In the USA, the amount of people with disabilities requiring a wheelchair, scooter, scooter or cane exceeds 3.4 million, according to the most recent data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Flat owners can cater to this growing population by remodeling apartments to handicap-accessible ones. Accessible apartments are much less prevalent than traditional apartments, so disabled renters have fewer choices on accommodations that suit their special needs. Turning your apartment into an accessible rental property can lead you to an under-served market in your town.
Defining Accessible Apartments
A handicap-accessible apartment is one that has been altered to match the needs of renters in a scooter or wheelchair. A traditional apartment features many obstacles for those in a wheelchair so converting the area into an accessible rental property requires some remodeling and updates. To create the present apartment accessible, make changes so that the upcoming tenant can enter the building and the apartment and move around without obstacles. The cost for converting an apartment to become accessible depends upon the present construction. Landlords and owners can earn some universal changes to the apartment to suit those with physical limitations.
Entrance
The entrance to the apartment has to be accessible by wheelchair, so the plan of the building has a lot to do with what changes you can make. If the building entrance has steps, you might have a wheelchair ramp of aluminum or wood installed to ensure a disabled tenant can input the apartment building readily. Look at putting in an automated door opener too. The entrance into the apartment itself needs to be at least 32 inches wide to accommodate a wheelchair, and also offset hinges help keep the doorway clear when it is opened all the way. It’s also important to guarantee the threshold is flush with the floor rather than raised. Doors within the apartment, for example as to the bedroom and bathroom, also needs to be enlarged.
Kitchen
The kitchen is a series of obstacles for someone in a wheelchair or scooter. Some of the ways to make this area more accessible is to reduce the counter shirts from the typical height of 36 inches to about 27 to 30 inches. Take out a number of the lower cupboards under the counter tops so a wheelchair-bound person can get the work area. Lowering electrical outlets and light switches can also create the kitchen a more accessible space. Keep at least a 5 x 5-foot space in the center of the kitchen in order that the wheelchair has room to flip.
Bath
The bathroom in the apartment can be among the most difficult places for a disabled individual to browse, and some basic remodeling can make it easier to access. Installing grab bars by the toilet or in the bathtub might offer added stability. You can also remove the standard shower and bathtub and also put in a handicap-accessible shower or bathtub. Other things you can do from the bathroom include installing a toilet, single-lever faucets and wall-mounted sink.