Whether you’re fortunate enough to be building a new home for yourself, or you’re providing an extension or alteration to your existing home, it really pays to think through accessibility and, ideally, to talk diligently discuss the matter with your architect. Make accessibility a part of your dream home; we promise you’ll thank yourself for it.

If you’re investing in your home, chances are you want to stay there for some time longer. As you get older, the demand for increased accessibility will grow amongst your family and friends, so why not make the extra effort to plan long term? As we discussed in last week’s post, a living space will always benefit from universal design in its initial stages, rather than a more expensive retrofit.

First things first, talk to an expert. If you’re building a whole new home, your architect is the best point to start at because he or she is aware of the latest requirements: these will offer inspiration for what comes next… for example, the kitchen is often overlooked as a shared living space. In fact, it’s the most important shared space in a house (Kitchen Is King).  Accessible shelves, worktops and equipment are simple features you can seamlessly integrate into your new space to make it a place for anyone to comfortably contribute to the longevity of the household.

If you’re pursuing a DIY project and, for example, find yourself re-tiling the bathroom, take a moment to consider how easy it would be to increase the accessibility of the space a hundredfold. Grab bars are a terrific, and increasingly appreciated option for those on a low budget, and, if you’re feeling more adventurous, why not invest in an accessible shower?  Again, we guarantee that you’ll thank yourself down the road, if not also immediately.

[If this post has caught your imagination, here are a few places you can do some more research online:

Creating Accessible Homes - Cooperative Extension Service, Kansas State University (PDF File).

Fair Housing Act Design Module - provides clear guidance about ways to design and construct housing that complies with the Fair Housing Act.

Centre for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access - The IDeA Center practices human-centered design through research, development, service, dissemination and educational activities.]