Since it was put in place during the 1990s, business owners must comply with the American Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires them to modify their facilities to accommodate people who face disabilities. Apart from the other facilities of a business, this rule applies to the bathrooms as well. But how can one tell if a bathroom is ADA-compliant?
In this article, South Shore Dream Bath, the remodeling pros with a reasonable bathroom renovation cost, lists the five key features of an ADA-compliant bathroom.
1. Shower Seats – Surprisingly enough, ADA-guidelines can also be used as a point of reference when you’re remodeling your residential bathroom. If you’re looking to make your shower ADA-compliant, consider installing a foldable seat in the shower area. According to the guidelines, this seat must be placed near a wall adjacent to the controls and should be able to support a force of 250 pounds.
2. Doorways – Usually, a handicap doorway should always have at least 32 inches of space to accommodate the width of a wheelchair. An ADA-compliant doorway, on the other hand, requires at least 30 inches by 48 inches of clear floor space on both sides. That way, it can accommodate both the individual and wheelchair when it’s turning in position.
3. Sink – An ADA-compliant sink is usually a pedestal or wall-mounted type as they have open space beneath. By default, the guidelines suggest that you should make it at least 17 inches out from the wall and 29 inches off the floor to the bottom of the sink but you can still alter this according to the user’s needs. To install an ADA-compliant sink in your bathroom, simply turn to the pros in bathroom home improvements, South Shore Dream Bath.
4. Grab Bars – Grab bars are another staple of ADA-compliant bathrooms and they need to be installed directly into the wall studs between 34 and 38 inches from the surface of the finished floor. According to experts, clearance between the wall and the grab bar’s handle should be no more than 1 ½ inches and you should check the material’s thickness to see if it’ll need to be mounted via anchor bolts instead of the studs.
5. Toilets – As for the toilets, on the other hand, the toilet spaces need enough width for the user to have clear and easy access to the grab bars and the seat itself. Make sure to accommodate the width of the chair and include horizontal grab bars on the back wall on one or both sides. Apart from that, ADA requirements also call for the toilet to be at least between 17 and 19 inches off the finish floor and the lever for the flush should be easily reachable from a seated position in the toilet seat.
Need someone to assist you in designing a bathroom remodel? Look no further than South Shore Dream Bath. When it comes to bathroom safety solutions and shower replacement projects, we are the leading experts to approach and you can count on us! Give us a call at (781)-733-5405 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.