 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
An Official Publication of the 2010-2011
Greater Houston Builders Association Remodelors Council
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Houston Remodeling Guide 2010
An Official Publication of the Greater Houston Builders Association RemodelorsTM Council
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
<<HOME
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Senior homeowners turn to
aging-in-place specialists
Americans prefer to stay in their homes as they mature
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 emographic trends indicate that homeowners who plan to stay in their homes as
they get older instead of making other housing accommodations are one of the
fastest growing segments of the residential remodeling market. Many of these
households can be expected to call on remodelers to adapt their homes to their
changing needs and lifestyles in order to maintain their independence.
What is Aging-in-Place?
In plain English, aging-in-place means living in one’s home safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age, income or
ability level. It means the pleasure of remaining in a familiar environment
throughout one’s maturing years, and the ability to enjoy the familiar daily rituals and the
special events that enrich all our lives. It means the reassurance of being
able to call a house a home for a lifetime.
Projects for the aging-in-place remodeling segment range from installation of
bath and shower grab bars and adjustment of countertop heights to the creation
of multi-functional first-floor master suites and the installation of private
elevators.
The AARP’s landmark study “Fixing to Stay” was a wake-up call to the residential remodeling industry. The results of the
study sent two messages loud and clear:
•Americans prefer to remain in their homes as they mature, rather than seek
assisted living and other arrangement;
•Older consumers want a reliable means of identifying the professionals they can trust to remodel their homes.
Millions of the Baby Boom generation will turn 55 years old this year and
millions more will cross this significant threshold in the next 15 years. About
80 percent of all Americans 55 years or older currently own their own homes,
making it the highest rate of homeownership of any age group in the country.
Members of this population group also tend to be healthier and wealthier than
previous generations of similar age, and expect their homes to reflect their
active, independent, and upscale lifestyles.
“Remodelers can’t afford to ignore the aging-in-place market,” said Dan Bawden, CGR, GMB, CAPS, a remodeling contractor from Houston, who
heads the task force charged with developing the Certified Aging-in-Place
Specialist program. CAPS is a joint effort of NAHB Remodelers, NAHB Research
Center, 50+ Housing Council and AARP.
“Learning to work with homeowners in this age group will improve remodelers’ customer service delivery across the board and will give NAHB members a
competitive advantage in reaching this currently under-served market. CAPS is a
win-win situation: consumers will finally have an answer to the burning
question ‘Where can I find a skilled contractor I can trust?’ This certification will connect homeowners of all ages with contractors trained
to do the kinds of home modifications they
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Wheelchair accessible shower built by Legal Eagle Contracting.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Previous Issues >>
Click here to see past issues!
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
An Official Publication of the 2010-2011
Greater Houston Builders Association Remodelors Council
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Fort Bend Publishing Group 2011
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To find a qualified
GHBA remodeler
in your area, visit |
|
want and need as they grow older in their homes. As for the contractors, they
are discovering a whole new segment of customers to serve as our population
grows older.”
“There’s been a growing demand for remodeling as a means to enhance Americans’ independence as they choose to remain in their homes into their retirement
years,” explained Leon Harper, the AARP representative on the task force. “While there’s a growing need, there’s also been a growing fear, as a result of the unfortunate work of a few
unscrupulous contractors. This program represents a welcome opportunity for us
to help our members identify the good guys, the professionals they can hire
with confidence.”
How big is Aging-in-Place?
Here are some statistics the task force discovered:
•89 percent of people over age 50 wish to remain in their own homes indefinitely;
•75 percent of remodelers have seen an increase in requests for aging-in-place
work;
•60 percent of remodelers already perform aging-in-place work;
•more than half of all 55+ households rate their current home a nine or 10 out of
10;
•the aging population is the No. 2 issue to affect the remodeling industry over
the next five years, only behind the availability of skilled labor.
|
What should my home contain if I want to age in place?
•master bedroom and bath on the first floor,
•low or no-threshold entrance to the home with an overhang,
•lever-style door handles,
•no change in levels on the main floor,
•bright lighting in all areas, especially places like stairways,
•low-maintenance exterior,
•non-slip flooring at the main entryway.
•open floor plan, especially in the kitchen/dining area,
•handrails at all steps.
What are some techniques CAPS-trained professionals use?
•lighting from multiple directions, which reduces glare and shadows,
•light sockets with more than one bulb in case one bulb burns out,
•stacking closets for a future elevator shaft,
•contrasting colors for depth perception—using a different color counter (or edging around the counter) from the floor,
staining the edge of the stairs a darker color than the rest of the steps,
•convenience shelf at an entry way to place packages while retrieving keys. l
|