We had builders down here the other day to plan my new bathroom.
One problem we have when disabled is the cost of adaptations, although we do not pay VAT. So am looking at a spar shower and bath, that can give some sort of relief.
One problem we have is trying before we buy,so we cannot make decisions on comfort and ease of use. So when looking at all the designs it does our head in, all we need is basic units that can give ease of access, Now I understand that baths with doors leak sometimes
The shower tray will need to be sunk, or a wet room design will need to be installed. when designing we need to make room for possible wheelchairs, so doors may have to be widened This sort of thing extends into the kitchen and bedrooms, we need to look ahead all the time. The occupational therapist has given me a bath buddy so I can use a standard bath, one problem I have is lifting my legs over the. lip of the bath, it takes an age. Now they have sorting out hand rails in what will come a form of ensuit, so I can use an able bodied bathroom, I cannot use my bathbuddy as the bath is too small, the shower is over the bath so I have to get into the bath too use the shower, the shower frame gets trapped and I have to move legs to get it past me. So I .cannot wait to get the adaptations in my new bathroom
Everything needs adapting, thought given to not only I need now, but consider future requirement, New doors will need to fitted to give access throughout properties the list goes on and on, the occupational therapist will give advice, that is appreciated as their grips etc are standard and practical.
We are splitting one kitchen into bath utility so space has to be considered there so I can use both rooms in comfort.
What I am trying to say here is that when adaptations have to be installed, more has to be considered a mistake can be costly and can cause more expense. The whole exercise costs more to set up and this is generally the case for disabled sufferers . Hence I need to save like mad to get work done, this is a big problem for us we need adapts to live a normal life.
So we suffer further disadvantages that the able bodied do not suffer.
Even adaptations need to be made in the garden, to prevent us suffering when doing a hobby, all expensive, The able bodied cannot understand.
One other problem we have is when we move is the removal of hand rails etc in case the new home owner has an accident using them More expense. I does your head in
I know what you mean Bob, we recently had to re-fit our bathroom in a hurry to accommodate a walk in shower to allow me basic cleaning requirements. Because of the haste and the plumbers lack of planning we sacrificed the bath for a double walk in shower. However in the cold light of day I have worked out a way of having both, bit late now as the work is done. So we now have to live with it as is, the downside being other members of the family can't have a bath! Like most disabled people there's just no way we could afford to change again........
We were 'lucky' if you can call it that to get an 80% grant, from the local authority, towards the cost of a larger shower for david.
The previous owners of out house had taken part of our gbedroom to make this tiny en suite therefore space was very tight.
We were visited by the OT and architect who spent all day measuring, marking out sizes and scratching heads. We couldn't understand their problem as the size of shower David needed would fit perfectly.
Then the penny dawned - we had to have the size they had in their store cupboard and no wat would it fir. It was the one size fits all syndrome.
Not only that but the shower doors had to be half height with a curtain around. I pointed out that as his carer I could not reach over the doors when closed to wash his legs feet etc. I was given one of those stares that says - Who is SHE? I tried every way i could to get the full height doors tp male it easier for both Dabid and myself but they OT would not budge. Riles is rules.
And yes we were told to buy one of those sponges on a stick! As David's hands won't grip this was no good.
Sometimes the clients do know best.
(A wet room wasn't possible due to the strange plumbing we have and angle of drainage pipes into the tank outside.)
The required 3 tenders were ontained and yes of course they picked the cheapest - one the LA always use. Not the nest builder I have ever enccountered.
The real problems arose when he removed that dreadful plastic laminate sheeting. Down came the wall behind and we had dayoght straight through to the garden.
Now a fairly simple 2 day job was turing into a weeks work. Not a happy builder.
Oh yes and David could chose the tiles and flooring = any colour he liked as long as it was brown. He opted to add a few pennies of out own to have somehing light and airy.
LA regulations say that the access door has to be wide enough to take a wheelchair. The room was 3' wide by 12' long. You could just get a chair though but would then be jammed right up against the toilet with no room whatsoever to manouvre. Ah but....rules is rules.
So they widened the door and were happy!
Painting the finished room was NOT in the builder's contract - that would have been too much to expect it to have been.
Despite all the mess, bad tempered builder and extra cost = David now has a lovely room.
Oh yes. As he left all the electrics went off! Nowt to do with him as he fled.
Pat x
Morning Pat
BOB here
O joy, went through it all twenty years ago,now I suppose that I have not learned my lesson, and go back through it again. at least I am now in a bungalow and I am converting a part kitchen for bathroom and utility room. We cannot afford to make errors it is so expensive
I own my house but not working now, had been making do with my daughter strip washing me and helping me up the stairs and a doctor told me I could get an assessment for a grant, I did and now I have a new bathroom with realised toilet, support rails, walk in shower with seat, a stairlift, grab rails and a bed lift pillow too, all been a god send and although its attached to my house that if I move I return the money I don't care I have more dignity and my kids don't have to get embarrassed. ( 11 and 15 years old) I doubt I will be moving so I just enjoy the fact that I can shower when I want. Sounds silly to the normal folk but its bliss to me xx
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