Posts Tagged ‘barrier-free living’
What is a Peter Pan House?
It’s the opposite of a Lifetime Home. “Peter Pan Houses” are designed and constructed as if the occupants never change, and assume an “average person” of a typical height, weight, ability, mobility, vision, hearing, etc. In other words, you have to adapt to the house instead of vice versa. Depending on life, you might not be able to stay.
Unfortunately, most houses and neighborhoods built since the Second World War were developed this way, more up than out with narrow passages, sharp corners, and lots of steps inside and out (even on flat lots!).
Thankfully, regardless of your preferred style, houses can be designed and built to proactively emphasize efficiency, convenience, comfort and safety for anyone of any age or ability. A Lifetime Home is universally designed, the antithesis of Peter Pan Housing.
Subliminal Universal Design
I saw during an NFL game a few weeks ago this Delta faucet commercial. (Scroll to the bottom of that page to see two versions and consider who Delta is targeting with that ad placement during a pro football game.) Delta promotes their touch and motion activated faucets among their “Smart Solutions” kitchen and bath fixtures.
Given our specialty, I immediately recognized the product as universally designed, but not once in either commercial do they mention specifically the universal functionality nor benefits for “aging-in-place” or overcoming inability/disability (although there is a brief glimpse of a kid with a cast). They merely SHOW easy use for anyone of any age or condition (messy hands). I love it!
When you walk through the automatic doors of a retail store, ever once thought to yourself, “Wow, that’s great universal design”? No, you simply walk through without touching a door handle.
Proponents of UD for the home often become frustrated when consumers “don’t get it”, when they react ho-humly to “universally designed” features held dear because the benefits of no-step entries, wider doorways/hallways, curb-less showers are so evident to us.
But the important point isn’t what it’s called but bottom line how it performs. Who wouldn’t prefer something better if they can plainly see and experience the benefits without a technical explanation? Who cares as long as it works as promised?
Universally designed products, features and applications are indisputably easier (simple/faster), efficient (conserving personal effort as well as energy usage), convenient (point of use), safer, comfortable and proactive (planned/designed with forethought). Consumers will demand these smarter alternatives once they see/experience that UD performs (and is affordable), not because of a technical name nobody can remember. The Delta commercials demonstrate effectively the advantages of their innovative technology over a traditional faucet.
As the saying goes, there’s plenty more where that came from, residential housing design and construction is beginning a renaissance (ironic considering the dismal state of housing in general). Next year BuilderFish starts construction of a Lifetime Home that will incorporate many of these elements. The project will be one big Show-and-Tell and we, including the owners, look forward to sharing the journey.
What is a Lifetime Home?
Livable for the Lifetime
Any “house” can be a Lifetime Home. Regardless of square footage or type, a Lifetime Home will accommodate you and your family no matter what for as long as you choose to live there. In other words, a Lifetime Home adapts to you, the opposite of Peter Pan Syndrome, which produces houses designed and built as if nobody changes. A Lifetime Home isn’t a style, but an essence, a smart, high performance house regardless of climate or geographic area.
Does that mean it’s expensive? Could be depending on your choices and preferences. But making sure throughout the house that no outlets are lower than 18 inches nor any switches/controls are higher than 48 inches doesn’t cost an extra cent. NOT building steps could actually save money by…..not building steps. So as with so many questions, the answer “depends” on what you make it.
However, even if you want the latest and greatest in your Lifetime Home, you need to assess the total cost (i.e. actual expense and opportunity cost) over the long term. The Gizmatic might cost more today but what if it performs flawlessly, lasts forever, keeps you active, secure and comfortable longer? Or maybe you can live without. So cost is relative, particularly compared to the continued rising cost of long term and assisted care.
Finally, a Lifetime Home could be your dream house or “the last move” but not necessarily. More importantly and regardless of life stage (e.g. imagine children), a Lifetime Home is convenient, comfortable, efficient and secure for everyone (including visitors) no matter their age or abilities. A Lifetime Home is multi-generational for YOU throughout YOUR decades. A Lifetime Home is about ANY-ability not inability/disability. It’s simply smart.
How does your home measure literally? Grab a tape measure and review the BuilderFish Lifetime Home Survey to learn how your home compares.
Questions? Email me.
Lifetime Home Survey
I was on a mission and took six months developing the Lifetime Home Survey (LTHS), which was born of a single negative comment following a post class, feedback form. Without ever knowing his name, I still picture the disgruntled attendee with arms crossed, an engineering type who frowned the entire presentation.
His comment? “Didn’t give specific measurements!” I purposely avoided getting technical to reduce the likelihood of audience slumber; but, after reading Mr. Unhappy Engineer’s feedback, I vowed, “Metrics you want, measurements thou shall get!”
Call me obsessive compulsive but, with Mr. Unhappy Engineer’s scowl burned into my mind, what began as a simple checklist grew (out of control?) into a whole house assessment. I referenced 17 documents and architect teammate Charles Hendricks proofread the final product, what we believe to be THE most comprehensive Universal Design home assessment resource currently available on the web.
UD = Easy
EASY for ANYONE
I begin this series about Universal Design for the home (also referred to as “barrier-free living”) with a general definition of UD as it applies to products, services and environments. Even if you’ve never heard of it, you’re likely familiar with UD if you’ve ever used an electric toothbrush, Velcro, automatic doors, audio book or Google.
If you remember ONLY ONE thing, recall the title of this post and you’ll have a good handle on Universal Design. UD is “universal” in that MOST people in any stage of life (children to elderly) regardless of personal circumstances or abilities can use its features and application with minimal effort and low probability of mistakes (i.e. margin for error, easy to figure out without an instruction manual or demonstration).
As it pertains to construction and the following tutorials, UD can be both a feature (e.g. zero step entry, curb-less shower, wider doorways) or application/method (e.g. height of outlets/switches, removal of tripping hazards, color contrasts to warn or cue).
I emphasize that UD in custom building or remodeling is NOT a reinvention of standard construction techniques; it’s “special” only in its proactive approach for not doing things the same old way. You may not realize that many things in home building are completed “just because” that’s the way it’s always been done or taught from one generation to the next. For instance, building a zero-step entry isn’t rocket science; it’s simply NOT building steps and determining a different WAY of implementing a zero clearance entry (e.g. moving dirt, lowering the foundation, access via a garage, etc.) So it’s nothing fancy or necessarily innovative (although it can be), practicing UD merely involves forethought of the long term, a different way of solving a standard problem (getting to the second floor) or meeting a typical goal (access). At BuilderFish, we call it “thinking mans construction” and we’re passionate about ensuring comfort, convenience and control for owners who want a “home for a lifetime”.
The following posts will give you ideas and alternatives around your house, including what you should consider along the path leading to your preferred entrance , because you first have to get TO the door before you can get THROUGH the door.
And remember UD = EZ !
