HomeSmart
Home Adaptations for Independent Living
Blog
Recent Questions: The value of accessibility improvements
| Posted on August 15, 2014 at 4:57 PM |
Question: Will modifying my bathroom negatively
affect my home’s value? Answer: Actually,
modifying your bathroom to make it safer and more accessible will improve the
value of your home. Many of the past
solutions for accessibility were pretty institutional in design but today there
are numerous alternatives that not only function to improve safety and comfort
but also enhance the look of the space. The manufacturers are all aware that there are 77 million Baby Boomers
who are looking to the future and demanding high end products to make their
homes safe as well as beautiful. Furthermore,
this generation of Boomers is becoming educated in the concept of universal
design – looking to create spaces that are comfortable for all users regardless
of their physical abilities. Think about
it, if your bathroom – or for that matter any
room in your home - functions well for a
wide range of users, young/old, short/tall, wheelchair bound or not, it becomes
more desirable to a wider range of purchasers when it comes time for you to
sell. Question: My husband and I (both of us in our early 80’s) live
in a two story home and it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to climb the
stairs to our bedroom. We do not want to leave this house but want to
remain here for as long as possible. Can
you explain both stair lifts and home elevators and whether either one is a practical
solution for us? Answer: When deciding
how best to adapt your current home both physical and financial considerations are key. And since I do not know your particular
situation or what your preferred type of housing would be if moving, I can only
review the features, some pros and cons, and costs of both options and leave it
to you to determine what might work best for your situation. A stair
lift is a motorized chair on a track that carries a person up and down the
stairs. Stair lifts are typically attached
directly to the stair treads, not the walls, so installation can be
accomplished in under a day with minimal disruption to the house. In addition
to quick installation, stair lifts can easily be removed when they are no
longer needed. Many companies purchase
used lifts, then refurbish and re-sell them, so it is possible to recuperate
some of the equipment costs when you are no longer in need of the lift. Stair
lift solutions are available for types of stair configurations - inside and outside - and
can be battery operated, A/C operated, or A/C operated with battery backup.
Each requires a grounded electrical outlet positioned near the unit to power it
or to recharge the battery. The cost of a stair lift is
substantially less than a home elevator. Cost depends on simplicity – the simpler
the unit, the straighter the stairway, the lower the cost. A new stair lift installed on a simple, straight stair should cost under $4,000. Used ones will cost less. Pricing depends largely on the drive mechanism
selected, the options you choose, for example battery-backup, remote controls,
upholstered seat, etc., the length of the track (number of stairs it will
travel), and the type of stairway on which it will be used. There are companies that will rent them which might make sense if needing for a vacation or seasonal home. Stair lifts do have ongoing costs
and regularly scheduled maintenance is recommended along with annual
replacement of the battery (battery-operated units). A home elevator is the better
option for someone who is unable, or would have great difficulty transferring into
a stair lift chair. A home elevator is
a significantly more expensive option than a stair lift and one that can be difficult
to incorporate into an existing home. In order to install a home
elevator, you need to find space for the elevator shaft. The first way to
locate usable space is to look for downstairs closets,pantries, or powder rooms with clear floor space
above on the second floor that can be incorporated into the shaft.
If none of that is available, a shaft could be built by taking space
from an existing downstairs room and space from the corresponding room above to
use for the elevator shaft. This is a definitely
a major (read expensive) remodeling project all one its own and very
disruptive. If there is no interior
space available, an exterior shaft could be built with doorways to the interior
cut into the exterior wall. Costs of home elevators vary
significantly based on the number of floors spanned, the structural
requirements for the shaft, electrical requirements, and the size and features
of the elevator itself. Lower-end residential elevators begin around $15,000
and can cost upwards of $100,000 for more sophisticated or decorative
models. Home elevators require regular inspection
and repairs and their maintenance costs are higher than those of a stair lift. When it comes to deciding what makes the most sense for you, as with any modification for aging in place, you will need to weigh the emotional, physical and financial costs of moving as compared to the cost of the renovation and the value it brings as regards your comfort, safety and independence.  Susan Luxenberg President HomeSmart LLC |
Categories: Questions & Answers
Post a Comment
Oops!
The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.
