[Allyrona]

Hi there,

I am opening a Guest House this year and am planning on having at least one room with wheelchair access. The room will have an ensuite. I would appreciate any suggestions as to room layout, ammenties available, anything really which would improve the quality of our guests stay.

Our bathroom will have room for either a bath or a shower, possibly both although it may then become slightly cramped.

We will also have a dining room for breakfast and a conservatory.

Thanks a lot for your time and any suggestions given!

Alison

[Slowlegs]

Hi, is it a new place or are you converting it?

[macthefox]

Re bathroom layout / design
I am an independent full time wheelchair user and the bathrooms I consider to be ideal are wet rooms. They are totally accessible and usable by all = they minimize costs and maintenance - the add ons are handrails, bench shower seat etc.equally useful to all persons. The allow wheelchair users maximum space for maneuvering and are totally comfortable for all other users..
A bath or shower cubicle inevitably gives difficulties to many people.
I have just spent 2 months traveling NZ and 90% of accommodation in hotels, motels and home stays are wet rooms - instantly ideal and easier to clean.
I am abroad at the moment but am due back in UK later next week and I have recommended dimensions for such projects and I can scan and send to you upon my return if that would be helpful.
Mac McDougall

[longhaul]

You can find an inexpensive wheel chair at a thrift store. You can get a real good idea of what you need to do by using it yourself to get around and see if you can reach everything. I second the wet bath they're great. Access to both sides of the bed is also nice. Good luck.......

[Allyrona]

Hi there,

Thanks for all the replys so far. We are converting an old house, the rooms are all ready made, at this point we are planning what furniture to buy, bathroom and bedroom layout, were abouts all our sockets and switches are going, etc.

Had thought we could'nt make wet room due to the poured concrete floor but one of our builders thinks it is do able. May end up with a slight difference in floor height from bedroom to bathroom because of it but hopefully will be able to make a slope of it.

How about different bathroom fittings such as mirrors?

Good idea about the wheelchair, often find in hotels that no one seems to have tested the room from anyone's point of view! Due to the space we are working with only one side of the bed will be easily accessable to wheelchair users, the side which is ,is also on side of bathroom and room doors.

Macthefox : Would appreciate your dimensions, even though we are limited by what we can do with existing rooms we may be expanding with a new build in future, so could be of use!

Thank you!

[edlee]

Now you have me curious,,,, What , exactly , is a wet room??? Does it preclude cabinets for storage??

While I am satisfied with what I have now,, I'm still always looking for something new,,better,, different.
ed

[Slowlegs]

edlee, on Feb 6 2009, 07:26 PM, said:

Now you have me curious,,,, What , exactly , is a wet room??? Does it preclude cabinets for storage??

While I am satisfied with what I have now,, I'm still always looking for something new,,better,, different.
ed

Hi Ed,
a wet room is basically like a shower taking up the whole room. You could turn a hose on and it would drain down to the centre and out. Basically the whole room can get wet without damage. Allyrona, if you send me your email address in a message I will send you some info from the New Zealand building code. It won't be exactly the same as the US one but will give you some good clues on minimum accessable bathroom sizes, etc and some good ideas on mirror heights, etc.

This post has been edited by Slowlegs: 07 February 2009 - 12:41 AM

[KarenFerguson]

Could you send me some pictures? I'd love to see the space you're dealing with. To me, a "wet bathroom" is kind of silly. You'll only need to put in a roll in shower (the floor will slope in the shower), so it's not necessary to have the whole bathroom floor slope. I'd certainly put tile or some other non-porous material down on the floor. Anyway, PM me ... totally would love to see some pic's.

[Emily74]

My husband doesn't like wet rooms because too much of the floor gets wet. My husband's favorite set up is at my Aunt and Uncle's house. They have a large shower, and it is all tile, continous from floor, except there in a 1 inch drop down to keep water in shower.

One tiny little improvement we recently made in our wn home that made a huge dfference is, replacing decorative shower curtain hooks with rolling shower curtain rings.. It is more difficult to open and clse shower curtain from sitting position. Hooks in a couple different places hung on the low side to hang clothes on and etc. would be nice too.

ETA: My husband does not roll his wheelchair into shower. He sits on a bench. Different people do it different ways.

This post has been edited by Tonyswife: 08 February 2009 - 04:04 PM

[Allyrona]

Slowlegs, on Feb 7 2009, 01:37 AM, said:

edlee, on Feb 6 2009, 07:26 PM, said:

Now you have me curious,,,, What , exactly , is a wet room??? Does it preclude cabinets for storage??

While I am satisfied with what I have now,, I'm still always looking for something new,,better,, different.
ed

Hi Ed,
a wet room is basically like a shower taking up the whole room. You could turn a hose on and it would drain down to the centre and out. Basically the whole room can get wet without damage. Allyrona, if you send me your email address in a message I will send you some info from the New Zealand building code. It won't be exactly the same as the US one but will give you some good clues on minimum accessable bathroom sizes, etc and some good ideas on mirror heights, etc.

Hi there,
my email address is allyrona@aol.com. It is the UK we are building the Guest House not US! Thank you!

KarenFerguson, on Feb 7 2009, 10:05 PM, said:

Could you send me some pictures? I'd love to see the space you're dealing with. To me, a "wet bathroom" is kind of silly. You'll only need to put in a roll in shower (the floor will slope in the shower), so it's not necessary to have the whole bathroom floor slope. I'd certainly put tile or some other non-porous material down on the floor. Anyway, PM me ... totally would love to see some pic's.

