There are many benefits of designing your home to be both livable and adaptable. But, what do accessible homes on the Sunshine Coast look like and just what are the benefits? We share how accessibility is more than making a home wheelchair accessible.
What Is Accessibility?
The term accessibility has often been associated with the elderly or people with a disability. However, many have come to realise accessibility in the home can improve general livability and allows people to adapt to changing circumstances, such as temporary injuries or space for prams. In fact, designing a home with wheelchair access has become known as designing a ‘livable home’ due to the many benefits. One benefit of accessible homes on the Sunshine Coast is that it improves the value of the investment.
Start enjoying the Sunshine Coast lifestyle, begin your obligation free building accessible home quote! We can run through the details with you today.
What Does It Look Like?
A livable home is designed to meet the changing needs of the residents from the very beginning of the planning stage. The main principles are that the home be easy to enter and navigate, and the design allows for the potential to be adapted in the future if the needs of the residents change, not just for wheelchair accessibility.
It is actually easier than you may think to create a livable and adaptable home on the Sunshine Coast, and includes giving thought to simple aspects such as the pathway to the front door. For example, have you thought about if you have a level, safe, continuous, and step free path to your entrance?
Within the home each space can instantly become more livable when you ensure there is an ease of movement in your design, as well as having slip resistant flooring, and the switches, powerpoints and windows at a level where someone can be seated or standing to access them. In the laundry and kitchen, it is also recommended you design them with fixed benches and it supports easy adaptation. Other important considerations are having a ground bedroom space and a bathroom available that has a hobless shower recess, and reinforced walls around the toilet, shower and bath to support the safe installation of grab rails at a later date.
How Can It Help You And Your Investment?
When you are planning your home, you may not have a need for grab rails, or a ground bedroom. However, planning for having an accessible home on the Sunshine Coast will help improve the value of your investment. Firstly, if you are looking to build your dream home, you will need a home that grows with you. Thinking about the adaptability of your home when you begin will save you money in the long run as you age or circumstances change. Not only this, but building a home is an investment. When you design a home with accessibility you attract multiple generations, improving the appeal of your property on the market.
Talk to us today about how you can make your home safer and functional for all. Or view some of our wheelchair accessible homes here.