There is a lot to answer here, but I will try... (see below)
"Cheryl" <no_email_wan
...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
...
> "Tim" <tcco...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
> news:vAYSl.34048$ZP4.6192@nlpi067.nbdc.sbc.com...
>> Cheryl, do you feel that the cost is excessive compared to a non-disabled
>> persons home remodeling? In other words, are you saying that your home
>> (or
>> vehicle) changes cost more just because yiou are disabled? Or is the work
>> of
>> a highly complex nature that just costs more? Not all home modifications
>> are
>> big bucks. Adding grab bars, changing light switches to large paddles,
>> widening some doors and adding a bidet toilet seat can make a huge
>> difference. There are always expensive ways to do things, but with some
>> imagination and a real emphasis on how you use your home , you can make
>> cheap changes that will make a world of difference.
>> Tim
> It ABSOLUTELY costs more than normal home repairs. I know. I have now
> owned 4 homes and have rehabed 3 of the 4. It wasn't until the 4th home I
> became unable to handle any sort of rehab other than perhaps putting up
> grab rails, dropping a plastic shower seat into the tub, etc. And, BTW,
> hand rails truly capable of supporting a person's weight aren't cheap.
I hope you are not saying that people charge you more because you are
handicapped. If you are saying that the nature of the work is generally more
costly than "normal home repairs", I'd agree. Grab bars are not that bad,
$25 to $30 at Home Depot, and guaranteed. Grab Bars have to be able to
support 250# minimum. That is the code. If you need more, they become
expensive only since most people do not make them.
Widening doorways isn't costly? You must live in a different world than I
do. I would need to
> widen a minimum of 4 doorways and enlarge my bathroom to the tune of
> 15-20K unless you know of some handymen/women who are willing to come over
> and do all of this work for free.
I guess it depends on what you mean by expensive. The materials are maybe
$100 a door, that's a prehung door, shims and primed casing PLUS labor.
"Enlarging a bathroom" can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Simply
moving walls to create more space isn't a big deal. If you are talking about
removing a tub and shower and creating an accessible roll-in shower with all
kinds of bells and whistles, yes, that can be costly.
> I *might* be able to get away without widening my bathroom, although
> that's highly doubtful if I want to be truly independent. Realistically my
> bathroom would require 2 closet knockouts or perhaps turning one bedroom
> into part bathroom, part laundry room. Then I would need a roll-in or
> transfer shower. Right now, what I have, which really isn't gong to work
> for much longer, is a transport chair pulled around the home via a rope
> just so it can fit through doorways, and even that won't fit through my
> bathroom doorway, so I have to pull my transport chair to the bathroom
> doorway, pull a walker out of the linen closet, and drag myself to use the
> bathroom facilities.
The shame is that homes have NEVER been designed to accomodate accessible
living. Universal design falls short since "one-size-fits-all" doesn't work
for anything. Person A has needs that person B doesn't. But is does sound as
though you need doors widened, or narrower assistive devices.
> Now info about little modifications is helpful. Many/most disabled people
> have probably already come up with their own ideas--necessity being the
> mother of invention--but there's always hope for newer, inexpensive,
> realistic work arounds. Unfortunately, though, once you start talking
> about actually widening doorways, knocking out walls, replacing
> toilets/showers/sinks, etc. Yeah, it's too costly. A plain old toilet is a
> LOT cheaper than a bidet.
A good option, which we have done a lot of is bidet toilet seats. They can
be had pretty inexpensively and do a great job. They heat the seat, heat the
water, warm air dry, etc. You hook them to the toilet supply line, plug it
in and they heat the water, everything, They are great for males and
females, and like I say, we've done a lot of them.
A plain old tub is a LOT cheaper than setting up
> a roll in shower or a shower with a transfer/drop seat.
No question that a roll in shower costs money. A transfer bench were you can
slide from outside the tub into the tub is a good option with a suitable
showerhead and grab bars.
> Plus, you have to
> realize what may sound like a small sum probably doesn't to an audience of
> people whose incomes are now significantly less and already overburdened
> by medical costs and all of the so-called inexpensive modifications to
> their lives.