Hi there,

The bathroom is 3m by 2.1m, do not have photos at the moment. Ally

Tonyswife, on Feb 8 2009, 05:02 PM, said:

My husband doesn't like wet rooms because too much of the floor gets wet. My husband's favorite set up is at my Aunt and Uncle's house. They have a large shower, and it is all tile, continous from floor, except there in a 1 inch drop down to keep water in shower.

One tiny little improvement we recently made in our wn home that made a huge dfference is, replacing decorative shower curtain hooks with rolling shower curtain rings.. It is more difficult to open and clse shower curtain from sitting position. Hooks in a couple different places hung on the low side to hang clothes on and etc. would be nice too.

ETA: My husband does not roll his wheelchair into shower. He sits on a bench. Different people do it different ways.

Hi there,

Have noticed that a lot of specially built disabled shower units use curtains and not some form of door. I would prefer a door of sorts if we have a shower unit and not a wet room. Just think that in a Guest House situation curtains can quickly become a bit grimey, can doors be quite difficult to manage?
Good idea about hooks will put two lots on bathroom door. Ally


Hi again!

Looking into beds at the moment thinking of putting in a bed that can be made into a twin or double. However they seem to be quite high, what sort of height of bed is most easy to use?
Ally

[Emily74]

Quote

Hi there,

Have noticed that a lot of specially built disabled shower units use curtains and not some form of door. I would prefer a door of sorts if we have a shower unit and not a wet room. Just think that in a Guest House situation curtains can quickly become a bit grimey, can doors be quite difficult to manage?
Good idea about hooks will put two lots on bathroom door. Ally


Hi again!

Looking into beds at the moment thinking of putting in a bed that can be made into a twin or double. However they seem to be quite high, what sort of height of bed is most easy to use?
Ally

About shower doors, make sure they do NOT have any lip at all at the bottom!!!!! I'm not sure they make shower doors without lips at the bottom. Also, I'd be worried about the potential for broken glass if someone should slip or accidentally bang the shower door.

With all the new luxury extra deep mattresses, beds have gotten monstrously high. It is ideal that the bed be right about the same height as the seat of your average wheelchair. My husband's seat is 19" from the ground. Floor space to be able to turn a wheelchair around 360 degrees next to the bed on at least one side would be nice.

[macthefox]

Allyrona, on Feb 6 2009, 07:25 PM, said:

Hi there,

Thanks for all the replys so far. We are converting an old house, the rooms are all ready made, at this point we are planning what furniture to buy, bathroom and bedroom layout, were abouts all our sockets and switches are going, etc.

Had thought we could'nt make wet room due to the poured concrete floor but one of our builders thinks it is do able. May end up with a slight difference in floor height from bedroom to bathroom because of it but hopefully will be able to make a slope of it.

How about different bathroom fittings such as mirrors?

Good idea about the wheelchair, often find in hotels that no one seems to have tested the room from anyone's point of view! Due to the space we are working with only one side of the bed will be easily accessable to wheelchair users, the side which is ,is also on side of bathroom and room doors.

Macthefox : Would appreciate your dimensions, even though we are limited by what we can do with existing rooms we may be expanding with a new build in future, so could be of use!

Thank you!

[macthefox]

Allyrona, on Feb 6 2009, 07:25 PM, said:

Hi there,

Thanks for all the replys so far. We are converting an old house, the rooms are all ready made, at this point we are planning what furniture to buy, bathroom and bedroom layout, were abouts all our sockets and switches are going, etc.

Had thought we could'nt make wet room due to the poured concrete floor but one of our builders thinks it is do able. May end up with a slight difference in floor height from bedroom to bathroom because of it but hopefully will be able to make a slope of it.

How about different bathroom fittings such as mirrors?

Good idea about the wheelchair, often find in hotels that no one seems to have tested the room from anyone's point of view! Due to the space we are working with only one side of the bed will be easily accessable to wheelchair users, the side which is ,is also on side of bathroom and room doors.

Macthefox : Would appreciate your dimensions, even though we are limited by what we can do with existing rooms we may be expanding with a new build in future, so could be of use!

Thank you!

Sorry about delay in responding – my return was a little delayed – If you still need dimensions etc I will get them scanned tomorrow and send to you.
It is brilliant to see the interest and comments posted – pity local authorities etc do not learn from it.
To me the ideal is something that can be equipped to suit anybody and that the budget is as reasonable as possible.
A wet room is just a room that is waterproof in all aspects – the floor does not have to have major slopes or any, apart from the main area if it is curtained or isolated. The walls may or may not be tiled there are now so many appropriate finishes. The fixtures and fittings are limitless and down to personal taste eg shower chair or fixed drop down bench, shower curtain or not, various partitions are available, mirrors large enough to suit both the wheelie and able bodied - hand rails often as useful for elderly as well as wheelies
Everything is down to budget and of course making it as attractive to all users as possible. We must not lose sight of the fact that this is for all including but not specifically for the exclusive use of people with disabilities.
In summary there are endless designs and possibilities – it is the choice of the individual and you cannot please all of the people all of the time but hopefully the joint contributions from all on this site will help
Mac

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