Whether you’re investing in a bathroom remodel for yourself or for resale, taking accessibility into consideration is, well… considerate! Perfect for elderly homeowners or those with limited mobility, there are a number of features that can help promote total accessibility in one of the most important areas of your home (the bathroom!). Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can rethink your bathroom design to help everyone make the most of it.

Ensure Doorways Are Wide and There’s Enough Clearance

If you’re working on a bathroom renovation project for an individual in a wheelchair, allowing the proper clearance is of the utmost importance. To meet the ADA accessibility standard, doors must be 32 inches wide from the face of the door to the opposite stop. This may seem like a lot, but individuals in wheelchairs have to think about this at least once a day, because they’re the ones who actually need to have enough clearance for a wheelchair to fit through a doorway. And once they’re through the doorway, they need enough room to pass and be able to turn around with ease.

Be Mindful of Toilet Placement

According to ADA requirements, the toilet bowl rims must be 17-19 inches from the finished floor. Something to consider is that toilet seats can often add to this height (so, take that into account when installing a new toilet). If building a bathroom for someone in a wheelchair, ensure that the height of the toilet (including the seat) is on-par with the wheelchair itself, for easy transfer from one to the other.

Adding elevated toilet seats, or toilet seat risers, is another option for those with limited mobility. There are a number of accessories available for purchase that can easily be installed in any bathroom.

Focus on a Curbless Shower Remodel

When carrying out a shower remodel, it’s important to think about everyone that will be using this amenity. For those in wheelchairs, for example, they need to be able to get in and out of the shower with ease –and this means including a curbless shower as part of your bath renovation.

Once again, dimensions and clearance are super important at this stage. Ensure that all shower doors are fully accessible by following the same ADA guideline as you do for the doorways. At least 32 inches is what it takes to ensure an individual in a wheelchair has enough space to enter the shower.

Add Bars Next to the Toilet and Shower

Being able to get in and out of the shower is one thing, but for full bathroom accessibility, you also need to make the area usable once the individual is in. Part of this process is ensuring that everything is within reach. This often means installing storage and shelving at a lower level than usual, adding bars in the bathtub or shower, and opting for a hand-held shower head instead of a traditional model.

Work with a Trusted Bathroom Renovation Company

If you reside within the Burlington or Oakville area, Opal Baths & Design should be your go-to for bathroom design in Burlington or Oakville. From small bathroom renovation ideas to ensuite bathroom design, and everything in between, we help homeowners make their renovation dreams a reality.

Over 40+ years, we’ve helped those with accessibility issues create fully usable bathrooms. We’re familiar with all the standards and are happy to customize wherever necessary.

At the end of the day, it’s our goal to ensure no one is left out because of poor or inaccessible bathroom design, and we’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that never happens.

For more inspiration, visit our bathroom ideas photo gallery or contact us to get started on your next project today!

Keep in touch with us on Facebook and Instagram.