Planning your Forever Home

Depending on whom you speak with, the idea of a forever home may or may not be a reality in their world.  

Today, there are many reasons why a person may move more than once in their lifetime. Perhaps to be closer to their work or school or move closer to or away from the city. Due to the current inflation rates and the housing market itself, it may be quite likely that one may have to move several times over the years in order to be able to afford their ideal home. And yet there are others who are fortunate enough to find their ideal location and perhaps even the perfect home right from the start. But even the perfect home now may need renovations down the road to make it into a forever home.  

Building a home or renovating it to accommodate every stage of life is a smart idea.  

While we may not like to think that life’s experiences might not always be positive ones, it is a reality at some point in our lives that we may experience some health-related adversity. Whether caused by an injury like a broken leg or sore back, illness or simply aging, our mobility or physical capacity can change at any time, and its never a bad idea to have options in place to make adapting to your new needs simpler. The biggest challenge to building or buying a house that you can grow old in, is envisioning your future self when life is so unpredictable. We all want to focus on the good things, but we need to acknowledge and plan for the ‘what-ifs’.   

Here are just a few things to consider when designing your home or renovating your current house to be your forever dream home: 

• Remember the first rule of real estate – Location, location, location. For a home to be a forever home, location will be one of the most significant factors. Your home will need to meet your needs at the moment but also at a point when your desire to drive may change. Consider a location that is not just close to your current work or schools for your children, but close to the amenities that you may need down the road. (e.g., grocery stores, doctor offices, shopping, and restaurants) Also, consider what your ideal community looks like, does it have mature trees and parks and an environment and landscape that could accommodate your needs now and later?   
• In addition to the location in the community, consider the size, and maintenance requirements. When raising a family, many people gravitate to homes with more square footage than they will need when they become empty nesters. A forever home means that you consider how much space you really need to live comfortably for your lifestyle now and later. Perhaps you will leave bedroom space for your children or guests to come and stay or you may consider converting bedrooms into multi-purpose rooms for your new needs.  Depending on your home design, it may even allow you to convert some space into a rental unit that provides you with supplementary income later in life. Be realistic about your lifestyle now and what you anticipate it will be in the future. So, try to design with as much adaptability as you can.
  Choose higher quality, durable, low-maintenance finishes that offer a longer life span, for the inside and outside of your home. Metal roofs offer greater longevity as do quality highly efficient windows and doors, stone, and brick versus siding, etc.  
• Choose a layout that can best adapt to the changing phases of life.  If possible, choose a bungalow, as the single level will eliminate many of the accessibility challenges that a multi-level home brings. In addition, an entranceway with no threshold or steps leading up to it is optimal not only for age-diminished mobility but also for small children learning to navigate the terrain.
  While many people prefer a two-story home when they are in their 20s and 30s, it may not be ideal at some point due to life’s changes.  If your preference is a two-story home, try to ensure that there is an area on the main floor for a bedroom/ensuite combination that can be used for guests or an office or dining room and an adjacent bathroom that can be converted to a master bedroom and full ensuite in the future. 
  If that isn’t possible, then you may want to ensure that there is space that can be expropriated for an elevator, if ever needed in the future. Many architects will align large closets on each floor in a stacked position so that they can be used for the installation of an elevator in that space. Regardless of which style you choose, an open-concept floor plan where possible offers the best options for accessibility. 
• If you are designing or renovating, the following are items you may want to incorporate into your plan: 

• • Walls are framed with blocking to add grab bars to shower and toilet areas later. 
  • Hallways, doorways, bathrooms, and kitchens are wide and accessible. 
  • Curbless showers, not just bathtubs are in the main bathrooms and ensuite.  

• • If your budget allows, incorporate an ensuite for each bedroom or place one between two bedrooms (Jack and Jill bathroom). Mobility or health issues can happen to anyone. 
  • Install lever handles on doors for ease of opening. 
  • Rough-in for future plumbing and electrical in advance. 
  • The laundry room is located near the master bedroom to reduce carrying. 
  • Platforms for washers and dryers so that bending is reduced. 
  • Pull down shelves in laundry and storage rooms and pantries. 
  • Smart-tech switches, plugs and lighting, window coverings and security systems. 
  • Electrical docking for electric cars. 
  • Flooring that is durable, easy to clean and non-slip. 
  • Designing and framing for proper floor joists and ceiling heights and access in the attic or bonus room over the garage for potential future use, even if not used now. 
  • Induction stoves are an ideal option for aging people that may forget to turn off the heat, or for children who may get burned with any other stove/cooktop option. 
  • Choose a room that can be used as an office if your career path might require such for some reason. The Pandemic has taught us to be prepared. 
• Over a life span, there are many items that may need to be stored for sentimental reasons, future use, hobbies, etc. Design your home to ensure that there is adequate space that is designed for that storage and do so with accessibility in mind. If you choose to store things in a garage, then plan for cabinets and shelving that don’t allow for encroachment into the parking area. Plan for larger parking areas in addition to the storage area. Larger doors and parking areas make driving easier for elderly homeowners. Depending on what you need to store and how much property you have, an auxiliary building (e.g., barn, detached garage, shed, etc.) may be more appropriate for your needs. 
• Outdoor living space is a part of life in Niagara, at least in the spring and summer. Try to design your property with as few steps/levels as possible. Leave room for a ramp that can be installed if necessary and landscape your property in a single-level, easy-to-maintain manner. Once again, smooth surfaces and well-laid lawns are safest for every age. Large yards are great for kids, but keep in mind they still need to be maintained and grass needs to be cut when you become an empty nester.  
• Auxiliary buildings can also be incorporated into your plans for a separate dwelling. Perhaps you may need a nanny suite, in-law suite, apartment for returning children, or a separate apartment-style rental suite that provides supplemental income when you retire. 

Building a new home or renovating your existing one is a big investment. When planning for your forever home build/renovation anticipate plans for your future but remember life does change, sometimes without warning. So, look at the long-term transitional phases you will experience and consider how to invest in your property so that you maximize your comfort and efficiency as well as your resale value should life take you in a different direction. 

If you are looking to build your custom home in the Niagara Region or renovate your existing one, call us at Vanderzalm Construction Inc. at (905)562-4463 or (905)684-5823.   Joe van der Zalm and his team would love to build your forever dream home.