A woman sits in a wheelchair in front of a computer sitting on a counter. Her smiling young daughter stands next to her pointing at something on the screen. A son sits in a chair behind her facing away from her toward a window.
Accessibility Design 101

Home Remodeling for Accessibility: The Planning Stage

by Laura Grey No Comments

This is the first of three articles on how to remodel your home for greater accessibility. This one focuses on the first stage: planning an accessible renovation. Article two features a success story about a real-life renovation undertaken by Jody and Drew Yarborough, a Californian couple who renovated their Silicon Valley home to make it more accessible, functional, and attractive. Article three focuses on finding ways to finance your renovation.

Part One: Planning an Accessible Renovation

More than 23 million people in the U.S. struggle with walking or climbing stairs, or can’t walk at all. Over 7% of us have mobility-related disabilities, and many more have temporary disabilities due to injury. These can make safe and easy movement at home difficult. Millions more have vision, hearing, or cognitive impairments that impact how they navigate their homes. People with disabilities usually need at least some accommodations to make their surroundings functional and comfortable. So, how exactly can we improve a home’s accessibility? When people are ready to make home improvements, how do they design and implement accessible renovations? And where should we begin when planning an accessible renovation?

Real-World Experience and Insights

Jody is kneeling on an electric mobility scooter; Andrew is next to her sitting in his motorized wheelchair. The two of them are smiling as the pose on the Boston Marathon finish line in Copley Square.
Jody and Drew Yarborough on a visit to Boston | Laura Grey

To gather the tips and practical advice in this article, I had an in-depth conversation with my friends Jody and Andrew Yarborough. Drew and Jody have disabilities that limit their mobility. They’ve made numerous improvements to their house to make it more fully accessible, useful, and attractive to them. The results are beautiful and have greatly improved their daily lives. Jody and Drew are also longtime advocates of disability rights and awareness, and have a large network of friends and colleagues with an array of disabilities.

Drew and Jody have spoken with many members of the disability community and researched others’ experiences in dealing with inaccessible spaces. Before their own renovations, Jody and Drew did lots of research into accommodations that can create safer, prettier, more comfortable spaces. They were happy to share their valuable insights based on their extensive research, experience, and conversations.

Perhaps you have a disability and want to update your home. Or maybe you’re readying your place so that people with disabilities can visit, or move in when the time comes. You might even be adding updates to make your home safer and more comfortable for you as you age. Whatever your situation, you can gather helpful knowledge from the Yarboroughs’ suggestions about planning, renovating, and furnishing homes to improve safety and style when remodeling for accessibility. Below are thoughts they shared about planning their own accessible renovations.

Barrier-Free Living—The Key to Easier Movement

A large covered veranda or deck has several doorways into the house, but all are several inches off the ground. A large gas grill is too close to the door at right, blocking easy access to for someone using a wheelchair or other mobility device.
Though this deck is large and roomy, note how the thresholds to the doorways are not flush with the deck, so a wheelchair can’t roll over them. Note also how the grill blocks easy access to the door at right, making entering the house more awkward. Lowering thresholds, adding low ramps, and keeping access to doors clear all make a space more accessible | Point3D Commercial Imaging Ltd via Unsplash

Accessibility to entrances and easy movement throughout a home doesn’t just involve avoiding stairs. A key part of planning an accessible renovation is removing barriers wherever possible.

For example, many people with disabilities can’t traverse pathways with uneven stones or pavers, and even a single step can keep them from being able to enter a building. For safe access, they need ground that’s even and free of standing water.

They need to avoid ledges, edges, or gaps where mobility aids could get stuck or cause them to tip or fall. Sometimes they need ramps, and doors that won’t automatically shut on them. And their doorways must be wide enough to roll through comfortably, even if they’re carrying things or are walking a dog on a leash.

Navigating barriers is tricky inside the home, too. Some people who use wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or crutches can’t turn around sharp corners or go down narrow hallways without risk of bumping and damaging walls or doorways. When remodeling for accessibility, eliminate narrow areas and bad angles to make navigating the home (and keeping it clean and damage-free) much easier.

