Planning an Accessible Home: How to Future-Proof Your Residence
An accessible home means far more than “no steps.” It is about being able to use your own four walls safely, independently, and as much as possible without outside help in every phase of life – with or without a wheelchair, rollator, or walking aids. Accessible living increases the quality of life, reduces the risk of falls, and makes your home usable long-term, instead of having to leave it at some point in old age.
This is precisely where Lehner Lifttechnik comes in: with stairlifts, platform lifts, vertical platform lifts, and special solutions, stairs and differences in height can be overcome so that a house truly becomes continuously accessible – from the entrance area to the upper floor.
- What does “Accessible Home” mean in everyday life?
- Planning an accessible new build vs. adapting an existing home
- The most important areas in an accessible home
- Stairs & Levels: Accessibility with Lehner Lifts
- Accessibility as an Investment in the Future
- Conclusion: An Accessible Home with Good Planning and Lift Technology
- FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Accessible Homes
What does “Accessible Home” mean in everyday life?
Official definitions – for example, on oesterreich.gv.at – describe “accessible” as follows: A building is accessible if it can be accessed and used by people with disabilities in a generally customary manner, without particular difficulty and fundamentally without outside help.
For a residential home, this specifically means:
- You can reach all essential rooms without dangerous obstacles.
- Paths, doors, bathrooms, and kitchens are designed so that you can move safely with a wheelchair or walking aid.
- Differences in height – both outside and inside – are bridged by ramps or lift systems.
Planning bases for this are provided by, among others, DIN 18040-2 for accessible apartments and, in Austria, ÖNORM B 1600 “Planning principles for accessible construction.”
Important: Accessibility is not only for wheelchair users. An accessible home creates comfort for everyone – families with strollers, people after accidents, guests with limited mobility, and ultimately for one’s own aging.
Planning an accessible new build vs. adapting an existing home
The top guides clearly distinguish between: new construction (accessible from the start) and existing buildings (converting or gradually adapting a house to be accessible).
Accessible New Construction
Prefabricated and solid house providers recommend considering accessibility already in the design phase – even if there are currently no limitations. Frequently mentioned points:
- Many functions on one level, e.g., living, dining, sleeping, and bathroom on the ground floor (bungalow concepts).
- Wider doors and hallways, as well as sufficient maneuvering space (e.g., 120 cm path width, 150 × 150 cm turning radius for wheelchairs).
- Step-free, low-threshold access to the house and terrace.
Retrofitting an existing house for accessibility
In existing buildings, the reality often looks different: a few steps at the entrance, a raised ground floor, narrow stairs to the upper floor, bathrooms that are too small. Guides recommend proceeding with priorities: first the entrance area and access, then the bathroom and bedroom, then stairs and traffic routes.
This is precisely where technical solutions such as stairlifts, platform stairlifts, and vertical platform lifts come into play to make an existing house as continuously accessible as possible afterwards – without having to rebuild the entire building.
The most important areas in an accessible home
An “accessible home” typically focuses on several key areas – from the entrance to doors, bathrooms, stairs, and floors.
1. Access and Outdoor Area
- Step-free or ramp-assisted access to the house
- As low-threshold as possible front door or thresholds of max. 2 cm
- Sufficiently wide paths and maneuvering areas in front of the door
- Good lighting, handrails, easily accessible doorbell and intercom system
Where the terrain or a raised ground floor creates greater differences in height, platform lifts or vertical platform lifts are often used instead of a very long ramp to make access barrier-free.
2. Doors, Hallways, and Maneuvering Areas
- Doors with at least 80–90 cm clear width
- Corridors and hallways with sufficient passage width and turning options
- Trip-free floors, no high transitions between rooms
- Operating elements such as light switches and door handles at a height of approximately 80–110 cm
3. Bathroom and Toilet
- Walk-in showers without high tub edges
- Sufficient maneuvering space in front of the toilet, washbasin, and shower
- Stable grab bars and non-slip coverings
- Wheelchair-accessible washbasins and sufficient storage space
4. Kitchen and Living Areas
- Sufficient maneuvering space for turning with a wheelchair or rollator
- Non-slip, non-reflective floor coverings
- Easily accessible work surfaces, cabinets, and sockets
5. Stairs and Floors
In many single-family homes, the staircase is the decisive barrier – it separates living areas, bedrooms, or offices. Guides repeatedly refer to stairlifts and platform lifts as a practical solution when a classic elevator is not feasible.
Stairs & Levels: Accessibility with Lehner Lifts
While many construction measures (doors, bathrooms, floors) are implemented by builders and installers, multi-level accessibility is the specialty of Lehner Lifttechnik.