There are sources of money that can address your needs and help. We have
done a lot with the Independent Living Centers that deal with people with
disabilities who want to remain as indenendent as possible. They get grants
to make changes to bathrooms, widen doors, etc.
> All you need to do is take a house built in the 50s and tell a contractor
> what you need in order for someone in a wheelchair to be truly
> independent--larger shower, widened doorways, laundry upstairs, etc. See
> what it costs and then you'll know. Then, ask someone who builds new homes
> to provide you with the same items. My experience was the cost was
> substantially cheaper to make the changes to a new home rather than
> remodel an older home. Of course, the cost of a new home is too much any
> disabled people I know.
Oh, agreed. As a contractor, designer, builder, I would love it if people
came to me with a disabled-friendly house. One of our current project is
that of rebuilding a 1950's house that the people want to keep all the
design elements of the 1950's house but transform it into an accessible
design. Yes, it does cost money to do it. Would it be cheaper to build new?
I don't know. Here in Northern California, with all the fees we have to pay
before we even break ground (park fees, road impact fees, school fees, plus
engineering, soil testing, and on and on), we can have $60K in a house
pretty easily before we turn the first shovel of dirt.
> I won't go into much discussion about the cost of vehicle modification.
> All you need to do is talk to any mobility dealer to get an idea about the
> exhorbiant costs of vehicle modification. I'm not saying the dealers are
> sticking it to disabled people, although, who knows, maybe they are.
I can't speak for cars. I do know that the reason cars are cheap (relatively
speaking) is that they are built on an assemble line, hundreds of cars a
day. Anytime you take a car and rip the insides out and start doing unique
modifications it becomes a custom car and the price goes up quick. Most
custom cars I have seen that have been seriously modified for the disabled
cost $100K or more.
> I'm just saying the cost to gain true vehicle independence is
> astronomical.
> What I will say is I paid nearly 3K for a clip on hoist for my powerchair.
> And, even now, I cannot do this by myself. I am reliant on another person
> to take my chair to and from the back of the van to the passenger side of
> the car. Plus, I cannot afford something that would be truly beneficial to
> me, like a seat that lowers and lifts me into the van. As is, I have to us
> the grab bar to pull myself in, which harms my physical condition.
> That's the trouble really. There are too many variables to discuss when
> talking about modifications. There are so many different disabilities,
> varying degrees of these disabilities, urban/rural settings, familial
> assistance, do-it-yourself assistance, financial abilities, etc. etc. etc.
> It's not something anyone can sum up in a neat little package.
I will disagree here with you as little bit. Yes, there are a myriad of
variables. No question, so does that mean you don't try? I have been doing
this many years. I found that a great many of the construction tasks I was
doing, I was doing every day. How many roll-in showers have I built? God
only knows. How many doors widened? How many door knobs have I replaced with
levers? And the list goes on and on. When I went out to do a thorough
evaluation of what a house needed, I found myself saying the same things
over and over. There are a lot of things that I do that are unique.
Naturally. Like an overhead rail transport system through the house. Or a
voice control system to control lights, change TV channels. change the
thermostst settings, open the front door, or even control the water for a
shower. Yes, I do that, too. And yes, it isn't cheap. But when that is your
only option, you do what you have to do.
I seriously wish you well.
Tim
>> "Cheryl" <no_email_wan...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:vtNSl.91996$9J5.12034@newsfe13.iad...
>>> "Tim" <tcco...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
>>> news:9hLSl.34011$ZP4.16064@nlpi067.nbdc.sbc.com...
>>>>I am a consultant in the field of construction for the disabled, the
>>>>elderly, the injured. May I ask a favor?
>>>> I would appreciate it if anyone who considers themselves part of one or
>>>> more of the above groups to reply, either personally or to the group,
>>>> with the issues that affect you and your life. I specialize in
>>>> consulting in home modification issues, hotel/motel accessibility,
>>>> retail store layout for accessibility, restaurants, state of the art
>>>> assistive technologies, etc. Tell me your problems and I can push
>>>> agendas. If you have any friends with problems, please let them know,
>>>> too.
>>>> Write me privately at adaconsult...@sbeglobal.net
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Tim Conde
>>> The big thing for any home or vehicle modifications is COST.
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