by Jan Blaustone
Remodeling is a daunting process always disruptive and often
intimidating down to the last detail.
That said, perhaps you've been thinking about making changes
to your home to accommodate your changing physical abilities.
A list of the "Top Ten Reasons for Wanting to Remodel"
could include:
10. Water runs down your armpits every
time you wash your hands because the sink and counters are too
high.
9. Your seasonal clothes and hobby supplies
simply disappear in the black hole of your attic because you have
no accessible storage space.
8. There's not enough putty compound in
the world to fill in the gashes in your hallways and doorways.
7. In case of fire, common sense says
you need more than one accessible exit from your home.
6. You can't remember what the back yard
looks like but they tell you it's nice.
5. Who really knows what secrets lurk
on the upper level of your home? You've only seen it on video.
4. Your carpeting has enough embedded
tracks in it for a railroad.
3. You're home alone. The blinds are shut;
the lights are off; the heat needs adjusting; the TV remote was
left on the floor. And you can't reach any of it.
2. Grab bars what a concept!
And the #1 reason to remodel
1. You're tired of peeing in a cup and
bathing with wet wipes.
Move or Improve?
Build, buy new or remodel? It's a common question and the answer
is frequently the third choice.
Why? First and foremost, people remodel because they love
their homes. You also may enjoy your neighborhood and its
stable property value, proximity to work, public transportation,
good schools or recreational opportunities.
Second, home improvements are a sound investment, up to
a point. A 2002 report in Remodeling Magazine comparing remodeling
costs and values indicated that the national average return rate
is 88 percent on bathroom remodels.
The rule of thumb is: Don't spend more than 5 percent of your
home's value on remodeling a room. But most families affected
by neuromuscular disease care less about resale value than about
being safe and comfortable in their own homes.
Third, wheelchair-accessible homes are few and far between.
Not only do they rarely exist, but when they do, they're not advertised
as such. Realtors often recoil in horror from the term because
of the outdated, "institutional" stereotype that comes
to clients' minds even though today's "universal designs"
left that image behind long ago.
Consulting the Experts
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The
wraparound porch was the first thing that attracted Daniel
Creger's wife, Mary, to their 104-year-old Gaffney, S.C.
home. The Cregers redid the porch and back deck and added
ramps, all in "virtually indestructible" PakkaWood,
which is nonslippery and resists moisture. Photos by Doug
Jordan
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Once you've decided to remodel, the next challenge is getting
it done. Architects and contractors are part of this process.
You may wonder if an architect is really necessary.
"Architects can offer more ideas about design, space and
what's available," says Nicholas Johnson, a senior engineer
in the field of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
and the 2004 recipient of MDA's National Personal Achievement
Award.
Johnson notes that relying on a "design-build" house
(a contractor's predesigned floor plan) is cheaper than hiring
an architect to create a plan for you. But the expertise an architect
brings to the table is well worth the extra expense and results
in fewer mistakes along the way.
"The architect designs plans for the contractor to build.
After that the contractor does everything," explains Johnson,
of Waltham, Mass.
Additionally, an architect interprets your wishes in technical
terms for the contractor to follow. For example, you may tell
your contractor that you want a roll-in shower but it's the architect
who explains its dimensions and how you want it to look and function.
Alan Garlitz of Oklahoma City admits his biggest mistake in building
his 500-square-foot master bedroom and bath addition was not hiring
an architect "to assist with the materials and avoid the
price wars." Garlitz, who has limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
(LGMD), says, "An architect would have drawn up a plan and
we'd all agree on the costs up front."
Once you're ready to hire a contractor, Johnson suggests these
guidelines:
Consult with at least three contractors about your plans.
Check their licensing, insurance and credentials online, with
your states registrar of contractors or the Better Business Bureau.
(See "Remodeling Resources"
for information on finding and contracting with builders.)
Get bids and detailed breakdowns from all three contractors
in writing. Typically, the mid-range bid is your best bet.
