HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-10-24, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019. PAGE 21.
Continued from page 20
built a kitchen with four different
levels of countertops for a variety of
uses by a number of different users.
She also discussed the importance
of in-floor heating for an accessible
design and how it can make all the
difference.
The biggest factor, however, is that
building a new house or designing an
accessible condominium or mobile
home is that everyone’s needs are
different.
Even from person to person with
spinal cord injuries, Sawchuk says
the needs of another person with a
spinal cord injury can differ from her
needs, so it’s really about feeling out
what an accessible living space
would be and working with your
team to achieve it.
The longest step, she said, was to
get the plans on paper and ensure
they made sense. Once that was
completed, the rest of the work went
smoothly.
As construction continued,
however, Sawchuk realized how
important measurements could be.
Trying to build a barrier-free house
as flat as possible to ensure easy
transportation from one end to the
other, but ensuring there was enough
slope for water to flow away from
the home was crucial. During these
periods, Sawchuk said there were
differences of as little as a half-inch
that were debated at length. That
type of precision and expertise, she
said, is crucial to an accessible home
build.
With such a big job, getting it right
was essential, Sawchuk said. Having
said that, her book does include a
chapter listing things she learned
along the way and would maybe
change about the house now that she
knows better. She loves the house
though and is eager to show it off at
the open house next month.
With her book, she hopes to have
gathered everything needed to build
a great accessible home and put it all
in one place. That was another thing
Sawchuk felt was sincerely lacking
when she was conducting her own
research. To have everything you
need in one resource could be a game
changer for those looking to build
barrier-free homes, as well as for
drafters, architects and contractors.
The open house and book launch
will be held at the Sawchuk house at
40861 Blyth Road on Saturday, Nov.
16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Open house now set for Sawchuk book launch
Invisible accessibility
When a house is constructed to be accessible, like the Sawchuk family’s home is just outside
of Blyth, most people don’t even notice the changes or technology that has been incorporated
into its construction. Whether it’s different counter levels or designs implemented into doors, it
can be seamless from top to bottom. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
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