Consider All the Modes You Need to Navigate

A pathway of unevenly shaped flagstones is surrounded by loose rocks, bark, and plantings on either side of the narrow pathway. On either side are tall shrubs and walls of buildings covered in climbing plants. In the distance are tall urban buildings.
Though well-tended, this pathway could be unsafe for a person with mobility challenges. Note the narrow stepping stones with sharp edges, plants growing over the path, and depressions between slabs where wheels, walkers, or crutches could get caught. | DLKR for Unsplash

If you’re planning an accessible renovation of a home for yourself or others, think about all the obstacles currently in the way. Drew and Jody suggest thinking about all the modes you need to navigate inside and outside of your house. Here are some common examples of areas or modes that are often disability-unfriendly:

When you look around your home, consider whether a person with limited mobility or vision would be able to navigate it safely and fully. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when remodeling for accessibility:

Questions to ask yourself

The covered front door of a white 19th century house is at the top of a flight of stairs. Bushes butt up against the stairs, leaving nowhere to add a ramp up to the front door.
These stairs disallow entry by walkers or wheelchairs; bushes leave no room for a ramp. This entry needs reworking to be accessible | Carina Brewer for Unsplash
  • Do all your staircases have handrails? They make stairs safer for all, and are essential for people who can walk, but have stability issues. Stairways should have handrails to hold onto at the top and bottom, and at every stair.
  • If you have ramps or paths leading to your house, are they too steep for walkers, wheelchairs, or crutches? Do they get muddy or slippery in the rain?
  • Are your outdoor paths wheelchair accessible? Paths with pavers abutting each other are easier and cleaner to navigate than paths with soil, bark, gravel, or grass between the pavers.
  • If you have a steep outdoor entry to your home, do you use longer ramps or paths with switchbacks to keep them from being too slippery, steep, or otherwise difficult or unsafe to roll or walk on?
  • If you live in a snowy area, are your ramps covered? If not, they may become impassable during bad weather.
  • If there’s a garage or covered carport, is there an accessible entryway directly into the house from the parking area?

Prioritize Your Needs, and Stick with Them

A gold-toned faucet is seen from below as it fills a sink with a tall stream of water.
The latest finishes, materials, shapes, and tech are enticing. But have you budgeted for all your essentials before adding in costs of desirable but unnecessary upgrades? | Bibi Pace Yzewo for Unsplash

It’s easy to get distracted by the lure of fancy kitchen backsplash tiles, airy skylights, or under-floor heating. But you don’t want to run out of money before essentials are covered. If that happens, you might have to settle for lower quality or less advanced or convenient versions of the most important elements of your renovation.

While planning an accessible renovation, make sure you and others in your home agree on what’s most important. Keep returning to them when you find yourself being distracted. Then make a second list of nice-to-have extras that can be set aside if necessary. Determine ahead of time what your must-haves are. Price each item and recheck the price frequently to make sure it hasn’t skyrocketed. Revisit your priority list each time your renovation is delayed or takes a hit to the budget.

Buy materials before you need them

You’ll also want to follow prices closely to make sure you take advantage of any sales or special discounts. It’s best to purchase items like appliances, cabinetry, or tiles early and store them rather than have prices go up or availability disappear once the project is underway.

Maybe you’re building a custom space to fit an item (as often happens when renovating for accessibility). If so, you’ll want to have that item purchased or reserved before you undertake customization. If you can’t get materials when you need them, the whole project could be put on hold. Or you may need to pull out and redo some of your work if you need to use alternative materials. That can be expensive and add months to a project.

Overplan, and be flexible

A screenshot of a SketchUp 3D model of a home layout.
The Yarboroughs saved time and expense by modeling their ideas with SketchUp before they met with their contractor | SketchUp 3D model by John Luttropp is available on 3D Warehouse

Drew and Jody found it helpful to make rudimentary measurements and drawings with SketchUp on their own. This saved time and expense later. While planning their renovation, they shared those elementary drawings with their engineer and contractor. This helped everyone involved plan changes to the layout that would be accessible, up to code, and properly customized for Jody and Drew’s needs. Their careful planning and preparation—and willingness to be flexible—resulted in success. Nothing big went haywire, though parts of the project were stressful, and they couldn’t continue living in the house during renovations.

Some plans proved to be too expensive. They’d hoped to remove some existing hardscaping (a.k.a. flatwork) to make their outdoor areas completely barrier free. They’d also considered using pavers on their driveway. They found that pavers were too expensive. However, stamped concrete adds texture for grippier driveways, is about the half the cost, and gives a similar finished result.