Be wary of contractors who supply only out-of-town references,
present tight time pressures or promise completions that seem
unrealistic.
Pay in stages. Never give 100 percent up front (or even
a hefty deposit (deposits are typically 10 percent). Always hold
back money based on the stage of completion, because it's your
only leverage for getting things done.
Both you and the contractor should sign and date a written
contract. In addition to work details, specify materials (with
substitutions requiring your written approval), payments and dates
thereof, and a completion date. Don't sign a completion statement
or make a final payment until the job has passed final inspection,
either by yourself or the appropriate city/county building authorities.
Be aware that suppliers or subcontractors who are owed
money by your contractor can place a lien against your property.
To protect yourself, add a release-of-lien clause to your contract
or ask for proof of payment by your contractor.
Ramp It Up
Logically, the first thing most people with neuromuscular diseases
do to existing homes is install ramps. For safety's sake, every
home should have at least two accessible entryways/exits.
Ramps don't need to be elaborate, just functional. The correct
slope on a ramp is a 1-inch drop for every 1 foot of travel, and
2-inch side curbs for safety are essential.
Modular aluminum ramps are a quick, easy solution for many situations.
One caution: They can have inadequate traction if the slope is
greater than recommended.
A more attractive choice for the front of the house is treated
hardwood, which isn't terribly expensive, especially if you purchase
the wood from a lumber liquidator. (See "Remodeling
Resources" and "What's It Going
to Cost?," for more on specific products.)
Plywood works, too, but it should be coated with a mixture of
outdoor paint and sand for traction. (Sandpaper adhesive strips
won't hold up under the weight of a power wheelchair.)
Handrails should be added, with vertical bars every 2 feet. Products
such as Quikrete are convenient for short concrete ramps or thresholds.
These can be "acid-etched" for better traction and colored
for aesthetics.
A higher-dollar material often used for decks, ramps and walkways
is a virtually indestructible product called PakkaWood, manufactured
by Fibron. It consists of hardwood veneers impregnated with phenolic
thermosetting resins that are fused under intense heat and pressure,
forming a solid, homogeneous block of material.
It's a mouthful to say but ingenious in functionality, says Daniel
Creger of Gaffney, S.C., who has LGMD. He liked the Fibron product
so much for his ramps that he also used it for his large deck,
wraparound porch and garden walkways.
"It's nonslippery because it resists moisture," Creger
says. "I don't have to do anything to it and it's so solid
that it will be here longer than any of us. It costs about twice
as much as premium grade lumber but it's well worth the money."
If cost is an issue, your local Chamber of Commerce may have
a list of programs that can assist with residential ramp installation
and costs.
Wider Doorways
In a 30-year-old home, a typical front door is 35 inches wide;
bedroom doorways with trim average 30 inches wide; hallway closets
and bathroom doorways with trim are only 24 inches wide; and linen
closets are a dreadful 18 inches.
And the average power wheelchair is 28 inches wide.
Usually the first door you'll want to widen is the most essential
the bathroom doorway.
Sometimes you can simply replace door hinges with offset ones
that bring the door out beyond the trim, allowing another 2 inches
for passage. That may be enough to squeak by, but chances are
good your doors and trim will acquire some dents and scars unless
the opening is at least 36 inches.
Elsewhere in the house, many people prefer double doors. If French
doors aren't in the budget, contractors recommend 4-foot-wide
bi-hinge doors. A lightweight pocket door (one that slides into
a cavity in the wall) also works well unless the house shifts
and the door becomes stuck.
Ceiling Lifts
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Ruth Ann McDowell's
SureHands lift features a hub in the bathroom ceiling. "I
position myself under it and turn myself toward either the
bathtub, toliet, bed or scooter,"she says.
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Garlitz gets to his bathroom amenities via his Barrier-Free electric
lift, which runs on a single ceiling track over his bed, down
the hallway and over the whirlpool bath, around a corner and past
the bathroom sink and toilet, and then directly into his roll-in
shower.
