Building an accessible home can be easy

From The Spectrum in Utah:

WASHINGTON - Most people look at square footage, number of bedrooms, kitchen space and curb appeal when looking for a house, but for people with disabilities, there are other practicalities to consider.

Finding a wheelchair accessible home can be difficult, and that was the point for a set of demonstrators at one of the homes showcased as part of the St. George Area Parade of Homes this week, who were trying to emphasize how easy it is to build an accessible home.

Talking to people about accessibility at the "Peaceful Pine View" home this week, Don Gordon, a Volunteer in Service to America said building an accessible home costs, on average, only $46 more during construction than a standard home. Some of the features, like wider doorways and lever door handles, can actually be less expensive than the typical design, while things like grab bars and an easy access sink are easy to install when they're part of the plan, Gordon said.

To come back in and make the changes later? About $28,000, he said.

That's the reasoning behind the push for "visitability," or universal design, which would create homes that suit accessibility needs without expensive upgrades. The homes can be used by an owner with a disability, to host people with disabilities, or in the event the owner ends up with a disability down the line, said Garry Owens, executive director of the Red Rock Center for Independence, a local nonprofit organization that works with people with disabilities.

"There's going to be a circumstance where some day you're going to need it," he said.

When done right, a home's accessibility can be almost impossible to notice for people who don't recognize the signs, Owens said, pointing out that a number of people had come through the home without noticing its accessibility features.

"It flows," said Yvonne Rossi, who walked through the home Tuesday. "You can't even tell that there's a difference there."

The home's builder, Jay Bradley, with Pride Homes Inc., said accessibility is mostly a matter of wider doors and hallways, with hard surface floors and no steps, which is simple to design and build.

Owens said the design process also doesn't involve additional cost, because most architects are required to know accessible design as part of their training.

"All they're doing is incorporating what they already know about accessibility," he said.

The home's owner, Robert Craw, said he was looking forward to moving into a house without stairs, and with his specific needs in mind, after years of living in a standard home in Minersville.

The home features smaller wheelchair-friendly items like a closet without a door and a lower microwave, as well.

"I haven't moved in yet, but I'm going to find that out," he said. "I think it'll be really nice."