Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
As part of planning for aging in place - a 1st floor bathroom makes sense. How much space needed for 1/2 bath or small one with small shower?
- ResearchMed
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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
I've seen *very* small 3/4 baths, but you probably should allow room for wheelchair accessible space and fixtures, so it might not be as small as it could have been.
Also keep in mind having no "lip" at the doorway or into a shower area, in addition to width of spaces.
A bathroom fixture supply store may have some sample plans for you to think about.
RM
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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
I am probably thinking of just an accessible 1/2 bath - no shower - just toilet and sink.ResearchMed wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 5:19 pmI've seen *very* small 3/4 baths, but you probably should allow room for wheelchair accessible space and fixtures, so it might not be as small as it could have been.
Also keep in mind having no "lip" at the doorway or into a shower area, in addition to width of spaces.
A bathroom fixture supply store may have some sample plans for you to think about.
RM
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
Your initial concern needs to be the plumbing. Obviously a bathroom needs water (hot and cold) and a drain for the sink as well as a drain for the toilet. Agree that you will want to make the room wheelchair accessible which will mean a somewhat larger space. You probably should contact a contractor to discuss and make recommendations. Good luck.
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
For wheelchair access/ADA compliant, you will probably need a minimum of 7'x6'6" (need to be able to draw a 60" circle in the plan plus lots of other minimum dimensions required). If that is not necessary, you can probably get away with 3'6"x4'6". Be nice to have the new bath vertically in line with the upstairs bath to make plumbing easier...depends where the drain is going and water access is located.
You can just go search Goggle for handicap half bath floor plans or non-handicap plans to get an idea of the basic layouts....
You can just go search Goggle for handicap half bath floor plans or non-handicap plans to get an idea of the basic layouts....
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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
I don't think a half bath is going to be sufficient if you're really planning for aging in place. I've dealt with enough elderly relatives who have wanted to stay in their homes without a first floor bedroom and full bath to think this is practical.
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
I had the builder change the 1/2 bath downstairs to include a shower decreasing the size of the family room.
I was thinking now that it may have been cheaper to have one of those stair lifts installed instead when the need arises.
The builder charged me $15K.
The next door neighbor who has the same floorplan had the 1/2 bath fitted with a shower for $5K by a non-licensed handyman.
No paperwork with the township.
The handyman managed to squeeze a shower into the existing 1/2 bath which is the size of a 1/2 bath.
I haven't seen this in person.
My 3/4 bath would not be ADA-compliant.
I was thinking now that it may have been cheaper to have one of those stair lifts installed instead when the need arises.
The builder charged me $15K.
The next door neighbor who has the same floorplan had the 1/2 bath fitted with a shower for $5K by a non-licensed handyman.
No paperwork with the township.
The handyman managed to squeeze a shower into the existing 1/2 bath which is the size of a 1/2 bath.
I haven't seen this in person.
My 3/4 bath would not be ADA-compliant.
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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
You may not be able to get the wheelchair compliant bath, but you may be able to make the half bath accessible for a walker. That will not take as much space.
Ralph
Ralph
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
Can you exercise your way out of aging gracefully? I feel old people who can't walk up stairs, or walk faster are pathetic...
Then, I see this bodybuilder elderly in 80s still strong as hell, some even run marathons. If I exercise a lot, would that prevent that from happening? 


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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
I think it would need to be fairly large. I have a small 1/2 bath on the first floor. My mother was not able to get her walker into the bathroom. Well, maybe she could as a very, very tight squeeze but she could never have turned it even at a 90 degree angle to use the facilities Had she fallen in there it would have been very difficult to get another person in there, let alone two, to safely get her up. Good idea if it's big enough but I did not have the room to expand.
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
You have no way of knowing why a person, old or not, can't walk up stairs or walks slowly. Cancer, heart disease (Jim Fixx showed that now matter how much you exercise, you can't beat heart disease), kidney disease, auto accident that was someone else's fault, heck, even the grandchildren's overly-friendly dog could jump on you and break some bones.Momus wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:36 am Can you exercise your way out of aging gracefully? I feel old people who can't walk up stairs, or walk faster are pathetic...Then, I see this bodybuilder elderly in 80s still strong as hell, some even run marathons. If I exercise a lot, would that prevent that from happening?
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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
Possible - but probably not in this jurisdiction. There are many reasons (including financial) for staying here.
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
To a degree - yes - lifestyle changes or a good lifestyle reduces the mobility risk. My opinion is that the biggest single lifestyle factor in mobility issues is being overweight or obese.clemrick wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 10:15 amYou have no way of knowing why a person, old or not, can't walk up stairs or walks slowly. Cancer, heart disease (Jim Fixx showed that now matter how much you exercise, you can't beat heart disease), kidney disease, auto accident that was someone else's fault, heck, even the grandchildren's overly-friendly dog could jump on you and break some bones.Momus wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:36 am Can you exercise your way out of aging gracefully? I feel old people who can't walk up stairs, or walk faster are pathetic...Then, I see this bodybuilder elderly in 80s still strong as hell, some even run marathons. If I exercise a lot, would that prevent that from happening?
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Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
If the closet is in a private space, the toilet can be placed in the closet while the sink is placed on a wall near by.
If you have sufficient wall space, a motorized barn-door that covers the entire closet-length can permit walker or wheel chair access to the facilities while entering/being seated, then privacy when needed.
If you have sufficient wall space, a motorized barn-door that covers the entire closet-length can permit walker or wheel chair access to the facilities while entering/being seated, then privacy when needed.
Re: Space needed small bathroom 1st floor?
My grandfather used a wheelchair in his home after a stroke. To accommodate him in an existing bathroom the door to a bathroom was removed (a drape/curtain was installed across the doorway when the door was removed. If designed from scratch a bathroom may use less space if it can be built using a sliding (pocket) door. Accommodating the opening and closing of a regular door imposes limits on the layout, a sliding/pocket door might work better but they have their own limits on placement.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.