"It's very streamlined and nonobtrusive," he says,
"one track that allows me to function independently on a
day-to-day basis."
Garlitz recommends being very involved in planning ceiling lift
installation. He drew out the entire track diagram prior to construction
because "I've seen installations that look like railroad
tracks and I didn't want that."
Garlitz notes that ceiling reinforcement joists are more expensive
to add to an existing structure than to one being built. For an
addition, he advises, "it makes a lot more sense to spend
the $50 to $75 and be prepared."
Another design issue to consider: Vaulted or cathedral ceilings
aren't practical for ceiling lifts, because "the installation
isn't as neat," Garlitz says. Tracks must hang down from
vaulted ceilings in order to run a level course.
"It's important that you know what works for you and not
get talked into something that you don't need," he says.
"Builders are going to build according to their usual practices,
or ADA guidelines, but neither one may work for you."
Don't Wait Too Long
Remodeling came slowly for Sam and Alice Shannon of Nashville,
Tenn.
They began by widening the bathroom doorway in their 1956 ranch-style
home, and ended up converting their single-car garage into a larger
master bath with a custom-tiled, roll-in shower and roll-under
sink. The garage was replaced with a custom-sized carport to accommodate
Sam's full-size van. (Sam, who had facioscapulohumeral muscular
dystrophy, died last year.)
Because Sam was able to use transfer boards, he only installed
about 5 feet of ceiling track over the bed. After getting contradictory
opinions from three installers about the need for ceiling reinforcement,
the Shannons ultimately chose the installer who said reinforcement
wasn't necessary, and ended up happy with the results.
"Sam could go from the bed, up in the air in his sling,
and drop down into his power wheelchair or shower chair,"
Alice Shannon says. "Because his shower chair had wheels
and our floors were hardwood and tile, I could then push Sam right
into the roll-in shower."
Shannon, who recently learned she has multiple sclerosis, knows
firsthand the value of her homes modifications. She has only one
regret.
"We should have done things sooner," she says. "We
should have moved into this house sooner; got Sam's power chair
sooner; installed the ceiling lift sooner. [We] got smarter about
things through the years but we just didn't get around to doing
things until we were almost past the point of needing them. It's
costly stuff, but in the meantime, we were living with unsafe
things."
Floors That Take a Lickin'
Anyone who uses a wheelchair knows what it can do to floors.
Most folks with hardwood flooring swear by it. If you're lucky
enough to find a home with it already installed, you'll save a
bundle, as opposed to paying the rising cost of hardwood these
days. The maintenance factor is a consideration, however.
By contrast, a high-quality wood-replica product will never splinter,
warp, fade, stain or swell. It's quieter, water-resistant, unaffected
by humidity and requires no polishing. But even so, there are
special considerations for heavy wheelchair use.
The weight and possible torque created by a power chair "places
exceptional forces on any flooring," explains Oliver Stanchfield,
senior technical specialist for flooring company Pergo. For power
wheelchair use, he recommends a 3/8-inch-thick wood laminate such
as Pergo Vintage Home or Pergo Select, rather than the standard
5/16-inch thickness.
Thicker wood laminates have a very dense core material for additional
joint strength, says Stanchfield, adding that other Pergo glueless
and preglued products are designed for foot traffic, not wheelchairs.
In tile, he recommends a -inch thickness.
Stanchfield makes three additional recommendations to ensure
floors hold up under power chairs.
First, be sure the subfloor is extremely flat. Unevenness puts
added pressure on the joints and can lead to the planks separating.
Second, glue down laminate flooring, even if the product is preglued.
It's like using wallpaper paste for a stronger bond on prepasted
wallpaper.
Third, hire an installation professional who can assure the best
possible fit for the type of traffic the floor will experience.
Creger learned how important product quality and installation
are when he had ceramic tile flooring added in his home.
"Halfway through the job," he says, "I drove across
it and pop, pop, pop I broke almost every tile!
"I've gone on other tile floors and there's not been a problem.
