Recommendations for Bathrooms for Elderly / Disabled

[Ferdinand]

This is for @newhome.

 

How do I claim the VAT back on eligible components of this bathroom I buy directly?

 

I tried to get Screwfix, for example, to rebate me on the Shower Seat but it did not work. The individual does have a chronic condition, and should therefore qualify.

 

The VAT link is here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reliefs-from-vat-for-disabled-and-older-people-notice-7017#evidence-show-customer-eligible

 

But how do I make it work?

 

Ferdinand

Edited June 10, 2019 by Ferdinand

[newhome]

59 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

How do I claim the VAT back on eligible components of this bathroom I buy directly?

 

So when my husband was terminally ill we had to buy him some equipment to help. We found that the specialist companies that provide such equipment are much better set up to buy eligible items VAT free. Somewhere like Screwfix will be less enabled to cover such scenarios so it may take more effort to sort. Here’s a Facebook link I found (and screenshot for those who don’t do FB). Not sure if the details are still valid so worth messaging them 

 

 

 

[Ferdinand]

On 07/06/2019 at 14:16, ragg987 said:

grab bars around the toilet - free-standing / frame type - as issued by the NHS

 

@ragg987 Can you comment on these.

Do you mean this kind of thing?

 

(I love the 'magazine rack' - just right for 101 Things to do with a Dead Cat.)

 

Edited June 11, 2019 by Ferdinand

[ragg987]

Yes, something like that. The NHS version did not stretch to the magazine rack.

[TheMitchells]

another thing to think about is the option of 'comfort height toilets - these are designed to be taller than standard designs. These units are great for taller or less able users. The height on these toilets relieves the user of pressure on their knees and joints, with a much more comfortable seating position.  

https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/toilets/comfort-height-toilets

just one website (there are others) with a limited range but gives the idea.

 

And we alwaysraise the height of the basin as the normal heigh ones are too low for us and bending over that little bit more doesnt help with bad backs.

[Ferdinand]

My elderly person is about 4 ft 10 so a normal loo Is comfort height. ?

 

We specced the height of the shower seat by matching it to the loo.

 

I am quite impressed by those booster loo seats which clip on top; seems like a good practical answer.

 

Have not done the detailed sums yet, but it looks like around £2500, of which half is materials and perhaps half labour, with about 250-300 of the materials being accessibility aids. Though we have retained the previous whb and storage cupboard. That does not count VAT back if I get any.

 

F

 

PS Our shower room is being finished this am, and so far it is 11 different wall tiles which will need replacing should we ever reverse the changes for accessibility. or we will be the shower room with the most soap dishes in the most peculiar places of any shower room in the whole world. However, the wall tiles were free from a friend and I have loads of extras.

 

Edited June 11, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

Returning as promised to @ragg987's checklist. My assessment of what I have done is in red.

• bathroom door next to the bedroom - Yes.
• bathroom door opens outwards so cannot be blocked shut by a fallen body. No, but 2m clear inside as next to stairs lengthways on.
• toilet next to bathroom door No
• large toilet flush plate https://www.designerbathroomconcepts.com/geberit-bolero-dual-flush-plate-gloss-chrome.html Normal dual button flush.
• large comfortable pan and seat Yes.
• non-fiddly toilet roll holder Yes.
• space for wheelchair when needed Yes.
• sink fixed to wall with clear space underneath to permit wheelchair or seated use Vanity unit as desired.
• generous walk-in shower flush to floor https://www.bette.de/en/produkte/duschwannen/detail?p=Floor Yes. Not flush. Room to raise floor or fit false floor + ramp for wheelchair accessibility when reqd.
• wall-mounted grab bars all along shower wall and just outside Croydex straight and angled Yes. ABS plastic fluted - screwfix unbranded.
• fixed overhead and hand-held shower heads Yes.
• easy to use shower and sink controls - large knobs or handles Yes.
• thermostatic mixers on sink and shower to prevent scalding Yes. Also 56C temp set at boiler
• hinged seat in shower (really nice and strong, no sharp edges, needed noggins in studwall) https://www.sam.de/produkt/0043120010-sam-freeway-badausstattungen/?lang=en Yes.
• fully sealed floor area to minimise issues when water get everywhere Yes.
• low-level sensor night lighting https://www.slv.com/en-uk/luminaires-lamps/frame-led-230v-curve-led-indoor-wandeinbauleuchte-2700k-1000574.html na but sockets well placed if required
•  plenty of general light and specific fixed light over sink Yes.
• wall mounted stuff to keep floor clear, including toilet brushholder Still thinking about.

We have since had to supplement due to knee surgery and have added

• grab bars around the toilet - free-standing / frame type - as issued by the NHS
• free-standing stool in shower - issued by NHS

In reality, the bathroom does not look specifically adapted (apart from grab-bars in shower) and will serve well for able-bodied people, for instance if we wanted to rent it out in the future. This should help with niche rental markets.

 

Extra bits not on the checklist:

 

• Textured non-slip tiles on the floor, if using tiles not wetroom.
• Vertical grab bar to hold whilst showering.
• Positioning of shower seat in line with rainfall shower head.
• Consider grab bar positioned low where person can potentially lift themselves back up if they slip.
• Keep enough tiles to be able to switch it back later, or to show future buyers of house that it can be reversed.
• Long coachscrews for shower seat; at least 75mm into loadbearing wall (add 25mm for tiles + dot-dab).
• Consider risk of heavy visitors or family damaging shower seat by "plonking" onto it.
• If there is a privacy bolt, make it one that can be undone from outside in an emergency.
• Educate your fitter as to which way to turn knob on shower to test shower wand rather than drench himself with the rainfall.
• Consider shower room alarm.
   

