Disabled Access - Steps down/ramps

[scottishjohn]

7 minutes ago, andyscotland said:

On the plus side from travelling with my wheelchair-bound mother in law I know that there's actually quite a shortage of nice, especially rural, accessible holiday accommodation. So putting in a bit of thought now will help to open up a reasonably-sized market for your business and could well pay off.

this is certainly my idea  ,if I have enough money left to build things on my site

fully disabled access with wet room ,full disabled toilet   full heating system +cooking facilities and car parking right next to them --so they can be all year round occupation 

I see that is where the growth market is .

providing you have views like i do 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by scottishjohn

[andyscotland]

3 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

this is certainly my idea  ,if I have enough money left to build things on my site

fully disabled access with wet room ,full disabled toilet   full heating system +cooking facilities and car parking right next to them --so they can be all year round occupation 

I see that is where the growth market is .

providing you have views like i do 

 

 

 

If/when you do we'll be early in the queue to book a trip! 

[scottishjohn]

most likley out come  i think ,due to my age is I will sell of parts for other people to run a life style biz like this 

[joe90]

7 minutes ago, andyscotland said:

If/when you do we'll be early in the queue to book a trip! 

I am not waiting, I’m off up there in my caravan ?

[joe90]

I know you don’t want it level, but, if you did you could incorporate this all round 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1726633069?iid=270630536321&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=

[iSelfBuild]

I feel more comfortable visualising this now. There is a 30mm drop from the log underside to the channel drain.

 

 

 

There is a 15mm step up onto the threshold from inside floor level then a 10mm step down onto the channel drain off the threshold.

 

 

I'm pretty sure this meets the regulations.

 

I was looking at some other speciality disabled accommodation and they really have gone the full hog with grab handles all over, wet rooms etc, hoists into beds etc. Basically fully fitted out which is very impressive and commendable. 

 

It was never my intention to go to this level of 'disabled friendliness' and I don't want to for this dwelling for various reasons, I'm going to speak to the listing company I intend to use and see what they actually require.

 

The tick box is 'wheelchair access' - https://www.cottages.com/scotland/dumfries-and-galloway?fshow=1&features=6734

 

Looking at the competition I think they are just making sure the entrance door is level and that's about it.

[andyscotland]

21 hours ago, iSelfBuild said:

 

I was looking at some other speciality disabled accommodation and they really have gone the full hog with grab handles all over, wet rooms etc, hoists into beds etc. Basically fully fitted out which is very impressive and commendable. 

 

That's very (unusually) impressive.

 

We've never found anywhere with a hoist into the bed. My MiL has a "portable" hoist she can take in the car (it's enormous and very heavy), or two of us can lift her into bed with a lifting belt.

 

The major thing aside from the entrance is the width of corridors and doorways internally particularly for turning, and whether there is space beside the bed to get the wheelchair right alongside with space to move for transfer. If we're using the portable hoist it needs a good couple of metres beside the bed and the bed to be on legs (not flat to the floor) so the base of the hoist can roll under it.

 

It's most often the layout / space of the bedroom that rules out things that are advertised as wheelchair accessible for us.

 

Wet rooms are nice but my MiL doesn't really use bathroom independently so that's never been a thing we particularly look for. Likewise grab rails aren't relevant for her (but would be for walking disabled)

[Mr Punter]

I am about to build 3 new flats and considering making the ground floor fully wheelchair accessible but the cost is quite considerable.  I will do some research on the prospect of enhanced rental values before I decide.  One issue is that some features that are desirable for a wheelchair user are a nuisance for able bodied.

 

There are lots of ambulant disabled people who will appreciate the level threshold though.

[Temp]

Can you elaborate? Why is it so expensive?

 

We were required to provide a level entry by the building regs. Love it now. So much easier when you want to get something like a washing machine in on a trolley.

 

I reckon the mistake people make is to build a house and then worry they have to add a ramp.  Just design it level in the first place. 

 

 

[joe90]

1 hour ago, Temp said:

Just design it level in the first place. 

yup, that’s what I did ?

[iSelfBuild]

To market as disabled friendly the following conditions need to be met, each and every one.

 

Accessibility

 

Ground floor facilities – The property must have no internal steps on the ground floor, and have all principle rooms (bedroom, bathroom sitting room, dining and kitchen) on the ground floor. The property cannot have more than 2 steps to the entrance, unless there is alternative access.

 

Wheelchair Access – Wide doorways (minimum 750mm) to entrance and garden, and all rooms that enable ground floor facilities (see above). Level or ramped access to the entrance and garden. Clear circulation space within the accessible part of the property, so that wheelchair users can move about.

 

Ramp/level access – A ramp or totally level access (no step) which allows a person to access a property easily, i.e. wheelchair users, prams

 

Ground floor wet room – A room on the ground floor where there is a shower head, and water from the shower is allowed to fall directly onto the floor and drain away.

 

Walk-in shower/bath – A shower where a person does not have to step up or step over something to enter the shower

 

Bath/shower seat – A seat which is made for bathtubs or showers for those who must sit when taking a shower

 

Grab rails – Grab rails are safety rails designed to enable a person to maintain balance or have something to grab onto in case of a slip or fall. Generally in the bathroom.

 

Electric bed – An adjustable bed which can be controlled via a remote/motor for a person to lie in a number of different positions

 

Hoist – A mobile device which can be used to lift a person, i.e. from a chair to a bed

 

Low Worktops – A low flat surface used for working on, mainly found in a kitchen, to aid those in a wheelchair

[andyscotland]

We've stayed in a lot of properties marketed as disabled friendly and not a single one has ever had an electric bed or a hoist on site. Don't recall any with low worktops either.