It depends on the give. I think if it had been a better grade,
a thicker tile, and if it had been laid on a concrete slab then
it would have been OK."
Keep in mind that tile adds weight, not strength, so the subflooring
has to be strong enough to support it. If the structure underneath
is flexible or uneven, the tile will crack.
For those reasons, some people choose vinyl flooring. Unlike
ceramic flooring, high-quality vinyl won't chip, crack or fade.
There's no grout to seal and reseal; its lightweight, easy to
install anywhere in your home, and generally costs less than -inch
ceramic tile or wood laminate.
The Cohen family of Brooklyn, N.Y., whose 8-year-old son Aaron
has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, selected maintenance-free Amtico
flooring for their entire addition. This high-quality product
can look like wood or marble.
Working with an architect, Aaron's mom, Esther, chose several
styles.
"The family room will be parquet, the kitchen and bathrooms
will be ceramic, and it's all plastic," she enthuses. "This
product can imitate anything! I even fooled my husband with the
samples."
The Cohens, who also are installing a small elevator in their
three-level, 85-year-old home, aren't too concerned about recouping
their remodeling investment.
Says Esther, "We're working very hard to ensure that were
creating a home and not a hospital. For now I worry about the
quality of life for our family. Resale value is not on the top
of my list of worries."
Cabinets to Dream About
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Cabinet hardware
shaped like a "D" makes doors and drawers easier
to open.
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Ruth Ann McDowell of Orange, Texas, was feeling lucky when she
and her husband, Cliff, discovered a 3-year-old home with an open
floor plan and very little that needed modifying. Besides the
usual changes, McDowell, who has LGMD, installed ceiling tracking
for her SureHands lift, added a screened-in sunroom and widened
the doorways to her walk-in closets.
Yet, one of the original features of the home just may be her
favorite.
"I have a big linen closet with double doors," she
brags. "Plus, there's even more storage space in the utility
room, which is lined with cabinets!"
Because reaching items is especially challenging for McDowell,
all she needs now are wire baskets on tracks that pull out from
her shelving, so nothing is out of reach.
Your best bets in cabinetry, especially in the kitchen, are cupboards
that feature pull-out or pull-down shelving, corner lazy-Susans,
and D-shaped hardware instead of knobs for easier opening.
Dave Geter, who works for Home Depot in Albuquerque and has Emery-Dreifuss
muscular dystrophy, recommends the Passport Series by KraftMaid
Cabinetry.
Geter advises finding a cabinet vendor who offers free computerized
planning services, allowing you to see a mock-up of your virtual
cabinets in your virtual kitchen before you pay your actual money.
To Infinity and Beyond
Engineer Nick Johnson, who's knowledgeable about automated temperature
control or "direct digital control," says that in the
near future most new homes dubbed smart homes will
offer this perk. Smart home technology also will be available
to add to existing homes.
"You will be able to do anything adjust the room temperature;
control the lights, blinds and electronics; lock your doors and
windows. Any control point you desire can be adjusted and all
with one or two keystrokes," he says. "The technology
is already there. You can do anything you want. You're only limited
by your checkbook."
Until then, Daniel Creger advises delighting in whatever simple
modifications you can make to increase your homes accessibility,
comfort and safety.
"This is my dream house, even though the remodeling is never-ending,"
he says. "It's the simple things, like good kitchen knives,
that make life so much nicer."
And so much safer, too!
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Ka-ching!
Whats It All Going to Cost?
Here are some national average costs for
various remodeling projects. Your actual cost will depend
on where you live in the United States; the age, condition
and layout of your home; and the quirks of the individual
project.
Door widening: From $300
to $1,000 per doorway, not including the price of a door.
The cost depends on whether its a load-bearing wall, if
electrical outlets need to be relocated, and the expense
of replacing fancy door molding.
Before hammering a bigger hole, see if offset
hinges (see "Remodeling
Resources") will make the entry wide enough. Another
way to gain width is to rehinge the door on the outside
of the frame, and remove the doorstop trim below the door
lock.
