Are you or a loved one experiencing mobility issues and needing the assistance of a wheelchair? If so, it might be time to remodel your home’s entry with a step-less solution. By remodeling for a step-less entry, you can be confident your entry will be safer and more comfortable. Here are the steps for remodeling for a step-less entry into your home:
How To Remodel
- Have a covered entrance built over the entranceway. The covered entry aids in controlling water at a low threshold and ensures protection during inclement weather.
- Make sure there is adequate maneuvering space around storm doors and screen doors.
- Measure 5’x5’ as the minimum for level landing area maneuvering.
- The walkway should be 4′ wide and sloped at 1:20 or less. If the slopes are steeper than 1:30, you will need to install handrails.
- By using a mixture of retaining walls and earth berm, you will have an effective method that supplies a step-less route to the landing while keeping an integrated appearance of the home.
- Remove the original small stoop.
- When set at the same level as the interior house floor, the new porch landing will diminish the step at the entry door.
- Prepare a flush or low-profile threshold ½’. This measurement will need to be the maximum height.
- Install handrails with an integral package shelf.
- Exchange your house numbers for higher contrast numbers to ensure the numbers are easy to read at a distance.
- Set up good lighting at the entryway. Focus the light on the house numbers and locksets to make certain you or your loved one have ease of use and better security.
- Ensure the entry and screen door provides a minimum 32″ clear opening with leverage-style hardware.
- Lower the peephole, so you or your loved one can see through the peephole from the wheelchair.
Next Actions
At Next Day Access, our priority is to make sure that anyone aging in place or has mobility issues can live safely, comfortably, and independently at home. We offer a vast assortment of items that make life easier. If you would prefer not to remodel your entryway, we offer many different styles of wheelchair ramps, including threshold ramps that easily slide over a small step. However, we have products to help with your remodel if you choose to remodel. You can schedule an in-home consultation with us, and we can help you figure out if a remodel is the most effective solution for your home. During the consultation, we can also help to show you areas in the home that could use added safety measures. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.