[Ferdinand]

19 hours ago, iSelfBuild said:

To market as disabled friendly the following conditions need to be met, each and every one.

 

Accessibility

 

Ground floor facilities – The property must have no internal steps on the ground floor, and have all principle rooms (bedroom, bathroom sitting room, dining and kitchen) on the ground floor. The property cannot have more than 2 steps to the entrance, unless there is alternative access.

 

Wheelchair Access – Wide doorways (minimum 750mm) to entrance and garden, and all rooms that enable ground floor facilities (see above). Level or ramped access to the entrance and garden. Clear circulation space within the accessible part of the property, so that wheelchair users can move about.

 

Ramp/level access – A ramp or totally level access (no step) which allows a person to access a property easily, i.e. wheelchair users, prams

 

Ground floor wet room – A room on the ground floor where there is a shower head, and water from the shower is allowed to fall directly onto the floor and drain away.

 

Walk-in shower/bath – A shower where a person does not have to step up or step over something to enter the shower

 

Bath/shower seat – A seat which is made for bathtubs or showers for those who must sit when taking a shower

 

Grab rails – Grab rails are safety rails designed to enable a person to maintain balance or have something to grab onto in case of a slip or fall. Generally in the bathroom.

 

Electric bed – An adjustable bed which can be controlled via a remote/motor for a person to lie in a number of different positions

 

Hoist – A mobile device which can be used to lift a person, i.e. from a chair to a bed

 

Low Worktops – A low flat surface used for working on, mainly found in a kitchen, to aid those in a wheelchair

 

Can you identify the source of that?

 

It seems quite narrow and focused if it is supposed to be a general standard -  almost as if one particular specialist charity have nobbled the regulator with the specific requirements of their user group. But it is also very generic on other things, for example in things suitable for people who have a visual disability.

 

eg a Class 3 mobility scooter can be up to 850mm wide, which won't work well if a 750mm wide front door or porch door can be advertised as "accessible" with no qualification. TBF Class 3 scooters are rather chunky. But similar things might apply to flimsy or shiny grab rails and 100+kg people.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[iSelfBuild]

2 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Can you identify the source of that?

 

It seems quite narrow and focused if it is supposed to be a general standard -  almost as if one particular specialist charity have nobbled the regulator with the specific requirements of their user group. But it is also very generic on other things, for example in things suitable for people who have a visual disability.

 

eg a Class 3 mobility scooter can be up to 850mm wide, which won't work well if a 750mm wide front door or porch door can be advertised as "accessible" with no qualification. TBF Class 3 scooters are rather chunky. But similar things might apply to flimsy or shiny grab rails and 100+kg people.

 

 

This is from the Health & Safety Team at Cottages.com

[Ferdinand]

19 minutes ago, iSelfBuild said:

This is from the Health & Safety Team at Cottages.com

 

Aha -  so not  official.

[iSelfBuild]

12 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Aha -  so not  official.

 

Nope, just to qualify for their listings.

 

To be honest, I won't be building this disabled compliant anymore (in terms of their listing requirments)

 

It will be to the same disabled requirements as a regular dwelling though.

[Mr Punter]

The full wheelchair accessible standards in part M are pretty onerous.  Very unlikely you would ever recover the costs in rent.

[Temp]

19 hours ago, iSelfBuild said:

This is from the Health & Safety Team at Cottages.com

 

I was curious how many properties on their site meet that but couldn't figure out how to find any.

[eandg]

On 05/06/2020 at 10:10, scottishjohn said:

this is certainly my idea  ,if I have enough money left to build things on my site

fully disabled access with wet room ,full disabled toilet   full heating system +cooking facilities and car parking right next to them --so they can be all year round occupation 

I see that is where the growth market is .

providing you have views like i do 

 

 

If you can afford the additional initial outlay it's a no brainer really - ageing and increasingly affluent population, living far more 'unhealthy' years with a few quid to spend on holidays and the rightful expectation that their needs will be met. If you can provide for the family member(s) needing accessibility then you're also on for another couple of rentals for the extended family too. 

 

If I had cash it's what I'd be doing (or buying up cheap accessible ground floor flats/bungalows in peripheral towns where you've got high yields, growing demand and the only void periods will be on death every 5/10/15/20 years). 

[scottishjohn]

34 minutes ago, eandg said:

If you can afford the additional initial outlay it's a no brainer really - ageing and increasingly affluent population, living far more 'unhealthy' years with a few quid to spend on holidays and the rightful expectation that their needs will be met. If you can provide for the family member(s) needing accessibility then you're also on for another couple of rentals for the extended family too. 

 

If I had cash it's what I'd be doing (or buying up cheap accessible ground floor flats/bungalows in peripheral towns where you've got high yields, growing demand and the only void periods will be on death every 5/10/15/20 years). 

I used to have a chalet park -but that was when i was in my 20,s --and it seemed very boring and not for me at that time -dealing with customers at 11.00 at night for  a bog roll  or a bulb

ran it for 5 years along with the garage

where we are the season is at least 20 weeks - I reckon @£600 a week renta -the you would have them fully paid for in 2 years 

 my price is from what is advertised for the area without all the features and no views to compare

10x7 m sips units my guess 20K each to build

and with proper heating system etc I see there being all year round potential --not just summer as with these "hobbit homes and  pods so i would expect to get min 30 weeks a year