Installing a roll-in shower: From $600 to $2,500 in labor/construction costs, not including
the cost of the shower unit. This includes taking out the
old tub and tile and installing a prefabricated unit in
the existing space. Plumbing modifications and floor/wall
prep, patching and finishing greatly influence cost.
Adding grab bars: From
$100 to $600 a bar on unreinforced bathroom walls, not including
the cost of the bar. The cost varies according to the wall
(interior or exterior) and the finish that needs to be removed
and replaced.
Lowering a kitchen sink: $400 to $800. The countertop is one of the greatest expenses
in this remodel. Costs are lower if you reuse the existing
sink.
Installing overhead track lift system: The average cost runs from $5,000 to $15,000 for the system
and installation of ceiling tracks. Variables include the
extent of track coverage in the house, how much ceiling
joist reinforcement is needed, and whether track is suspended
from the ceiling.
Newer homes built with prefabricated trusses
often require joist reinforcement. In general, reinforcement
isnt needed if the ceiling is made from 2-by-6-inch lumber
thats 16 to 19 inches measured from the center of each
board, says Brian Hudson, owner of Image Management of Raleigh,
N.C., who has installed about 500 Barrier Free lift systems.
Major bathroom remodel: Midrange cost is $10,088; high-end cost is $23,457.
Major kitchen remodel: For a 200-square-foot kitchen, including cabinets, countertops,
appliances, and flooring, the midrange cost is $43,804;
upscale cost: $68,962.
Master suite addition: To add a 24-foot-by-16-foot area over a crawl space, including
walk-in closet, whirlpool tub and shower, midrange cost
is $70,760; upscale cost: $133,993.
Flooring installation: Labor costs vary widely based on regional prices, subfloor
preparation, moving furniture and appliances, taking up
and replacing commodes, disposal of old flooring, trim,
etc.
In a quick survey of prices across the country,
installation costs for wood laminate flooring ran from $3
to $4.50 a square foot; for -inch ceramic tile from $3
to $12 a square foot; and for high-grade vinyl from 78 cents
to $1.65 a square foot. These figures are for installation
only, not materials.
Note: These costs are based on
Remodeling Magazines 2003 "Cost vs. Value" report
and interviews with contractors and retailers. |
REMODELING RESOURCES
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Unique
features like the fireplace in the bedroom of Daniel Creger's
house are what convince some owners to remodel rather than
build.
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General Information
Center for Universal Design, College of Design, North Carolina
State University
www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/
(800) 647-6777 or (919) 515-3082
Links to a wide variety of information on technology, housing, funding,
floor plans and more
Charles Schwab Architects
www.universaldesignonline.com
(563) 359-7524
Book of 83 fully accessible home plans
Kansas State University Dept. of Apparel, Textiles and Interior
Design
www.ksu.edu/humec/atid/UDF
(785) 532-6993
Universal design information for bath/kitchen
New Horizons Un-limited
www.new-horizons.org/gdbhac.html
Guide to Buying a Home for People with Disabilities: Accessible
Homes and Accessible Home Modifications
REMODELING Online
www.remodeling.hw.net
(202) 452-0800
Product and design trends in remodeling, how-to information, "Cost
vs. Value" report, detailed product specifications and ideas
for sharing with fellow remodelers
Thomas Register Online
www.thomasregister.com
(212) 290-7277
A tremendous resource for locating manufacturers and suppliers of
all kinds of products, including out-of-date products
Toolbase Services
www.toolbase.org
(800) 898-2842
Home building industrys technical information resource. Click
on "Seniors Housing" in the left-hand menu.
Finding Contractors
Home Improvement Specialists
www.handymanconnection.com
(800) 466-5530 or (513) 771-3003
National Association of Remodeling Industry
www.nari.org
(800) 611-6274 or (847) 298-9200
Valuable tips on interviewing and working with contractors
Prescreened Home Improvement Contractors
www.servicemagic.com
(800) 474-1596
Kitchen Products
Elkay
www.elkayusa.com
(630) 572-3192
Kitchen and bath products
Kohler
www.us.kohler.com
(800) 456-4537
Kitchen, bath, touchless faucets
KraftMaid Cabinetry
www.kraftmaid.com
(440) 632-5333
Smart House Products
Direct-Digital-Control.com
www.direct-digital-control.com
(973) 815-9909
Home automation
Quartet Technology
www.qtiusa.com
(978) 649-4328
Voice- and switch-activated environmental control units
Assistive Products and Equipment
Adaptive Access
www.adaptiveaccess.com
(281) 856-9332
Offset door hinges, ramps, grab bars, shower seats
Architectural Products for Barrier Free Living
www.barrierfree.org
(877) 717-7027
Grab bars, ramp kits, kitchen and bath items
Directory of Accessible Building Products
National Association of Homebuilders
www.nahbrc.org
(800) 638-8556
DSI
www.wavegrip.com
(818) 782-6793
Grab bars with better handholds
Fibron Products
www.fibronproducts.com
(800) 516-0285
Ramping materials
Guldmann
www.guldmann.net
(800) 664-8834
Manufacturer of ceiling lifts and the Stepless Excellent Ramp
System
Horcher Lifting Systems
www.horcherusa.com
(866) 378-3316
Manufacturer of Barrier Free lifts
Liko
www.liko.com
(888) 545-6671
Ceiling lifts
Lindustries
www.arcat.com
(781) 237-8177
Manufacturer of Leveron doorknobs
Maddak Ableware
www.maddak.com
(973) 628-7600
Devices for dressing, bathing, grooming
Open Sesame
www.opensesamedoor.com
(800) 673-6911 or (510) 638-0770
Wheelchair-mounted door opener
Rand-Scot
www.rand-scot.com
(800) 467-7967
EasyPivot lifts
Roll-a-Ramp
www.rollaramp.com
(866) 883-4722
Portable ramp system
SureHands Lift & Care Systems
www.surehands.com
(800) 724-5305
Ceiling lifts
WingIts
www.wingits.com
(877) 894-6448
Fastening system for grab bars no blocking or studs needed
Funding Information
Low Income
Government assistance for home modifications may be found through:
Your states Medicaid waiver program, vocational rehabilitation
agency, or health and family services department
Veterans Administration
National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home
Modification
www.homemods.org
(213) 740-1364 (Los Angeles)
Rebuilding Together
www.rebuildingtogether.org
(800) 4-REHAB9
A volunteer-based organization that helps low-income people with
home repairs and accessibility modifications
Tax Breaks
Accessibility remodeling costs may be deducted as medical expenses,
or as "impairment-related work expenses." See "
Take
It All Off," Quest, March-April 2004, and IRS Publication
502, "
Medical
and Dental Expenses."
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
www.hud.gov
(800) 569-4287
Information on reverse mortgages www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hecm/rmtopten.aspx
Home loan financing for accessibility modifications is available
through the Section 203(k) mortgage program www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/203k/203kabou.aspx
Read More About It
The Accessible Home: Updating Your Home for Changing Physical
Needs, by Nancy Baldrica, Creative Publishing International,
2003, (800) 328-3895, www.creativepub.com.
A House for All Children: Planning
a Supportive Home Environment for Children
With Disabilities, by Richard V.
Olsen, Ph.D., B. Lynn Hutchings, M. Arch.,
Ezra Ehrenkrantz, F.A.I.A., NJIT Press,
2000, (973) 596-3097, www.njit.edu/directory/centers/CABSR.
Quest Articles
"Building
Our Dream Home," December 2002
"Design
Your Kitchen to Fit You," September-October 2003
"The
Great Escape" (safety options), February 2002
"Home,
Sweet, Accessible Home," 1995, no. 3
"The
Impossible Dream," June 2001
"Ramp
It!," April 1998
"Stairs
Who Cares?," December 1998
And watch Quest in 2005 for a major article on bathroom design
and remodeling.