Find a Contractor Familiar with Remodeling for Accessibility

An old car sits in a crowded garage with no room for a wheelchair to roll up to the car or enter the house
An experienced contractor knows an accessible garage should have plenty of space to maneuver all around the car, room for a wheelchair lift or walker, and safe (preferably covered) access to the house via a ramp or a doorway with a flat threshold—low storage is helpful, too | Eddie Jones for Unsplash

Contractors who’ve already made at least one home more accessible know what questions to ask before they begin work. Their deeper knowledge means they can often do a better job of customizing your home for your needs. If they have experience planning an accessible renovation and have renovated several houses, they probably know about multiple options. Those with greater experience designing for accessibility may know of more ways to help you keep updates affordable.

If your contractor has a family member with a disability and has made a home accessible for them, that’s a big plus. They’re likely to know more about day-to-day hassles and little adjustments that make a big difference. Here are some of the benefits of working with someone familiar with universal and accessible design:

Be Prepared for “Scope Creep”

A large accessible bathroom features a shallow and wide roll-under sink, a large roll-in shower, a tiled bench in the shower, and plenty of tiled floorspace in which to maneuver
An accessible bathroom doesn’t have to be this fancy, but you may find that once you get started, it’s tempting to add all the bells and whistles | Max Rahubovskiy for Pexels

Jody and Draw’s contractor had family members with disabilities, so he was up to date on needs and codes. He had relevant experience that made him open to solutions to problems that many contractors have never had to consider.

But even a great contractor can’t foresee every eventuality, such as unexpectedly load-bearing, termite-infested, or rotting walls. Successfully planning an accessible renovation requires being ready for the scope of renovations to expand. You may find that your contractor needs to make unexpected repairs, or relocate structural elements, wall openings, or doorways. Look for a contractor who has practice being flexible and can adjust to your specific needs.

Beware of that other creep, too

Along with scope creep comes cost creep. Contractors suggest you overbudget on both time and cost. In 2019, 31% of homeowners ended their renovations over budget. Underestimating costs is common. It usually happens because people don’t set aside enough time and money for contingencies. These might include finding out that you need to replace electrical wiring or plumbing. You might need to repair a foundation, or address rodent damage. A lot of underbudgeting comes because people underestimate the cost of materials or the amount of labor involved. Have you seen TV makeover shows that appear to renovate a whole house in a few short weeks? These highly edited shows contribute to people’s overly ambitious timelines and budgets.

The 25% rule

Another common budget-buster is discovering higher quality materials and options once the renovation is underway. Maybe your contractor recommends an upgrade. Or in your research you might find something nicer than the appliances, materials, or fabrications you’d planned on. To be on the safe side, budget at least 25% more than you expect to need in both time and money when planning an accessible renovation.

“ADA-Compliant” Doesn’t Always Mean “Fully Accessible”

A diagram showing 1991 ADA bathroom standard layout requirements for a minimally ADA-compliant hotel guest room.
ADA accessibility guidelines must be followed for new and most renovated public buildings, but most private homes are exempt from these requirements. Some contractors mistakenly believe that they need to follow ADA guidelines to the letter, even if they make a room less accessible for someone with special needs | Image from U.S. ADA bathroom guidelines, 1991

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. Since then, U.S. architects, designers, and businesses have become much more familiar with the needs of people with disabilities. ADA compliance is necessary for businesses and public buildings. However, it’s not usually mandatory for private homes. If you’re building a home or remodeling for accessibility‚ you probably don’t need to meet ADA design requirements. But you might if a government agency is funding your remodel. Make sure of your local requirements before you sign off on renovation plans with a contractor.

Why wouldn’t a person with disabilities want to meet ADA design standards? Because you may want your home to be customized in ways specific to you that don’t follow ADA guidelines. Custom alterations might meet your needs much better. Perhaps you can’t sit straight up, have limited arm movement, or can’t use your hands to grasp things. For you, ADA standards might not accommodate your personal needs.

If your requested changes meet building codes for your area and your building, your contractor shouldn’t refuse your requests. However, a builder may suggest other options that might work better or cost you less. If they give you push back, ask why they don’t believe they can accommodate you. Once you know the reasons, you might be able to work with them to find alternatives.

