How to Make Your Home Wheelchair Accessible

Life circumstances can change in an instant—whether you’ve recently moved into a new home or are helping a family member adapt to changing mobility, there are a number of situations when you might need to consider ways to make your living space wheelchair accessible.

Unfortunately, even most modern homes aren’t built with wheelchair accessibility in mind. In fact, it’s often challenging for people who rely on wheelchairs to get around to find housing that can accommodate their needs.

Thankfully, there are a number of trusted contractors that can help people with different mobility needs make their living spaces work for them. Investing in wheelchair accessible renovations in Fort Worth, TX is a great way to stay in your current home, while making it comfortable and accessible for all of its residents.

There are several aspects of wheelchair accessibility that you’ll need to take into account when retrofitting an existing home. Here are just some of the things that you should plan on undertaking when making your home wheelchair accessible:

• Find the right flooring: One of the first things you’ll need to do to make your home wheelchair friendly is find the right kind of flooring. Carpeting and other soft floors can make it nearly impossible to navigate while in a wheelchair. Instead, stick to something durable and hard, like tile flooring or vinyl planks.
• Change entryways and doors: There are a number of ways that you can make your doors and entryways easy to pass through in a wheelchair. The quickest and most cost-effective way to make your entryways wheelchair accessible is by installing an entryway ramp that goes over the door stop. You may also consider removing the door stop.
• Improve the bathroom: The bathroom is often one of the most challenging areas for people in wheelchairs to navigate. You should redesign the bathroom so that a wheelchair can perform a full 360-degree turn in the center of the room. You’ll also have to invest in a wheelchair friendly toilet, and a tub with a modified seat and handles.
• Add handlebars and accessories throughout: It’s usually necessary and advisable to add handlebars and accessories throughout the home. These will make it much easier for people in wheelchairs to get around. There are other relatively affordable measures that you can install to make the home more comfortable, like low-hanging light pull cords and level door handles, rather than knobs. You might also consider installing an emergency call system in each room, in case someone falls.

Since 1993, The RockAway Company has been providing homeowners with high-quality wheelchair accessible renovations in Fort Worth, TX. If you’re looking for a way to make your home more accessible and welcoming to people with different levels of mobility, consult with one of our highly skilled renovation experts. We’ll walk you through the process of getting your home completely accessible to people in wheelchairs or other mobility aiding devices. We’re here to help you create a living space that meets your needs and the needs of your family with effortless ease.

Categorised in: Home Remodeling