Why a smart home renovation includes universal design principles

Anyone living in a minimally renovated older home in Oak Bay or the Saanich Peninsula is likely used to navigating narrow doorways and smaller spaces. However, while you might love the character of your home, you might not be so fond of those awkward transitions between rooms, small bathrooms and uneven staircases.

In addition to creating awkward spaces, these kinds of features can pose a safety concern for older individuals or those with mobility challenges. It’s why approaching a renovation with an eye to universal design principles can help you enjoy your home more today – and tomorrow, says Chris Willis, Project Leader for MAC Reno Design Build, which has been creating beautiful, functional homes in Greater Victoria for more than 40 years.

Wills and other members of the MAC team are certified through the Canadian Home Builders Association’s Adaptiv Home program – designed to help people continue to live in their homes – safely – with modifications that allow for greater accessibility and security. 

For someone living in an older, more compartmentalized home, for example, a walker or scooter can present mobility challenges. A renovation using Adaptiv Home or universal design principles can create wider hallways and doorways that are easier to navigate, Wills explains. 

“It’s very enlightening, especially as people want to live in their homes, and in their communities, longer,” Wills says. “It allows people of any ability to navigate a space, whether as a resident or a visitor.”

Seen for many years in public buildings, which cater to people of all abilities, Adaptiv Home brings those concepts to the residential level – something that will become even more important as our senior population grows.

In fact, with Baby Boomers comprising approximately 25 per cent of the population, and 92 per cent of people preferring to live in their own home in retirement, universal design will become paramount for many families, Wills notes.

As with all renovations MAC Reno Design Build undertakes, the team approaches Adaptive Home renovations with a long-term view. “We ask homeowners, ‘How can we renovate your home so that it works for you today, but also 10 and 20 years from now?'” Wills explains.

For example, while you may not need a grab bar in the shower now, it’s simple and inexpensive to add the framing for it when renovating a bathroom to include a stylish new zero-threshold walk-in shower, and heated, slip-resistant tile floor (also good for reducing the chance of falls). Later, if mobility challenges arise, the grab bar can be quickly installed. 

“Falls are the No. 1 issue as people get older, so it’s important to do what we can to mitigate that risk,” Wills says. “It all looks beautiful, but you’re also preparing for the future.”

Other common steps include improving exterior accessibility, ensuring stairs are all the same height, adding task lighting in the kitchen and navigation lighting on stairs, and lowering light switches; even seemingly small things like opting for door handles instead of knobs can make a difference for someone with arthritis.

On a larger scale, families might consider creating a basement suite that can be used as a rental or first home for an adult child, but later accommodate a live-in caregiver, if needed.

“Everything looks beautiful, but you’re also preparing for the future, which, like the best renovations, is good for families today, and for resale down the road,” Wills says.

To learn how the MAC Reno Design Build team can help you create a home you’ll love today and tomorrow, visit macreno.com or call them at 778-720-6673.