficult for
people in wheelchairs to
use standard counters
because of the cabinets
below. Under counter
base cabinets can be
removed to provide
access to the sink or
work area. A pull out or
drop leaf shelf can be
added for working space.
Sliding shelves can be
installed in lower
cabinets. Electric
receptacles, garbage
disposal and exhaust fan
switches can be moved to
the front of the counter
or cabinet. |
Accessible Doors:
In order to
accommodate a
wheelchair, (a standard
wheelchair is 24-27"
wide), doorways should
be a minimum of 32"
wide. If the doorway is
located in the typical
hallway and requires
turning a wheelchair,
you'll need a 36" door.
It can be difficult to
open a swinging door
without a clear floor
space (18-24") on the
pull side of the door.
An alternative could be
the installation of an
automatic door opener,
but they are very
expensive. |
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Additional door
clearance can be
obtained by using Offset
hinges , increasing the
width by about 2", and
is often enough to
provide the necessary
minimum width for a
wheelchair to pass
through the doorway. You
can gain an additional
1" of clearance by
removing the lower
portion of the door
stops from the jam. |
Handicap
Wheelchair Ramps:
Wheelchair ramp
installation is also one
of our most requested
services.
We can construct access
ramps using a variety of
materials and surfaces.
The design and
construction materials
will be determined by
site conditions, budget
and interaction with the
client. The most
appropriate solution for
each clients
circumstances will
dictate the final choice
of materials and design.
Our Weatherdek product
is an excellent surface
for the ramps as it has
a non skid surface and
comes in a variety of
colours. It can be
installed over wood or
concrete.
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Click the thumbnail
above to view a
wheelchair ramp design |
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This is a typical floor
plan for a wheelchair
accessible home.
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OUR
SERVICES INCLUDE:
