Your kids are
successfully launched and, suddenly, you seem to have more disposable income.
by: Patricia Mertz Esswein April 4, 2019
Your
kids are successfully launched and, suddenly, you seem to have more disposable
income. This could be a good time to tackle the remodeling projects you’ve been
putting off. And while you’re updating your house for style, consider adapting
it so you can age in place comfortably.
Studies
show that most homeowners age 50 and older say they want to remain in their
house as they age, but most U.S. homes weren’t built to accommodate older
people’s special needs. For example, only one-third have basic accessibility
features, such as a no-step entry and a bedroom and full bath on the entry
level, according to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard
University.
We'll walk you through a house to identify features you could
add, as well as identifying what they typically cost and how to pay for them.
1 of 8 In the Bathroom
One
of the most popular projects is to install a curbless shower (with
grab bars) 3, even if it means removing the home’s only bathtub.
That has long been a no-no because it could reduce the house’s resale value.
But Dan Bawden, owner of Legal Eagle Contractors in Houston and a certified
aging-in-place specialist, that’s becoming less of a concern for homeowners
today. Expect to pay $10,000 to $15,000.
Other features
1 Layout. Remodel
a bathroom to create a 5-foot turning radius to accomodate a wheelchair.
2 Sink vanity.
Choose one with room to accomodate a chair or wheelchair ($560 to $1,500).
4 Comfort-height
toilet. Add a toilet whose seat is higher off the floor than standard
models ($360 to $1,400 installed).
Bawden’s
clients often worry that the finished product will look institutional. “But we
can do gorgeous projects in which the modifications are invisible,” he says.
For example, he likes products from invisiacollection.com,
a maker of grab bars that don’t look like grab bars and may
serve double-duty as toilet-paper holders, soap dishes or shelves.
2 of 8 In the Kitchen
Installing
maintenance-free materials is also important, says Bawden. For example, quartz
countertops in the kitchen and bathroom are super-hard, scratch and stain
resistant, and never need sealing, unlike natural stone. Quartz is also less
expensive than it used to be. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring is beautiful,
waterproof, durable, comfortable underfoot and never needs refinishing.
Other features
1 User-friendly
appliances. Select easy-access models: A side-by-side-door
refrigerator ($900 to $3,800), a stove with controls near the front ($470 to
$3,500), a raised dishwasher ($680 TO $1,300) and a microwave at countertop
level ($180 to $1,600).
2 Pull-down
shelving units.. Retrofit upper cabinets to avoid lifting heavy items
(starting at $525 per unit).
3 LED lighting. Add
lighting overhead ($220 to $300 per recessed fixture, installed) and under
cabinets ($360 to $460 per strip, installed).
4 Sink faucet. Install
lever-handled model that's easier to grasp, or go with a touchless version
($350 to $570, installed).
5 Non-slip
flooring. Install flooring to prevent falls ($4 to $18 per square
foot, installed).
6 Roll-out
shelves.. Reface fixed shelves to avoid bending ($25 to $100 apiece).
3 of 8 More in the Kitchen
1 D-shaped
pulls. Add cabinet handles that are easier to grasp than knobs (from
$1.40 apiece).
2 Workspaces..
Vary the height of workspaces, or create space to work while seated (custom
cost).
3 Lever-style
handsets. Replace all household doorknobs ($8 to $130 apiece).
4 of 8 Laundry and Storage Areas
1 Rocker-style
wall switches. Replace toggle-style wall switches with easier-to-use
rocker-style ones ($420 to $1,000, installed).
2 Doorway. Replace
a narrow interior doorway with one that's 36 inches wide $1,800 to $2,000).
3 Washer and
dryer. Switch from top-loading to front-loading models installed on
pedestals to lessen back strain. Look for doors that swing to the side, not
down ($2,000 to $2,800 apiece, or $2,000 for space-saving combination unit).
4 Non-slip
flooring. Replace deep-pile carpet and a thick pad with low-pile
carpet and a firm pad, or install non-slip flooring ($4 to $18 per square foot,
installed).
5 Custom closet
organizer. Outfit closets with multilevel shelving and hanging units
that are accessible whether you're sitting or standing ($1,000 for a reach-in
closet to $6,500 for a walk-in closet).
5 of 8 Outside the Home
1 Covered
entranceway or portico. A 5-foot-square “landing pad” gives a
wheelchair room to maneuver (about $2,500 to $4,500 for portico).
2 Bench.
Place one near the front door to rest yourself or your packages ($75 to
$1,800).
3 Front door. Install
a door that’s 36 inches wide. Choose a door with narrow windows on each side
($2,000 to $6,500, installed) or add peepholes (one for standing, one for
sitting) for security.
4 Lighting. Add
lights to the front of your home and along the sidewalk for safe passage at
night (about $140 to $230 per light and $170 to $300 per exterior light,
installed).
5 Concrete
ramp. Replace the sidewalk and steps leading to the front door (about
$1,000 to $3,000).
6 of 8 More on Costs
For
estimated project costs, the annual Cost Vs. Value Report from Remodeling magazine
is a good resource. In 2019, the national average cost for a minor kitchen
remodel is $22,507, $66,196 for a major remodel and $131,510 for an
upscale project. The average cost for a bathroom remodel is
$33,374 for a midrange project that includes design features to fit any age;
it’s $64,743 for an upscale remodel.
If
you want to add a first-floor master bedroom, the national average
cost is $130,986 for a midrange job and $271,470 for an upscale one. (You can
see detailed descriptions of 22 projects and costs by region at remodeling.hw.net.
However,
if you want to widen a bathroom door (bathroom and closet doors are often
narrower and less accessible than other doors), put in grab bars and add a
curbless shower, that would typically cost about $11,800 to $14,000 (prices
vary by region).
If
you’re adding on to your home or building a multistory house, you could prepare
for an elevator by stacking 6-foot-square closets. That way, when you’re ready,
the contractor can just remove the floor between the closets.
7 of 8 How Will You Pay for It?
For
more costly projects, you could take out a home-equity line of credit, from
which you could borrow money as you need it. Or, if you or your spouse is at
least age 62 and you have considerable equity built up in your home, you could
take out a reverse mortgage with an up-front lump-sum payout or a line of
credit. With a reverse mortgage, you must use some of the proceeds to pay off
any remaining mortgage balance, but you’ll never have to make another monthly
mortgage or loan payment. The debt will be repaid after you leave the home
permanently and the house is sold. For more information on reverse mortgages,
visit the websites of the Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau and search for “reverse mortgage”) and the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association.
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