Source: National Association of Home Builders
The following list is not exhaustive but will give you ideas to share with your Wormald representative as you begin to define what your needs and wants are.
Exterior
- Low-maintenance exterior (vinyl, brick)
- Low-maintenance shrubs and plants
- Deck, patio, or balcony surfaces are no more than ½ inch below interior floor level if made of wood
Overall Floor Plan
- Main living on a single story, including full bath
- No steps between rooms/areas on the same level
- 5-foot by 5-foot clear/turn space in living area, kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom
Hallways
- Minimum of 36 inches wide, wider preferred
- Well lit
Entry
- Accessible path of travel to the home
- At least one no-step entry with a cover
- Sensor light at exterior no-step entry focusing on the front-door lock
- There needs to be 32 inches of clear width, which requires a 36-inch door
- Non-slip flooring in foyer
- Entry door sidelight or high/low peep hole viewer; sidelight should provide both privacy and safety
- Doorbell in accessible location
- Surface to place packages on when opening door
Thresholds
- Flush preferable
- Exterior maximum of ½ inch beveled
- Interior maximum of ¼ inch
- Interior Doors
- There needs to be 32 inches of clear width, which requires a 36-inch door
- Levered door hardware
Windows
- Plenty of windows for natural light
- Lowered windows or taller windows with lower sill height
- Low maintenance exterior and interior finishes
- Easy to operate hardware
Garage or Carport
- Covered carports and boarding spaces
- Wider than average carports to accommodate lifts on vans
- Door heights may need to be nine feet to accommodate some raised roof vans
- Five-foot minimum access aisle between accessible van and car in garage
- If code requires floor to be several inches below entrance to house for fume protection, can slope entire floor from front to back to eliminate need for ramp or step
- Ramp to doorway if needed
- Handrail if steps
Faucets
- Lever handles or pedal-controlled
- Thermostatic or anti-scald controls
- Pressure balanced faucets