How to Retrofit Your Miami Home For Older or Disabled Residents
In case you or someone in your home has special needs, then there are a lot of remodeling or redesigning adjustments you may make so as to make the life easier. With the passage of time, the demands for homes which accommodate special needs of people are increasing very rapidly. These modifications not only increase the value of your house but also make life easy. Handicapped or elderly people in our home may face problems with things we might not think of, and it is important to consider Miami home accessibility modifications. The problems can be very common such as not being able to reach an object located on a level outside of their range of mobility. This can lead to serious injuries such as falls when attempting to obtain said objects. As such, it is crucial to incorporate home accessibility modifications into your Miami remodeling plans. Miami home accessibility modifications make it easier for the handicapped and elderly to live independently and move about more easily without risking serious injury or hinderance.
While fitting your Miami home with accessibility or handicap accessible modifications, it is very important to keep few things in mind.
Wheelchair Accessible Doorways
Usually an external doorway is 32 inches wide and a wheelchair is also 32 inches wide. This means that a wheelchair can’t pass through this much space and hence we need to increase the size of the doorway. According to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) the door must have a width of 34 inches. But it is always better to increase it 2 inches more and make it 36 inches wide so that a wheelchair can pass through easily and without any interruption. Where as most of the internal doorways of a home are kept 24-26 inches, which means a wheelchair can’t pass through them without any modification.
In order to provide easy access of wheelchairs, the door must be replaced. The door needs to be widened and doorknobs must be replaced by ADA approved door handles (L-shaped handles). Most of the restaurants install ADA approved door handles which can be easily opened. These handles can be easily available in the local hardware stores (Lowe’s, Home Depot).
Counter Top Height and Ease of Use
It is very difficult to lower the level of the counter tops because of the backsplash and plumbing issues. But there are few other ideas as well which you can use to make life easier.
The best way to do this is to build an island in the center which contains a sink and a counter top. The height from the floor must not be more than 34 inches (ADA approved). In case you already have a kitchen island in the center of your Miami kitchen, you can easily alter it as per the requirements. You will also need to consider replacing the handles of cabinets and the refrigerators so they can be easily opened.
Flooring Considerations and Floor Plan
A very important point to be kept in mind when remodeling your home for accessibility modifications is that the flooring must be done using non-skid tiles. This will help prevent slips and falls while also providing more control for wheelchairs and other walking devices.
To create a handicap accessible bathroom, grasp bars along the shower and the toilet are also a necessity. The height of the bar must be around 32 to 34 inches above the floor.
There are many tips available to help you transition your home into a more accessible and friendly structure. Contact your local Miami remodeling contractor for more remodeling advice and how you can retrofit your home with home accessibility modifications.
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