Rules
Hiring questions for accessibility contractors in an occupied home
Accessibility contractors: ask about credentials, licensing, insurance, permits, references, payment, warranties, and occupied-home planning.
Desk
Remodel Desk
Bathrooms, kitchens and entrances, and what the work involves.
Features
Adapting older Montreal and Halifax homes for accessible living
Aging-in-place remodeling in Montreal and Halifax means working around narrow doorways, steep stairs, heritage permits and two different sets of rules.
Guides
CMHC HASI Grants: What Happened to Aging-in-Place Funding in Canada
HASI and every RRAP stream are now one On-Reserve RRAP for First Nations housing. Here is what off-reserve Canadian homeowners can still use.
Guides
BC aging-in-place remodeling: RAHA rebate or tax credit?
BC RAHA rebate or the home renovation tax credit for aging-in-place remodeling: who each one is for, what it pays, how the money arrives and what to keep.
Costs
How HATC and METC cut accessible home design costs in Canada
Accessible home design in Canada can cost less: the Home Accessibility Tax Credit and the Medical Expense Tax Credit cut qualifying renovation costs.
Costs
Toronto accessible renovation costs, what to budget under the Ontario Building Code
Accessible kitchen and bathroom work in Toronto costs more than standard renovation, and the Ontario Building Code sets the line items that decide your budget.
Features
Winter-ready accessible entries in Edmonton and Winnipeg, what works at minus 30
Aging-in-place remodeling in Edmonton and Winnipeg must handle minus 30: heated ramps, slip-resistant surfaces and snow-clearing access, built to code.
Costs
Accessible Laundry Room Design: Front-Loading Washers and Lowered Counters
Accessible laundry room design runs $4,500 to $18,000, and most of it goes to plumbing, floors and electrical work. Reach ranges and counter height decide the rest.
Rules
CMHC Home Adaptations for Seniors: What Qualifies and What to Prepare
CMHC's Home Adaptations for Seniors' Independence Program: what work qualifies, who is eligible, the documents to prepare, and why written approval must come before work starts. A Canadian program guide.
Features
Dementia-Friendly Home Design: Room-by-Room Modifications That Help
Dementia-friendly home design works room by room: clear the route to the bathroom, add contrast, and check each change before the next one starts.
Costs
How to Pay for Aging-in-Place Renovations: Grants, Loans, and Waivers
How to pay for aging in place renovations in the US: VA grants, Medicaid waivers, USDA loans and state programs, plus what each one will not cover.
Guides
Walk-In Tub vs. Shower: Which Is Safer for Aging in Place?
Walk-in tub vs shower: step-over height, transfer support and cost decide. US plumbing codes, Medicare rules and VA grants shape the safer choice.
Features
Small accessible bathrooms still fit both the person and the helper
Small-space options for accessible bathrooms: wall-hung basins, outward doors, corner layouts, and how to fit both the person and whoever is helping them.
Maintenance
Leaks, slips and scalds: the fixes accessible bathrooms actually need
Why new accessible bathrooms leak, slip, scald or trap people, and the corrections that work: falls to drain, door swing, scald control and calling for help.
Guides
Accessible Bathrooms Checklist for Homeowners
Use this accessible bathrooms checklist to record clearances, fixture heights, grab-bar placement, seated reach, and details for a safer remodel.
Reviews
Accessible bathroom materials compared for upkeep and long-term cost
Floors, walls, seats and bars compared on slip resistance, cleaning, contrast and how they age, so the finish that looks best still works in year five.
Maintenance
Accessible home design: the maintenance plan for year two and beyond
What to inspect, test and reorder once an adapted home has been lived in for a year, from grab bar fixings to lift servicing and worn slip-resistant floors.
Features
Why an Accessible Home Design Timeline Slips
An accessible home design timeline can slip when assessment, funding, permits, inspections, or custom equipment lag. Plan around the waits.
Reviews
Adaptable kitchens comparison: plan the need first
Use this adaptable kitchens comparison to weigh fixed, mixed, and adjustable counter plans, then plan knee space, storage, and hidden services before a remodel.