Start with Deferred Maintenance Tasks

A man walks on a rooftop holding a bag of shingles over his shoulder. He walks away from the photographer toward piles of other roofing materials.
Before you renovate, make sure the home’s in stable condition without deferred maintenance, unaddressed damage, or insufficient electrical power. Fix these before you put more pressure on existing structures | Zohair Mirza for Unsplash

When Jody and Drew decided to renovate, they took care of deferred maintenance first. They stabilized the house as it was before they took on the major renovations. Preparation included tasks like rewiring for better internet access, and reroofing the house to avoid any leaks.

By taking on deferred maintenance first, the Yarboroughs were able to have everything patched up and painted at once at the end of the renovations, saving money and avoiding duplication of effort.

Keep Written Records of All Agreements and Costs

A man in a wheelchair sits before a kitchen cabinet and pulls a drawer open.
Dedicate a place to put all notes, receipts, contracts, and other planning materials so you can refer to them easily and promptly throughout your renovation. Some people devote a kitchen drawer or cabinet to this task | CDC via Unsplash

It can be tempting to agree to a project or to incremental changes with verbal agreements. But construction is costly, and errors can be very difficult to fix, so it’s best to be absolutely sure that everyone’s on the same page. Communication, records, and receipts are important to keep track of for the best outcomes.

Make sure you have clear written understandings and agreements between parties. Document all details in writing, including specific materials, sizes, due dates, unusual requirements, customization, etc.

Finally, and importantly, don’t start work on renovations without a signed contract. It can be tempting to trust people and want to get going right away. But a written, dated contract signed by you and your contractor is essential to make sure you have legal recourse if something goes wrong.

Crystal clear communication is key

Friendly reminders and regular check-ins are important. Contractors often work on several projects at once with multiple subcontractors. Details can get lost along the way, so communicating clearly and often with them is essential.

Keep a paper or email trail. Know what you’ve asked for, what they’ve agreed to, who signed those agreements, and when. In a big project, something will go wrong, get forgotten, or be replaced with something you didn’t want. If you have a written agreement and a contractor makes changes without your approval, they’re usually on the hook to correct the problem, legally speaking. To limit such problems, make visits to the site often to make sure things are going as expected. If you can’t visit in person, ask for lots of photos so you can follow the progress.

Accommodating Non-Mobility-Related Disabilities

A blind woman sits on a chair with a braille book in her lap. A large service dog sits on the floor next to her.
People with low or no vision benefit from walls or floors with varying textures, so they know when to expect to turn, step up, or step down. Clear warnings of changes in the environment, and consistent placement of objects helps people with low vision or blindness navigate more safely | Thirdman for Pexels

We’ve been talking about remodeling to accommodate physical disabilities or movement limitations. But many people require renovations that benefit people with cognitive or coping variations or disabilities, or certain types of neuroatypicality.

Adaptations for neuroatypical people can include interior design accommodations for people on the autism spectrum. People with other conditions—including but not limited to Tourette’s syndrome, Down syndrome, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease—may also benefit from accommodations.

Consider special sensory requirements

Some people are hypersensitive to certain sensory inputs such as textures, smells, lights, or sounds. They can become overwhelmed by processing specific stimuli. They may benefit from things like adjustable lighting or soundproofing. Some need to avoid certain textures that make them highly uncomfortable. Others install extractor fans to eliminate odors (though be sure that the noise such fans make isn’t also a trigger).

Another option for people sensitive to kitchen smells or noises is to create kitchen areas that can be closed off, instead of using an open-concept plan. That way, offending odors or sounds can be better contained. When planning an accessible renovation for people with non-mobility-related disabilities, it’s important to know what sensory triggers they may have, and to review possible alternatives with them before construction.

If you’re avoiding certain stimuli, make sure contractors know beforehand. Tell them what you need to avoid. Then make sure to review textures, lighting, or devices they plan to install before they begin work. They might not remember that your household has special requirements. They may also be unaware of all the things that may be triggers that cause discomfort.

Check out the second article in this series, Home Remodeling for Accessibility, Part 2: A Renovation Success Story, as well as the third, Home Remodeling for Accessibility, Part 3: Financing Your Remodel.

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Photo courtesy of CDC via Unsplash

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