Accessibility

Many people do not understand the importance of including accessibility features in a home for a family who does not have disabilities. Various things can happen over the course of home ownership, including accidents, illnesses, natural aging, etc. An accessible house plan allows a person with a functional limitation to enter and leave a building, circulate through a building, and use the toilet and kitchen facilities without assistance.

Our goal is to provide accessible features during the building process to save the family the burden of converting their home should the need ever arise.

This can be done for a minimal cost increase during the construction phase and will not only save the home owner valuable time and resources, but will expand the resale market and ensure that everyone can visit and enjoy the home. 
 
Features in this design include an accessible route to the house, house entrances that are free of steps and stairs (perhaps using ramps), wide doors, sufficient clear floor space for wheelchairs, bathrooms with grab bars, seats in bathing fixtures, knee spaces under sinks and counters, lower countertop segments, loop and lever type hardware, and switches and controls in easily reached locations.

(“Accessible Housing Manual”. Construction and Environmental Resources, Habitat for Humanity. Accessed 24 March 2009.)


Beginning October 1, 2009, every new Habitat for Humanity home built in Michigan must achieve specific accessibility requirements in order to participate in programs that are offered through Habitat for Humanity of Michigan.

The requirements are derived from those of Habitat for Humanity International, Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, MSHDA, and HUD.

For more information, please visit our House Plan Verification page.

The requirements and additional recommendations for new construction Habitat for Humanity homes include:

  • Each plan has at least:
    • A covered primary entrance
    • One no-step entry with a minimum 5’ X 5’ level landing at floor level outside accessible entry
    • Threshold of less than ½ inch shown on  at least a 36” wide door at a no-step entry
    • An easily navigated path leading to the no-step entry not steeper than 1:12 (this can be achieved by utilizing a reverse brick ledge)
       
  • All passage doors are at least 36” wide
  • 1’-6” of clear wall space is provided on the latch side of in-swing doors for wheelchair clearance
  • Lever handle faucets, door knobs, etc. are used on all passage doors
  • Hallways:
    • Without a door should be at least three feet and four inches (3’ 4”) wide from frame to frame.
    • With a door should be a minimum width of  three feet and seven inches (3’7”) from frame to frame.
       
  • Environmental controls—including light switches and heating and cooling controls—must be located:
    • at least 18 inches above the finished floor 
    • no more than 48 inches above the finished floor
  • Firm finished flooring surfaces are preferable for wheelchair maneuvering
  • Laundry hook-up is located on main floor (one can be in the basement also)
     
  • An unobstructed 60” diameter turning circle clear floor space is shown in bath and kitchen (other rooms if possible)
  • 30” X 48” clear floor spaces are provided:
    • In front of and under kitchen and bath sinks centered on fixture
    • In front of and centered on appliances, fixtures, cabinets, and utilities
  • The refrigerator door allows for an open swing past 90 degrees for access
     
  • The main bath toilet is located 1’- 6 ½” from center of toilet to rough framed side wall
  • 36” X 60” of clear floor space is provided in front of 60” tub/shower unit
  • The plan shows at least one half-bathroom on the main floor with:
    • A clear floor space of 30 by 48 inches centered on and contiguous to the sink that IS NOT encroached by the swing path of the bathroom door
    • A sink and toilet that allow for parallel or head-on approach by a person in a wheelchair to an open space that is at least 30 by 48 inches andIS NOT encroached by the swing path of the bathroom door
  • Blocking is installed for future grab bar installation:
    • No less than 33 inches and no more than 36 inches above the floor   
      • It should extend 48” along the side and 42” along the back of the toilet
         
Below is an example of an accessible bathroom with all of HFHM's accessiblity requirements as well as additional recommendations.

All of the accessible house plan requirements are directly derived from the documents below: