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Building the house you’ll retire in takes a lot of preparation. One of the biggest lifestyle changes in retirement… is changing the home you live in.
You may have spent so many years living in the house you’re in now. You raised a family there, you’ve had a few renovations made, and you’ve made memories. However, as you sit and think, your home may not be the most convenient to retire in. It may not have features that you’ll need as the years’ pass.
It’s a great idea to look into a new home to enter retirement with. But before you build your dream retirement home, consider the one thing that will ensure you can live happily there for years to come.
Think back when you bought or built the home you’ve lived in for years. You bought or built that home because it had what you needed or wanted, and it was for a good value.
What are some of the traits of your home that made it valuable to you? Is there enough space? Did it have plenty of rooms? WEre the bathrooms big enough? Did it have a glorious front porch? Was it in an amazing school district?
In the grand scheme of things, you’ll need something different as you build your retirement home in Pickerington Ohio — but there’s one thing that many people forget about when they design their retirement home, but this one thing should not be overlooked.
This one essential trait helps people live comfortably — and with as much freedom for as long as possible — in retirement.
That trait is: accessibility.
What does it mean to have an accessible home in retirement?
Of course, “accessibility” refers to designing your home so it works for everybody, regardless of their abilities. This is also known as “universal design”. In terms of home design, a universally designed home is spacious, easy to navigate, accommodating to all, and accessible to all. It doesn’t matter what size, mobility, or disability an individual has.
In a nutshell: you can age in place.
The future of housing requires universal design. We’re in a time where we see more and more multigenerational households, especially with the pandemic. Your retirement home needs to feature this.
Why does your retirement home need to be accessible?
Because living comfortably for years to come depends on it.
Here’s something no one wants to think about: what if you busted your knee tomorrow and needed to be in a wheelchair? Look around your house. Would living in it be easy in a wheelchair?
Why or why not?
Consider the heights of the kitchen cabinets, the height of the bathroom sink, the flight of stairs.
This is why it’s essential to design your retirement home in Pickerington Ohio … for years to come.
Just because your home accommodates for people with a disability, medical condition, and other traits doesn’t mean that it has to feel like an institution. You should still enter the home and feel like you’re at home. And that’s exactly what universal design is intended to do: provide independent living to the greatest extent.
A universally-designed home has principles that make your home feel homey but also fit the needs of as many people as possible. Here are some things we think about as we’re designing your house for retirement in Pickerington:
Having these principles shine through the house you build in Pickerington will make you enjoy living at home without facing troubles or feeling institutionalized. As a bonus, it’ll be convenient for anyone to come to visit you. There won’t be any modifications you’d need to make to the home besides maybe some routine cleaning.
Living in a home that’s designed with you in mind, no matter your age, lets you age in place comfortably. That’s exactly what people aged 50 and up look for in a home. According to Western and Southern Financial, the goal for many retirees is to find a home that adapts to their changing needs.
Of course, there are other things to look into, like price or location. But wouldn’t it be great to enjoy the comfort of your home for years to come? Looking for a retirement home with traits of long-term livability is valuable, for you and your finances.
Are you trying to decide between building or buying your next home?
In some cases, it might make more sense to have your retirement home built from the ground up.
Sure, you may have found a few ideal homes in your search. One may be nice and spacious. Another may have easy entrance access. But what if it’s two-story or has narrow walkways, or the cabinets or fixtures are inconveniently placed?
The homes for sale are not likely to be 100% universally designed, or 100% accessible — with style. This is why building your home would be a good idea. You can build the home in a way that looks great and feels great to you.
If you go this route, however, make sure to follow some of the guidelines that Trisha Phillips of CheatSheet shares:
Depending on the ever-changing housing market and the location you choose, it’s very possible that building your dream retirement home may be cheaper than buying one. You may lose the convenience of a quicker move-in, but you gain full control of how your home is designed.
If you can’t find an accommodating home on the market, building one from the ground up with full universal design in mind is a great choice. Just make sure you have full trust of the general contractor you’re working with.
Heitmeyer Building & Design has over 100 years of experience in commercial and residential construction located in Pickerington, Ohio. We help people build their retirement homes here in Pickerington and would love to get you started. Click here to get a free quote from us today.
Heitmeyer Building & Design is a Construction company with over 100 years of experience in commercial construction and residential construction located in Pickerington, Ohio.
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