I'll do an after the fact article on the blog.

 

Ferdinand

Edited June 11, 2019 by Ferdinand

[ragg987]

Thanks for getting back and your extras list @Ferdinand.

36 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Textured non-slip tiles on the floor, if using tiles not wetroom

I missed this completely with the shower tray. Using a non-slip mat, seems to be fine so far, though fiddly as need to lift and let dry else will go mouldy. Those self-adhesive buttons look good.

37 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Positioning of shower seat in line with rainfall shower head.

I intentionally  avoided this with the fixed shower head and positioned the flex shower head so it can spray towards the seat. In any case adding the NHS stool gives full flexibility of positioning.

39 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Educate your fitter as to which way to turn knob on shower to test shower wand rather than drench himself with the rainfall.

And you still trust him to have fitted it well ;). The knobs are away from the shower heads so can be operated prior to stepping under the water.

40 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

Consider shower room alarm.

My parents have personal alarms they wear 24x7, is remotely connected to a device that dials out if alarm button is pressed. This gives peace of mind as they can alert a third party to any emergencies even if we are not in. I also have a front-door key (in a key safe mounted outside) so the emergency response can access the house if required.

[Ferdinand]

15 minutes ago, ragg987 said:

Thanks for getting back and your extras list @Ferdinand.

I missed this completely with the shower tray. Using a non-slip mat, seems to be fine so far, though fiddly as need to lift and let dry else will go mouldy. Those self-adhesive buttons look good.

I intentionally  avoided this with the fixed shower head and positioned the flex shower head so it can spray towards the seat. In any case adding the NHS stool gives full flexibility of positioning.

And you still trust him to have fitted it well ;). The knobs are away from the shower heads so can be operated prior to stepping under the water.

My parents have personal alarms they wear 24x7, is remotely connected to a device that dials out if alarm button is pressed. This gives peace of mind as they can alert a third party to any emergencies even if we are not in. I also have a front-door key (in a key safe mounted outside) so the emergency response can access the house if required.

 

1 - I meant the tiles for the main floor - but I take your point.

When I did a couple of student houses a few years ago, I used a commercial wetroom product for the main bathroom floor just to be thorough, tanked into a deep 1700 x 800 shower tray for the shower. That has lasted 7 years so far, but we get very sensible students.

2 - Horses for courses, as discussed on the thread.

3 - The guy has been doing stuff for us since the early 1990s. For me putting the knobs elsewhere would have involved serious chopping into walls, which I have avoided.

4 - Will consider that. At present there is usually someone here.

 

And there's another:

 

• Time for water to run warm. (Mine is only about 6m pipe run from the boiler)

 

F

Edited June 11, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Hecateh]

As things become more automated - an 'Alexa' or similar positioned in the bathroom to enable oral 'drop in' check 

[Ferdinand]

Here is a quick video of where we have got to:

 

 

There are still a few finishing touches to do:

• Hooks on door need to be a foot lower.
• Non-slip patches for shower. These literally just arrived whilst typing this post.
• Something extra for a bathtowel.
• Somewhere to put clothes whilst in shower.
• Soap and assorted unguent dishes etc.
• Chair outside shower.
• I need a way to fix the end shower screen in place; it is the former bath screen reused. The intention was to allow a slight opening of the gap for larger people, but it is too tight in the space as finished.
• A couple of filled holes and touching up the paint.

 

F

Edited June 12, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

A few piccies, of not very good quality.

 

(There are a couple of 'before aids added' photos which I have left in.)

 

Edited June 12, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

I have the numbers nearly in on this.

 

The basic project came to £2250 including parts and labour. The whb, mirror and storage caninet were not replaced, which would add about £250-300 and were all from Ikea. 

F

[Ferdinand]

The upcycled end screen, which used to be on the bath is now fitted and secured using a 3d printed (by a kind buildhubber) custom block plus a bead of silicone.

 

-------------------

So - this is the white ABS version in situ, and the prototypes have been hoicked.

 

It is slightly out from end to end, but the glue - in addition to being industrial strength and then some - has enough body to pad it out. The edge needs slight tidying with a smear of silicone. I may not even put the screws in.

 

 

And I have put a bead of silicone along the bottom. That wall mount is a hinge as it is the bath screen reused, but it should stay firm now.

 

 

Alighnment seems OK.

 

 

But the silicone bead - despite one of those gummi-bear profiler things and looking OK - is not quite as smooth as a Levy worthy of a visit from a Chevy.  And the gap is larger than I would like so I may be tempted into adding a little extra whilst it is still mint.

 

 

Plus a bit of untidiness to take off once set firmly.

 

So, big thanks to @Temp and a donation coming for BH.

-----------------------

 

And a shower caddy has been fitted. This was from Amazon for about £22, and the key feature is 1) that it is long enough for a <5 footer to reach, and 2) that there is a rubber sheathing where the caddy contacts the screen.

 

 

[Ferdinand]

For this project, that is about it, though the thread may have an afterlife and be hoicked out of the Underworld occasionally if others use and expand on it.

 

However, full details, pats and costs will appear on the blog thread:

 

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by Ferdinand

[lizzie]

Did you decide against a level access?

[Ferdinand]

On 28/06/2019 at 10:30, lizzie said:

Did you decide against a level access?

 

For the shower I do not need one yet, and it would have entailed disturbance to the waste and digging.

 

Should one be needed I have the space to raise the floor and provide a ramp that could be removed later.

F

[Ferdinand]

To wrap up my project on this thread, here is a list of my blog posts based on it, and the final sheet of costs and components and sources:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2019 by Ferdinand