Sunken Bungalow - built accessible in 1997

The large deck is ramped with regulation ratio (1":12") , with a bumper along deck edges and ramp to a paving stone walkway that leads to an accessible firepit. Paving stone has slightly sunken over the years, but can be maintained by building it up with more sand.

Low firepit on paving stone.

These garden beds are at the perfect height for the homeowner to independently work from both long sides of each bed, and the sidewalk blocks give added accessibility.

This garden tool has interchangeable heads (hoe, rake) and is attached around the gardeners arm for people with limited hand function.

The sink in this bathroom has been set at a height that works for the homeowner, and has no cabinetry underneath. The tap is levered, and easy to access. The toilet is taller than standard, and the tile flooring is easy to roll on, and easy to clean, although grout stains are an issue.

There is a lot of space between the toilet and sink for maneuverability. The cabinets are too high for the homeowner to access, which could be fixed by moving the sink into the corner and adding a shallow pantry.

This shower was built large enough to house a shower chair, as well as a manual lift, allowing for items to be hidden when not in use. The shower is a molded unit which slopes very slightly from all sides to the drain, allowing the stall to be level with the tile flooring - no lip!

The shower head slides to different positions on the pole, making it accessible to any family member. The levered handle is great for people with limited dexterity in their hands.

Laminate flooring is great for wheeling on and keeping clean. The transition to the ceramic bathroom tile is a slightly rounded piece that matches the laminate, and does not cause any issues for the homeowner to wheel over. The pocket door, which separates bed and bathroom allows for more room, and greater accessibility, although if pushed in all the way it can be difficult to open.

The pull for the pocket door recesses into the door and can be difficult to grasp for people with limited hand function. Also, if you need the door to lock, this is not the best option.

The shorter bed frame and thinner box spring makes for a more level transfer surface as it is closer to the height of the user's manual chair than standard heights.

The dining room table is long, open underneath, and situated so that it is easily accessible from 3 sides. Dining room windows are low and wrapped around to allow for full view of the backyard.

There is minimal transition between the hardwood in the dining room/living room and the laminate in the kitchen, as well as the entranceway.

The levered door handle helps with ease of access, but the sunken concrete is an issue that may have been avoided by waiting a little longer for the ground to settle before pouring.

The plate covering the front door threshhold makes access easier, but is not ideal as the screws to hold the plate down loosen over time, and there is still a lip to get over.

The driveway is sloped to the garage, but improperly poured concrete has sunk, making wheelchai access from the left hand side of the door difficult.

This coded keypad, set at a height that works for the homeowner can give easy access to an alternate entrance. Much easier than fiddling with keys!

The kitchen in this home, other than being u-shaped so there is access to all sides, was not built with total accessibility in mind, which the homeowner regrets.

This corner cabinet Lazy Susan makes accessing items at the back of a deep cupboard much easier for everyone.

Easy access to the lights above the Island, as well as easy plug in access.

Deep handles on cupboards and frefrigerator make grasping easier.

Storage pedestals under washer and dryer give added accessible storage, but have put the controls a bit high to be considered easy access.

Hardwood is very easy to maneuver on, as is the low pile, thin carpet.

The 3 sided fireplace is a definite bonus in Saskatchewan! It is gas, and separates dining room and living room, and is easily turned on by the light switch located on the adjacent wall.

The wrap around office desk adds access to all sides, and low windows make easy viewing to the front street.

The lift to the basement is contained in the front entranceway, and looks like a closet when the door is closed

The lift is not a comercially made one, and runs off of an industrial garage door opener, and has a homemade platform and pully system.

The hallways are slightly wider than standard, at 42", and the doorways are 36".