My wife wants to remodel the house. With me being a contractor, this means that she has hired me to do the work, help with the design, and schedule the stages and phases of the remodel. There is only one thing wrong with that picture, which I haven’t been able to communicate to her. Where do I find the time? It’s hard to remodel all day long and then come home to remodel again, I do agree with her though, we are in need of some updates. We have started the planning phases and what we would like to do but haven’t gotten past that just yet.
Part of that planning phase is looking at the future needs for us as homeowners and how we will use the house in the future. What will our needs be in 5 years, 10 years, and more years into the future? I think a lot about how a series of courses I took will help with this planning for our home as well as the homes of our clients. The courses I’m speaking of were offered by the National Association of Home Builders where I was able to earn a designation called Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. This certification will prepare me and my clients for what is called the “Silver Tsunami.” The Silver Tsunami is the term used for all of the baby boomers becoming older and moving onto a “funner” time of their life.
Most homeowners would like to remain in their homes until the very end and by working with a Certified-Aging-in-Place Specialist, that can be accomplished. Some of the concepts that benefit a homeowner as well as their guests are adaptability, accessibility, and universal design. The changes you make to your home will make it more comfortable, livable, functional, and stylish for your lifetime. The aging-in-place concepts are for everyone, from children to grandparents. In my courses we learned how to make these updates to a home attractive and seamless. An example would be a zero threshold entry, which can often be accomplished without adding a ramp to a home.
Some of the updates that many people may not associate with changing needs as we age include good lighting, an easy to maneuver entry and other more subtle but important enhancements to a home. Placing a well designed shelf to set your belonging while you unlock the front door seems simple enough but it is something that is often overlooked. Even using some of the latest technology for your entry door lock that will recognize you and unlock the door before your get to the doorway. These types of updates to a home will make it more functional and attractive. Adaptations to a home for future use could be building a doorframe that can be widened later when it’s needed. Installing a grab bar or other adaptive equipment that can be removed when desired. It could be that adding a bathroom to the first floor or turning the office into a bedroom for a few years to accommodate and temporarily adjust the home for future or current needs.
A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist can identify comprehensive and practical solutions to aging-in-place needs, which include your lifestyle, health, and family situation. Common modifications include, entrances, kitchens, bathrooms, lighting, common areas, among others. Home modifications can include indoor and outdoor spaces. Choosing materials and designs that reduce maintenance on the exterior, installing assistive devices, enhancing the home through remodeling and new construction but also in a stylish way. All these items can be addressed in a phased or all inclusive renovation.
Accessible design to a home would mean level walkways and wider doors to make it easier for mobility. Level walks may be out of the question in a lot of homes in Juneau but each home location may have some unique solution to that problem. Universal Design is the design concept of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible. Universal design can be integrated to manage a temporary need and enhance the livability of your home for many years to come. Fewer barriers, everything in reach, handles and fixtures that are easy and intuitive to use. Universal design brings everything together and stylishly brings function, adaptability, accessibility, livability, and visitability. Yes, visitability is a word.
Ask yourself these questions: What changes do I want in place today? What changes will I need in the future? Do I remodel or add with new construction? What is my budget? The budget is a question that should always be asked. By determining a “budget” I help save a lot of valuable time for myself and the homeowner. A disturbing statistic I recently learned about the national average yearly cost of a retirement home or assisted living home is $90,000 a year but in Southeast Alaska those costs can be much higher, not to mention that many people have to leave Southeast Alaska to find an assisted living facility to meet their needs in Anchorage or Seattle. Think of that amount of money put towards an aging-in-place remodel which gets you 5, 10, or more years in your own home, your own neighborhood, your own community, your own state! Huge savings.
Now when I plan for a remodel on my home, I plan for the future. I can still use all the trendy materials and fixtures but now I have a plan to remain in my home comfortably and safely for many years to come. If I decide to sell my home, it will be inviting for the next family, young or aging.
Greg Stopher, CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist)
Stopher Construction, LLC.
Greg Stopher has over 20 years of experience in the construction field and earned a degree in Construction Technologies from the University of Alaska – Southeast. Greg is also the president of the Southeast Building Industry Association (SEABIA) and has earned the CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) designation from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). His company specializes in remodeling, additions, and aging-in-place projects. He can be reached at 907-321-2350.
