Are you about to get started with building your own custom home, and plan on staying there until you are retired? If so, there are some considerations that you must make so that your home will be handicap accessible.

First Floor Master Suite

As much as you might like the separation of having the bedrooms on the second floor and the living area on the first floor, that may not be practical when you get older in age. It's very possible that you'll have trouble going up the stairs, which can make getting to bed a struggle. That is why you want to put the master suite on the first floor so that you can easily avoid going up and down stairs. Any additional bedrooms can go upstairs since you may not be going up there every single day.

Main Floor Laundry Room

Another thing that you'll want to do in order to avoid stairs is to plan the placement of your laundry room. While this room may typically go into the basement, you don't want to be in a position where you struggle to take a heavy laundry basket up and down the stairs. Instead, consider a first-floor laundry room that is near the master bedroom. Placement can work perfectly with it being next to the master suite since many plumbing fixtures may be run to the same room of the home. 

Wide Doors

You do not know if you are going to end up in a wheelchair when you are older, but it is better to plan for it now just in case. All of the doors in your home on the first floor should be wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair going through them. This will help ensure that every room will be accessible to you, even in your old age. The last thing you want to have happen is to realize that a wheelchair can't get out to your back porch because the door is not wide enough.

Zero Clearance Shower

You should also consider the entry clearance for your shower in a similar matter by installing a zero clearance shower. This will not only avoid a ledge that you have to step over when you are older, but also allows for a walker to enter the shower to help with accessibility.

Contact a custom home contractor for more ideas on how to make your home handicap accessible. 

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