945 Comments
Reply
UKessays rating
7:22 AM on October 5, 2017
Wow! It's so great you're working on making the life of elderly people easier! I know how hard it is to live by their own for them. My grandma moved to our house when she became too old. It was really hard for she, because she loved her house. So it's perfect that you're trying to make their homes more convenient. it's really important.
Reply
Korba Tech
2:18 PM on December 9, 2020
Why We Need Green Card?
https://www.korbatechnologies.com/buy-us-green-card-online/
A green card is very important document for everyone who is a US citizen. If you are not U.S citizen then you can’t get permanent residence in United States. So it’s very useful while you are looking for permanent residence. It helps to get or apply for resident or work both permits. By having this identity, you can freely live and work legally anywhere in United States. One more benefit is that you will easily qualify for U.S citizenship after 3 or 5 years. So overall this is very important documents for immigration purposes and if you don’t have kindly go to our contact page and submit your info. Our expert will revert you shortly.
Website : https://www.korbatechnologies.com/
Whatsapp Number : +44 (742)424-7385
Support whatsapp : +1(260)786-6671
Email id : [email protected]
Support Email : [email protected]
https://www.korbatechnologies.com/buy-us-green-card-online/
A green card is very important document for everyone who is a US citizen. If you are not U.S citizen then you can’t get permanent residence in United States. So it’s very useful while you are looking for permanent residence. It helps to get or apply for resident or work both permits. By having this identity, you can freely live and work legally anywhere in United States. One more benefit is that you will easily qualify for U.S citizenship after 3 or 5 years. So overall this is very important documents for immigration purposes and if you don’t have kindly go to our contact page and submit your info. Our expert will revert you shortly.
Website : https://www.korbatechnologies.com/
Whatsapp Number : +44 (742)424-7385
Support whatsapp : +1(260)786-6671
Email id : [email protected]
Support Email : [email protected]
Reply
Korba Tech
2:20 PM on December 9, 2020
Why We Need Green Card?
https://www.korbatechnologies.com/buy-us-green-card-online/
A green card is very important document for everyone who is a US citizen. If you are not U.S citizen then you can’t get permanent residence in United States. So it’s very useful while you are looking for permanent residence. It helps to get or apply for resident or work both permits. By having this identity, you can freely live and work legally anywhere in United States. One more benefit is that you will easily qualify for U.S citizenship after 3 or 5 years. So overall this is very important documents for immigration purposes and if you don’t have kindly go to our contact page and submit your info. Our expert will revert you shortly.
Website : https://www.korbatechnologies.com/
Whatsapp Number : +44 (742)424-7385
Support whatsapp : +1(260)786-6671
Email id : [email protected]
Support Email : [email protected]
https://www.korbatechnologies.com/buy-us-green-card-online/
A green card is very important document for everyone who is a US citizen. If you are not U.S citizen then you can’t get permanent residence in United States. So it’s very useful while you are looking for permanent residence. It helps to get or apply for resident or work both permits. By having this identity, you can freely live and work legally anywhere in United States. One more benefit is that you will easily qualify for U.S citizenship after 3 or 5 years. So overall this is very important documents for immigration purposes and if you don’t have kindly go to our contact page and submit your info. Our expert will revert you shortly.
Website : https://www.korbatechnologies.com/
Whatsapp Number : +44 (742)424-7385
Support whatsapp : +1(260)786-6671
Email id : [email protected]
Support Email : [email protected]
Reply
Accounting Firms Melbourne
1:48 AM on February 26, 2021
This post was very well written, and it also contains a lot of useful facts. I enjoyed your distinguished way of writing the post. Thanks, you have made it easy for me to understand.
https://accountancymatters.com.au/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/tax-services/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/bookkeeping/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/small-to-medium-sized-entities/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/tax-services/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/bookkeeping/
https://accountancymatters.com.au/small-to-medium-sized-entities/
Reply
jacob
1:58 AM on February 26, 2021
https://www.homesmart.org/apps/blog/show/48561448-recent-question
s-the-value-of-accessibility-improvements?siteId=140832205&locale
=en-US
s-the-value-of-accessibility-improvements?siteId=140832205&locale
=en-US
Oops!
Oops, you forgot something.