Seated stairlifts
For people who can still transfer independently but are unsteady on stairs, seat stairlifts offer a compact solution:
- Travel along the existing staircase, straight or curved
- Especially suitable if there is space in the stairwell
- Relieve joints and circulation, without structural interventions on the building itself
Platform stair lifts
For wheelchair users, platform stairlifts are one of the most important components of an accessible home:
- Accessible platform on the stairs, indoors or outdoors
- Suitable for manual and – depending on the model – also electric wheelchairs
- Foldable platform so that the staircase remains usable in everyday life
Vertical Platform Lifts & Platform Lifts
Where larger differences in height exist or a ramp would be too long, vertical platform lifts and platform lifts come into play:
- Indoor and outdoor use
- Overcoming a few steps up to several meters of lifting height
- Use with a wheelchair, rollator, or stroller
- Ideal for entrance situations, raised ground floors, terraces, and intermediate levels
Typical Areas of Application in an Accessible Home
| Area | Goal | Typical Lehner Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor Staircase Ground Floor–Upper Floor | Connect Living & Sleeping Areas | Seat Stairlift or Platform Stairlift |
| Raised Ground Floor / House Entrance | Bridge Steps to Entrance Level | Platform Lift or Outdoor Vertical Platform Lift |
| Terrace Access | Level Difference Terrace–Living Area | Compact Platform Lift or Small Platform Lift |
| Multiple Levels in the House | Make Floors Accessible | Vertical Platform Lift (indoor or outdoor) |
Which solution makes sense in individual cases is best clarified in a personal consultation based on plans, photos, and measurements.
Make your home accessible?
Send us photos or plans of your situation – together with a regional partner, we will find the best lift solution.
Accessibility as an Investment in the Future
Current specialist articles and studies on accessible living emphasize two points:
- Demographics: More and more people want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible in old age. Accessibility thus becomes a prerequisite for independent living.
- Economic viability: Early accessible planning or timely implemented measures are usually more cost-effective than later emergency solutions or a relocation.
In addition, there are regional funding programs for accessible living that can support renovations to improve accessibility – such as lift solutions or adaptations in the entrance area. The framework conditions differ depending on the federal state and program.
Lehner Lifttechnik itself does not provide funding but can offer a crucial basis for applications with clearly structured offers and technical documents, and for this purpose, works with a network of qualified partner companies.
Conclusion: An Accessible Home with Good Planning and Lift Technology
An accessible home results from the interplay of:
- Clever floor plan design – as many functions as possible on one level
- Well-thought-out details in doors, bathrooms, paths, and living areas
- Technical solutions for stairs and differences in height
With stairlifts, platform lifts, vertical platform lifts, and special lifts, Lehner Lifttechnik creates accessibility precisely where classic construction measures reach their limits – for example, on narrow staircases, raised ground floor situations, or multi-story single-family homes.
If you want to plan your home to be accessible or gradually convert it to be accessible, a personal consultation is the next sensible step:
- Which areas are critical (entrance, stairs, bathroom, terrace)?
- What differences in height need to be overcome?
- How can Lehner lift solutions be harmoniously integrated into your home?
This is how a home is created piece by piece that suits your current situation – and reliably accompanies you into the future.
All information in this article is for non-binding information only and is provided without guarantee; for further information, please contact Lehner Lifttechnik directly.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Accessible Homes
A house is considered accessible if you can reach all essential areas – entrance, living rooms, bathroom, toilet, and sleeping area – without steps, narrow bottlenecks, and dangerous obstacles, and ideally without needing assistance. This includes, among other things, step-free access, sufficiently wide doors and hallways, enough maneuvering space, and – if necessary – lift solutions for stairs and level differences.
No. While many bungalow concepts focus on single-level living, an accessible house can certainly have multiple floors – the important thing then is that the levels are made accessible, for example, by a stairlift or vertical platform lift. The decisive factor is that you can safely reach the rooms important for everyday life, even with limitations.
Stairlifts and platform lifts are key in many existing buildings to make a house accessible without major renovations. They bridge stairs and differences in height where a classic elevator would be too complex. Platform lifts and vertical platform lifts also enable wheelchair-accessible access to house entrances, terraces, or multiple floors.
In many cases, yes – although usually step by step. Owners often begin with the entrance area, the bathroom, and the main staircase. With suitable solutions – such as platform stairlifts, platform lifts, or vertical platform lifts from Lehner – even older houses can be adapted so that central areas become barrier-free and accessible without having to rebuild the entire building.
How far the conversion should go depends on your individual situation, the building, and your budget.