Kit Homes for the Physically Disabled
Kit homes can suit many purposes because of their versatility. When you have a physical disability, this versatility can be important. Though kit homes may not be suitable for everyone with disabilities, they should be on your list of considerations for a new home. Many times the existing floor plans can be easily modified to accommodate the need for bigger rooms or easier access throughout the house. When that is possible, it means you can get the style of home you need at a cheaper price than would be possible in an architecturally designed home.
There are two important facts to know about disability in Australia. First is the fact that the term “disability” is inclusive and refers to people with physical, mental, and sensory limitations that can be short or long-term. The second fact to remember is that the physical disability group is the largest segment of the total disability population in Australia.
According to a 2003 Australian Bureau of Statistics survey, there are 3,350,600 million Australians with a physical disability of different severities. There is increasing focus in various industries to accommodate this significant portion of the country’s population with much of the focus on structuring public buildings so they are accessible by the disabled. But everyone must live somewhere, and when a person is disabled, finding an affordable home sometimes turn into one of the biggest challenges faced.
An Economical and Universal Solution
One of the most economical solutions to the problem of affordable housing for the disabled person may exist in a kit home. In the traditional built home, accommodating special needs can get very costly because it requires making expensive design changes to fixed structures. A kit home, on the other hand, is designed and built in a way that moving a wall to widen a hallway or lowering a cabinet is neither difficult nor expensive.
In fact, the kit home is made in a number of floor design styles and several of them are open-plan. In the open-plan floor design, many of the obstacles to movement for a disabled person are removed. These floor plan styles use many of the features of the concept of the “universal design”. The universal design concept in house building is the creation of a product that is usable by most people without requiring extensive adaptation.
The open floor plans in kit homes can meet the accessible space requirements of disabled persons. There are spacious rooms that accommodate wheelchairs including the ability to make a u-turns. These same rooms make it easy for someone using crutches to move about.
In addition, during the design phase, the already spacious homes like the Blackheath Entertainer manufactured by Ozkit Homes combines rooms into one so the only time it’s necessary to use a door is when entering a room for privacy such as a bedroom or bath. In this particular open floor plan, the dining, living, and kitchen areas are one large room but each still has definitive space. Ozkit Homes manufactures kit homes in a variety of styles and sizes.
Overcoming Difficult Barriers
Kit homes for the physically disabled have another feature that makes them ideal. Many of the open floor plans have sliding glass doors which can open onto a verandah or backyard deck. There are no difficult barriers to overcome in order to enter or exit the home.
Kit homes are fully customisable for much less expense than it would take to customise an architecturally designed home. The open floor plan is just one feature that accommodates physical disabilities perfectly. Kit home buyers can work with the manufacturer to add special features that make life much easier for people with mobility restrictions.
- Adjust countertop and cabinet heights
- Widen doorways
- Expand closet space
- Lower windows
In addition, it is possible to purchase specialised doorhandles and latches. When choosing floor coverings (not included in kit home price), buyers can avoid using carpet since it is difficult for wheels to roll on. But the open floor plan keeps the cost of flooring installation lower too.
Life is full of enough challenges for the physically disabled without having to struggle at home too. The open floor plan kit home provides a great option by taking the struggle, and the barriers, out. It is not possible for kit homes to meet the needs of all people with physical disabilities. But when it is, the new homeowners will be very pleased with the accommodations provided at an affordable price.
