I’m a homeowner who is on the verge of a remodel of my 1920’s Spanish Revival home. The architect I am working with suggested that we lower “sink†some of the floors of the rear facing rooms in the new addition we are planning. Lowering these rooms, one being a family room, would result in an increased ceiling height in those rooms (design point), and reduce the exit height (stair case) to the rear of the property, the property gradually slopes to the rear of the lot (functional & design points).
My concern is if there are any safety concerns in having a varying floor height in a home, I suppose there is a higher potential of people tripping? The floor heights would be effectively 24†different, 2 steps between floors (?). Thanks for your help.
Replies
A 24" change would definitely need a railing, and probably 4 steps
instead of 2. I don't see it as a safety concern unless you try to do steps across the whole thing.
When I am in the preliminary discussions with a client about a remodel or new construction and the subject of sunken rooms or a multi-level home comes up, I ALWAYS ask them to take into consideration the potential risks with those kind of design features.
My wife, a home health nurse for the local hospital, often encounters situations where people have built their dream home for retirement and found that some of the attractive elements they'd long desired, turned out to be hazards and/or barriers to safe and comfortable living. Falling and breaking a hip and then being unable to navigate through your house while convalescing can be a tough experience, especially if you're forced to recover in a care facility because your own home is inaccessable.
Our population has a big bubble that is aging (baby boomers) and the reality is that infirmity of some degree is in many of our futures.
While I'm not a "Chicken Little" or a worry wort, I think it's prudent to be somewhat prepared. So I try to encourage people, at the very least, to maintain enough of their living space on one level with generous doorways, so that, in a pinch, they can live in that area (kitchen, bath, bedroom, entryway).
Good luck and enjoy your project!