Handicapped Bathrooms
There are several aspects to getting handicapped bathrooms just right for the person or people in a family that will get the most benefit from them. A lot comes down to getting the initial design and layout just so, as this will determine the best positioning for the many facilities and fixtures that will populate the finished room. This article takes an overview look at what the most important points and aspects of a handicap bathroom are and how they are best suited for the people who will be using them the most.
When putting together the initial design layout of your home's specially created handicapped bathroom, the first and probably the most important starting point must be in the provision of space. That means plenty of free floor space for a wheelchair user to get in, move around in there and get out again all with the minimum of fuss and with no obstacles that are likely to get in the way. One of the simplest and still the best ways of planning a floor plan is by taking a piece of graph paper and drawing it out by hand with a pencil and ruler to scale so that you can see exactly what it will look like from overhead. That way, you can see the floor space you have to work with as well as being able to site all non-moveable items such as waste pipes, water inlet pipes and the all important toilet waste.
When you have your floor plan with everything down, you can then start to plan where you want the facilities to be sited. Of course, items such as the toilet will have to go where the waste is situated. Large items such as a handicapped shower stall will often be the next to be placed because of the sheer size of the unit. Other items can then be planned around these two while ensuring that plenty of floor space is left for the passage of a wheelchair unobstructed.
If the bathroom is large enough, you could also site a handicap bathtub as well as the necessary vanity unit and all faucets, outlets and plumbing. You should also consider the placement of any heating units such as central heating radiators, heated towel racks etc. All the extras such as hand rails need to be fixed firmly and securely to walls and floors because they will often have to take a lot of weight and support a person transferring from a wheelchair to a facility such as the toilet or shower chair. Everything should be within easy reach of a person in a wheel chair without them needing to reach up to get at anything, such as light switches and power points for electric shavers etc.
All in all, a well planned handicap bathroom will be a joy to use for anyone who needs its special facilities enabling them to get the most from it in comfort and ease of use. After all, it is one of the most heavily used of all rooms in a home, so it makes good sense to ensure that it is a welcome place to be.
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