make your kitchen wheelchair accessible does n’t have to cost thousands of dollars . Here are a few budget - well-disposed improvements you may do powerful away .
With all the promotion in home technology plan to make people ’s lives gentle , there is one region that is still badly lacking : Not enough homes aredesigned for mass with impairment . A 2020Apartment List analysison accessibility and the housing market report that while 15 % ( 15.2 million ) of households in the U.S. star sign someone with a forcible disablement , only 6 % ( 6.6 million ) of those homes in reality qualify as accessible .
Those living with a handicap are also paying more rent — the Apartment List analytic thinking found that more than half of tenant with a physical disability are cost - charge ( paying more than the recommend 30 % of their income on tear ) , compare to those without a handicap .
Credit: Mihajlo Ckovric / Stocksy / Adobe Stock
If you or someone you ’re living with has a physical disability and use a wheelchair , there are budget - friendly room to make rough-cut spaces such as the kitchen andbathroom more approachable . Although project such as lowering your kitchen console can be a quite a little of money , there are more affordable upgrades you may easily get out off .
While there are many alternative tomake your space more wheelchair approachable , " any renovations should be specific for the actual needs of the person who will be using the kitchen , " says Elizabeth Kennedy , a certified Aging In Place specialist and founder ofAge Fearless Academy , which helps elderly grownup and their kids create optimal home environments for those with challenge in mobility .
Here are some low - cost kitchen upgrades to make certain your kitchen is set up properly for easier mobility and function .
1. Add a ramp into the kitchen.
Add a ramp into the kitchen to make it loose for someone in a wheelchair to approach . The project does n’t have to be to a fault complicated or costly .
" The cheapest agency to make a kitchen wheelchair accessible is by adding a front lip on the door and set up ramps go up to it ( these can be done for less than $ 1,000 ) , " order Kate Diaz , interior designer and founder of home betterment and decor website , SwankyDen .
James Watson , founder ofOmaha Homes for Cash , a home buying company that fixes and flips abode , says the task can be done for even less — about $ 50 with some plyboard and a transition small-arm .
" If there is an attached garage off of the kitchen , with one to three step , a single piece of paper of 1/2- to 3/4 - inch plywood should do the trick , " explains Watson . " fetch up it off with a transition piece where the plywood meets the door / floors , and you are all set , " he tally .
2. Add a small drop-leaf table for easier access to a countertop.
If you have a large kitchen mesa , Kennedy suggests replacing it with a smaller bead - leaf mesa to create more place for the mortal in the wheelchair to move in the kitchen . Depending on the type of tabular array you get , Kennedy estimates the price to be between $ 100 to $ 300 . The table can also be used as a lower countertop for contrivance , such as a microwave or toaster , or prepping meals .
For easier prep , Diaz recommend adding an under - console newspaper clipping board , which should cost about $ 30 depending on the sizing of your kitchen .
If you have a grown budget , you’re able to install , rebuild , or move a kitchen island to make more place for a wheelchair to move around and to make countertop easy to access . Kennedy articulate this can be between $ 500 to $ 2,000 .
3. Remove the cabinets under a sink.
" One budget - friendly update is to change the cabinet under the swallow hole to let wheelchair access , " says Jeremy Maher , COO ofPhx Home Remodelingand owner ofArizona Senior Access , which helps homeowners with ADA - compliant remodels .
look on broker like the style of console and their price , the task could cost $ 600 to $ 1,500 . " [ The project ] may require moving pipe to the tail of the space so the pegleg of the wheelchair exploiter can fit , " says Kennedy .
4. Lower power outlets.
Kitchens lean to have lots of convenience , so consider bring down the power outlets to make the kitchen more wheelchair - approachable .
" Lower office outlets would make the plugging and disconnect of appliances much easier , " aver Joel Phillips , home remodeler and founding father ofHome Guide Corner . “The idealistic placement would be just at your height when you ’re in a wheelchair , " says Phillips . He say the labor can be done for less than $ 100 , make it a pretty affordable selection .
For a more economical pick , Kennedy suggests installing smart exit that allow you to control features with a remote control or from your phone .
5. Install pull-down inserts in cabinets.
Add clout - out shelves and lazy Susans in cabinets to make items easier to see and hit . " Adding features such as rotary converter - character store and pull - out shelves can be helpful , " enjoin Benjamin Stenson , CEO of Kentucky - based home remodeling companyNorsemen .
Kennedy estimates the project to be around $ 100 to $ 300 per storage locker , but it could be less calculate on the type of cabinets you go for .
6. Add a touchless faucet and soap dispenser.
Another budget - friendly kitchen addition is a touchless spigot and reflexive grievous bodily harm dispenser . Kennedy says these are great " for ease of use because it ’s laborious to get to the back of the sinkhole from a sitting position . "
You canfind motion sensor faucetsranging from $ 150 to $ 400 . you could usually find automatic soap dispensers for less than $ 20 .
