Remodeling Today With The Future In Mind

A new building and remodeling philosophy is sweeping country. Aging in place. It is a building and remodeling trend that takes into account the needs of older Americans when designing and remodeling in order to help the aging population stay in their homes as long as possible.

Consider These Facts:

1. In 2010 the first wave of baby boomers turned 62

2. By 2020 16.5% of the American population will be over 65

3. By 2030 more than 70 million Americans will be over 65

Universal Design

Universal Design refers to the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

The authors, a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers, collaborated to establish the following Principles of Universal Design to guide a wide range of design disciplines including environments, products, and communications. These seven principles may be applied to evaluate existing designs, guide the design process and educate both designers and consumers about the characteristics of more usable products and environments.

What Makes a Home “Universal”?

It’s simple. Everyone can use universal design! It doesn’t matter if you are young or old. You could be short or tall, healthy or ill. You might have a disability. Or you may be a prize-winning athlete. Because of universal design, people who are very different can all enjoy the same home. And that home will be there for all its inhabitants even when their needs change.

Here are some of the more common universal design features:

• No-step entry. No one needs to use stairs to get into a universal home or into the home’s main rooms.
• One-story living. Places to eat, use the bathroom and sleep are all located on one level, which is barrier-free.
• Wide doorways. Doorways that are 32-36 inches wide let wheelchairs pass through. They also make it easy to move big things in and out of the house.
• Wide hallways. Hallways should be 36-42 inches wide. That way, everyone and everything moves more easily from room to room.
• Extra floor space. Everyone feel less cramped. And people in wheelchairs have more space to turn.

Some universal design features just make good sense. Once you bring them into your home, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them. For example:

• Floors and bathtubs with non-slip surfaces help everyone stay on their feet. They’re not just for people who are frail. The same goes for handrails on steps and grab bars in bathrooms.
• Thresholds that are flush with the floor make it easy for a wheelchair to get through a doorway. They also keep others from tripping.
• Good lighting helps people with poor vision. And it helps everyone else see better, too.
• Lever door handles and rocker light switches are great for people with poor hand strength. But others like them too. Try using these devices when your arms are full of packages. You’ll never go back to knobs or standard switches.

Principles of Universal Design 240 KB /PDF

Aging In Place Remodeling

Think Universal Design when you are thinking about remodeling. Industry experts say the best time to ageproof a house is during building or remodeling — before disabilities require it. Homeowners that want to stay in their homes for the duration, can start by instituting some  simple universal design modifications.

Aging-In-Place Design Checklists

An investment in universal design remodeling can make your homes stand out from the rest by adding value that today’s home buyers appreciate.

Remodel For The Needs Of Tomorrow, TODAY!

If you’re in your 50s, chances are good that modifying your current residence for when you get old isn’t a top priority. But the best time to plan for your future needs is now, when you can make decisions that are not crisis-driven. No matter what kind of home remodeling project you a have in mind, using some Universal Design disciplines will insure that you live in your home comfortable, safely and independently for as long as you want.

Minnesota Home Remodeling

Contact a Minnesota remodeling contractor that can provide every service needed to make your dream a reality.

Sources: The Center for Universal Design
AARP.org

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 at 6:00 am and is filed under Home Remodeling. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site. Your comments will appear immediately, but I reserve the right to delete innapropriate comments.