Adaptive Living
Our latest project was to complete overhaul this late 70s retro bathroom and prepare the space for future adaptive living. The property owner had downsized and although they had all their facilities and mobility, they were realistic that if they wished to remain in the property, the property needed to be able to respond to the changing mobility needs of the owner.
Before any works were undertaken we obtained a detailed specification on what was required sort term and what thing they might need in the future. Along side that we researched what things a person in their later years would require to make their life easier.
Many things were discussed, ideas investigated but along side this balancing the needs of the budget.
Short term the client wanted a 'walk in shower' and wanted to get rid of the bath entirely. Alongside that the door which originally swung to the left, always blocked the sink making it impractical; the toilet was far too low to be practical or user friendly; the original radiator made navigating around it difficult and a potential trip hazard.
Longer term, it was realised that grab / support rails would have to be added along with a durable shower chair.
This detailed specification became the basis for the detailed scaled plans and eventual installation.
Once the old bathroom space was fully stripped out, the walls were measured and marked
When tiling the walls, as is often the case with some building the walls bulged and curved and often corners were not at 90' to one another. This was overcome with the use of tile levellers / laser spirit / a good quality screed adhesive / patience and a keen eye for perfection.
We methodically worked around the room, starting from the right hand wall. The new toilet and radiator was one of the new pieces of sanitary-ware to go in. The toilet in particular was a specialist toilet which offered extra height against a standard one, which offered the home-owner easier mobility when mounting and dismounting from it.
The next big challenge was to install the feed pipe works for the shower and toilet and start on the timber works. Co-currently the ceiling was re-plastered to hide over the artec swirls. Later on 4 IP65 compliant downlighters would be added
The timber works had additional timbers added to allow for grab rails to be easily added and or moved later on (detailed drawings with measurements were given to the client for future use). Once the timber work had been completed and recorded; moisture board was fixed and sealed to the wall providing a water tight barrier between the shower cubical and the building fabric.
The next stage was to continue with the tiling / install an extractor fan over the shower and vent it to the outside / completed / add in the new shower tray / screen / sink / fixtures and fitting / grout / mirrored cupboard / wall mounted towel ring
The floor was finished in a self levelling latex based concrete as the client had appointed a specialist vinyl floor company to fit it post our installation work. Overall the project was a delight to build.
Greyshot, Hampshire
Greyshot, Hampshire