Accessible Entrance
There is a cartoon that has lived rent-free in my head. Its by Michael F Giangreco, and was inspired by a public school student with disabilities.
This is always the image that comes to mind when I think of a universal design concept. In the case of redesigning our entrance, it became a literal inspiration. Creating a walk-out patio area has been a dream for many years, and adding the ramp has made such a difference to just visiting the house, its going to make living there much easier.
On high-pain, limited mobility days, I will be able to step outside for fresh air. Leaving and returning to the house may be slow on limited days, but the energy conservation by having a ramp is huge. And if we start to add in the walker, a stroller etc, navigating the rise into the house without steps is massive. In this previous blog post I discussed how changing the interior entry of the house with a micro-extension would have an impact. The patio is the second half of that change.
In general, most houses will have a front door raised a step or two off the ground, because in the event of flooding or snow build-up, you limit the chances of having exterior elements damage the home. In places like Ottawa, this is part of the building code. There is no standard however for how many steps an entrance can have, as each site, and local building code will be different. If I was house hunting or building a new home, I would minimize the number of steps to make the entrance more accessible, but also reduce the length of a ramp if needed.
Our house had a 2-step entry. The ADA recommendation for MAXIMUM slope is 1:12 or 8.33%, which is a rise of 1 inch every 12 inches. A rise is the height of the step. for example, if each step is 7 inches high, you would have an overall rise of 14 inches. This would make a ramp length of 14 feet.
However, a slope of 1:16 is considered a COMFORTABLE slope, which is 6.25%. This translates into a longer ramp, less steep, and easier to climb. Ramps also need to account for a landing space at either end of the ramp, a flat area to pause. And don’t forget about handrails!
The reality is, your exact space will determine where you end up. A straight ramp is a luxury that most homes cannot accommodate without a lower entrance to begin with.
In our case, due to the space we had available and the slope that I could manage, our drawings called for an 8% incline on the ramp. Hiring an architect to calculate these dimensions for you ensure you meet building code as well as accessibility requirements.
This is an example of an online calculator available, but don’t get overwhelmed by the math. At the end of the day, what you need is your rise (how high is it from the ground to your threshold) and how much space can your ramp take up? Speaking to an architect or designer will make sure you create a safe ramp or sloped entry.