Remodel Today for Tomorrow’s Needs

Live at home longer.

There isn’t any other way to say it: All of us are getting older. Today we feel great, look great and have interesting and active lives. We work to maintain our health and fitness, and especially to hold onto our independence as long as possible.

If keeping your independence means being able to live in your current home through more of your senior years, remodeling your home now may make it easier to do just that.

Whether your changes are structural or cosmetic, remodeling allows you to give your house that “new home” feeling without having to move. Many building materials and fixtures today typically have a 20 to 30 year life expectancy. This makes homes from the 70s and 80s overdue for a variety of improvements.

Single-level living is growing in popularity, including having a first floor master bedroom suite with a full bath. Depending on the layout of your existing home, creating a first-floor master can often put all the necessary living spaces on one floor, minimizing the need to climb stairs. Single-level living has become increasingly popular with people for a variety of reasons, including the additional privacy it provides.

Of course, when you think about remodeling your home for your more senior years, there are many factors to consider beyond having your bedroom and kitchen on the first floor. Some considerations may include the width of doors and halls, height of the countertops and placement of outlets and light switches, which may need to be adjusted to increase mobility and minimize safety issues such as reaching and bending, particular for those in wheelchairs. If not for now, but for later, walk-in showers and grab bars are an excellent idea. Simple changes, such as lever handles on faucets and doorknobs, programmable thermostats, better lighting and more accessible appliances are just a few things can make a big difference in how comfortable you are in your home as you get older.

Remodeling offers numerous benefits besides adding aging-in-place features. Updating your home can improve your physical comfort and save you money. Rising fuel costs make energy efficiency a must-have today. New materials used in windows and doors, better insulation, more efficient heating and air condition systems all serve to lower costs.

Exterior elements shouldn’t be neglected either. Adding low- or no-maintenance exterior features like fiber cement siding and Azek polymer trim can increase value and minimize maintenance expenses. These products are designed to last a lifetime.

Thank you for reading, Joanne