More Owners Remodeling to "Age in Place"
/More owners remodeling to ‘age in place’
WASHINGTON – May 9, 2017 – Over the past five years, remodelers say they've seen an increase in the number of homeowners who undertake aging-in-place home modifications. They've also seen a greater awareness of these types of remodeling projects, according to a survey by NAHB Remodelers, an arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The survey also found that simple and less costly modifications are increasingly popular.
"Low-cost, simple modifications to help people be safer and more comfortable in their homes – such as installing grab bars and higher toilets – continue to be the most popular aging-in-place remodeling projects," said 2017 NAHB Remodelers Chair Dan Bawden.
According to the survey, 80 percent of remodeling companies are doing aging-in-place projects, up from 68 percent in 2013. Also, 17 percent of remodelers said that "most" of their customers were familiar with the aging-in-place concept, an increase from 11 percent in 2013.
Five top aging-in-place remodeling projects since 2013
- Added lighting/task lighting: up 12 percent
- Curb-less showers: up 9 percent
- Grab bars: up 7 percent
- Non-slip floors: up 7 percent
- Widening doorways: up 5 percent
More complex and costly projects saw minor decreases in popularity since 2013. Adding an entry-level bedroom dropped one point to 33 percent, and installing ramps or lowering thresholds decreased two points to 49 percent.
© 2017 Florida Realtors
