Things to consider when planning a forever home

As people look to build their forever homes, there are several considerations for them to keep in mind.

Jason Wanke of Wausau Homes in Medford regularly works with buyers who want to make sure their home will be accessible to them as they age.

“They are looking for the least amount of stairs as possible,” Wanke said.

People focused on limiting the number of stairs tend to build ranch homes. A ranch home does not have a second floor, but it can have a basement.

For people who are looking for accessibility in older age but still want basements, zero entry homes are a logical choice. Zero entry means there are no steps from the garage to the home. To achieve this, Wanke designs and builds homes with an adjusted relationship between the foundation and floor system.

Another popular choice is a home on a slab, which means the house and garage are built on a concrete slab foundation. Homes on a slabs do not have a basements, so they do not have stairs.

Changing age-demographics have vastly increased the popularity of homes built on a slab. “We used to do one home every five years on a slab. Now, we do five homes on a slab a year,” Wanke said.

Along with personal preference of whether to have a basement, the land people choose to build their accessible homes on should be taken into account when deciding the style of home to build. Wanke explained that, for the slab to be cost effective, the land needs to be relatively flat. If a person’s desired building location is not flat, it is likely best to go with the zero entry design.

Moving to specifics within the home, many people prioritize keeping the living areas on one floor. That way, their primary bedroom, bathroom, and laundry system are all accessible without using any stairs. Most people choose to have a walk-in shower installed in their bathrooms. This way, they can enter and exit the shower without the need to step over a barrier, reducing the risk of falling accidents. In addition to Wanke’s clients who are already at the age where they require accessible features, some younger clients are choosing to purchase homes that they will be able to comfortably age in. “People are building once, and they want to get it right,” Wanke said.