Visitable Home

By Bruce Firestone | Uncategorized

Jul 16

A visitable home has three overarching qualities–

1. it has a 0-step entryway (either at the side of the house or front);

2. wider doorways and corridors on the main floor;

3. a main floor bath or powder room and at least one accessible main floor bedroom.

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Western-based developers have been quick to jump on board but the industry in eastern Canada not so much. They’re worried it’ll cost too much or there is too little demand or it will stigmatize their sub-divisions.

If they are worried about stigmatization, they should be far more concerned if and when ramps are built so elders can access their own homes. Ramps tend to be ugly, they require a lot of maintenance (painting/staining/repair) and they separate a home from the street in a way that is off-putting to say the least.

Providing 0-step entries via landscaping is not only beautiful and maintenance free, it appeals to younger folks too. I mentioned this as an alternative to a lovely young couple the other day (their grandmother will be living with them) and, first thing they said was, “Wow, that’ll be great for strollers too.”

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Compare the above home with this one using a ramp–

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Need I say more?

@ profbruce

@ quantum_entity

Video re what is a visitable home–

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0i2xQ4_rbI]

More images on how to achieve 0-step via landscape design:

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About the Author

Bruce is an entrepreneur/real estate broker/developer/coach/urban guru/keynote speaker/Sens founder/novelist/columnist/peerless husband/dad.

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