DALLAS MOBILITY
RENOVATIONS

Knowing where to start is often the most daunting task in tacking handicap-accessible mobility home renovations. The good news is, you don't have to tackle mobility renovations in Dallas on your own. Our team of highly trained and courteous professionals can complete a number of projects at your residence to ensure it's accessible. 

​

1. Install a Chairlift or Stair Lift

​

A chairlift for stairs or stair lift is the perfect solution to make the upper levels accessible for mobility-impaired or elderly occupants to which stairs pose a danger of accident or injury. Stairs can really take a toll on those who are not as mobile as they once were. In the case of elderly or disabled residents, using the stairs could result in a serious fall. With a chairlift or stair lift installed in your home, you don't have to worry about the safety of your elderly relatives or mobility-impaired family. 

​

2. Level Split-Level Flooring

​

For a person in a wheelchair, or an individual who requires a walker to get around, split-level homes can be incredibly stressful. Mobility may be limited to the ground level, and can leave you or your family members feeling constrained and limited in their access to the entire house. Instead, split-level homes can be leveled completely, and have a continuous slip-resistant flooring run throughout.

​

3. Install a Ceiling-Track Lift

​

Using a pulley system to aid in lifting and moving, a ceiling-track lift can make transfers from bed to chair much easier. Rather than struggling to lift your loved one out of bed in the morning and into bed during the evening, the track-lift does most of the work for you. This can ease the physical strain of assisting your loved one. It can also help make your loved one feel much more comfortable moving from point A to point B. 

​

4. Make the Entry Accessible in Your Dallas home

​

For a person with mobility requirements, say a wheelchair, walker or prosthetic leg, it can be frustrating if getting through the front door is always difficult. Even a small curb can pose a big challenge—not to mention the challenge posed by stairs leading up to your front door.

​

So it's easier for your diff-abled family members, consider adding a flat, wide walkway leading toward your front door. If possible, flatten out the entrance way entirely to get rid of any steps or curbs that could be difficult to maneuver over.

​

If your home has a raised foundation and has entry stairs leading up the front door, then flattening out the walkway may not be an option. However, you can install a ramp for ease of access. A ramp will help make individuals in a wheelchair, or those using a walker, feel much more comfortable getting into your home. 

​

5. Lower Cabinets, Countertops and Appliances

 

In the kitchen, lowering cabinets and countertops, sinks and reconfiguring other appliances can make preparing food easier. A good rule of thumb is that at least 50% of storage should be easily accessible on any given day. The items you and your loved ones use regularly, like dishware, food, toiletries and clothes, should be within comfortable reach of both walker and wheelchair users.

Thus, you should consider lowering cupboards, shelves, appliances  and countertops. This will make completing simple tasks like loading the dishwasher or making dinner much easier. Even grabbing a snack out of the fridge can be a challenge if your kitchen is not at the right height for individuals with mobility disabilities. Depending on your, or your family member's needs, countertops should be between 28 and 34 inches from the floor. This is a straightforward Dallas mobility renovation project that any of our expert contractors can complete on your behalf.

​

6. Provide Ample Space
 

For walkers, canes and wheelchairs alike, having enough room to move about comfortably is key for improved mobility. It's incredibly frustrating when you can't get through, or turn around, comfortably. For an elderly person using a walker, this can also be dangerous if he or she feels like they have to walk backward to get out of a tight spot. This could increase the risk of a fall and injury. A few mobility renovations you could undertake includes widening all door openings to at least 36" wide—but more is better. Also, ensure that wheelchair users always have about 5-feet of room to turn around comfortably in your home. Light, airy, open floor plans are a universal design that benefits everyone.

​

7. Swap Out Conventional Door Handles
 

Did you know that lever handles are much easier to open than knobs? This is true for people who have full access of their arms, may struggle with arthritis and for individuals who are completely mobile. Also, levers are easier for wheelchair and walker users as well. Besides, lever handles look much more elegant than a traditional doorknob. Changing out door handles can allow a wheelchair user to be more independent in moving and navigating throughout the home
 

8. Consider Knee Space
 

Wheelchair users need space to put their knees in order to get close enough to the sink so they can wash dishes, produce or their hands. The easiest mobility renovation to provide wheelchair users this necessary room to navigate using the sink is to leave space below the sink—instead of a cupboard. This is also a very modern and appealing aesthetic that will make your bathroom or kitchen area appear larger than it is. 

​

9. Install Ramps and Rails

​

It's amazing the difference ramps and rails can make for a mobility challenged person living in your home. If you live in a split-level house, removing steps and adding a ramp indoors will make a world of difference to your diff-abled loved one. Handrails are also helpful to have throughout your space, particularly in hallways, along ramps and even beside sofas and beds. Often, elderly individuals and those with mobility challenges can feel a little unstable while transferring from one place to another. It can be helpful to have a hand-hold while transitioning from sitting down to standing up. These mobility renovations in Dallas might sound small, but they'll make a big impact. 

​

10. Don't Forget the Bathroom

​

The bathroom is often a source of stress for people with mobility needs, but with the right bathroom mobility renovations, the space can become an enjoyable and relaxing area where those who are elderly, in a wheelchair or otherwise mobility challenged can feel safe and comfortable. Consider the following changes to make your bathrooms more accommodating:

​

• Handrails: Many parts of the bathroom are slippery, and your loved-one who feels unsteady on their feet might need a helping hand to steady themselves in the shower or while getting up from the toilet.

​

• Raised Toilet Seat: This is an easy mobility renovation to install that benefits both seniors and wheelchair users. Raised toilets are easier to get onto, and also to stand up from or transition back to a wheelchair. Toilet seats that are low to the ground are much harder to get back up from. 

​

• Walk-In Showers and Walk-In Tub: Also referred to as a roll-on shower and roll-in tub. By getting rid of the lip on the edge of the shower and ensuring there is a door opening wide enough that a wheelchair or walker can get inside, the shower or tub becomes a much safer place. Also, for many seniors—using walkers or not—it can be challenging stepping over the rim of a tub because of limited mobility.

​

• Bath Mats: The shower can be a place where individuals who have mobility challenges are at high-risk of a fall. By using the right kind of bath mat in the shower itself, you can help the surface be less slippery. This decreases the risk of a fall and injury.

​

• Pivot Mirror: When you go into a wheelchair accessible public restroom, what do you notice? Often, the mirrors will be angled slightly so it's easier for a wheelchair user to see themselves. This is helpful for applying makeup, shaving, doing one's hair and much more. It's a simple mobility renovation that's guaranteed to make the wheelchair user in your life feel much more comfortable. 

​

• No Storage Under Vanity: Once again, it's important for wheelchair users to have enough knee space to use a sink. By removing the under-vanity storage in your bathrooms, you make it easier for a wheelchair user to wash their hands. Alternative storage would be easy-to-reach medicine cabinets, upper cabinets or open shelving units.

​

11. Make Getting Outdoors Easier

​

Indoor spaces and entranceways aren't the only areas in your Dallas area home that can be tailored for people with a disability that affects their mobility. Just like how your front entrance should be level with the ground or have a ramp for easy access, so should the back entrance. This may mean leveling the backdoor so that it's even with your deck or patio, or providing a ramp in lieu of stairs to get into the backyard. That way, a wheelchair or walker user will easily be able to get outdoors. 

 

Also, keep in mind that grass can be exceedingly difficult for wheels to move on. Instead of having a conventional lawn, consider installing paving stones or a wooden walkway lined with flower beds. Easy access to the outdoors is essential for good mental health, so it's imperative that individuals with mobility disabilities can also safely get outside to enjoy your green space.