Architect Allan Corfield explains how to design a lifetime home that will not only meet your present needs, but is capable of easily adapting over time as they change —all while providing a stylish place to live
Quite a common desire for anyone currently carrying out a self-build, renovation or conversion is the need for their property to act as a futureproofed lifetime home. For anyone with the intention of calling their house a home for the foreseeable future, the priority should be to create a property that has the potential to adapt to changing needs as time progresses.
As such, it’s important to communicate to your design team from the off that you want to build a lifetime home and are actively promoting these principles in every area of your self-build project. Your requirements – and therefore the spaces you inhabit – will have to be designed to either change with you or be futureproofed from the start. For example, do you want to have a staircase wide enough in the future to cater for a stairlift, or an area to include a lift shaft at a later date?
To help you plan a home that will evolve with your changing needs over time, we’ve outlined the top futureproofing features that should be designed into any lifetime home.
CAREFULLY PLANNING YOUR ACCESS
This is one area where it really will pay off to think ahead. As mobility decreases, it’s vital to ensure that it’s easy to get from the car to your front door. So do consider accessible garden design alongside the design of the house itself.
Designing an integrated or linked garage is the best solution. But if your budget or available space won’t allow for it, then planning a parking bay close to your entrance (ideally less than 10 metres away) is important .
You must also think carefully about the surface material and the gradient of the route to the front door. It should ideally be 1-in-20, or shallower. Smooth, flat surfaces such as concrete or resin will be much easier to cross with a wheelchair, or for someone with limited mobility, than undulating stones or gravel, which is a potential trip hazard.
But it’s not just your driveway that will need easy, level access to the front door. Introducing a ramp as part of the design will ensure safe access is built in from the outset. When building a new home, it’s also likely to be a requirement of Building Regulations.
INCORPORATE LEVEL THRESHOLDS
Once you reach your house, it’s important to streamline entry through the front door (or the access route/entrance most often used). This means awide enough door leaf. For an accessible home, I would recommend going larger than Building Re
