New Homes: Custom Built for Retirees

Jan 4
07:21

2012

Ace Abbey

Ace Abbey

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After much review and list making, the conclusion may be reached that once retirement becomes a reality a tour of several smaller new homes may be in order.

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As people get older their ability to maintain the spacious home they raised their family in may become impossible for them to do so in the very near future. Mowing the lawn,New Homes: Custom Built for Retirees Articles weeding the flower beds, raking leaves and shoveling snow are all tasks that can be hired out, but it is the normal upkeep that will become difficult to stay on top of that may cause the greatest concern for them. For this very reason, new homes are being built within communities specifically designed for people age 55 and older.

New homes are being designed by builders with many of the needs and limitations of the older demographic addressed up front. Structures void of staircases, or with fewer / wider steps leading into sunken living rooms or spacious decks, are what most builders are creating floor plans around while noting the appeal many retirees have for ranch style homes. For the rare larger home, a builder may notch out an area allowing for the installation of a small elevator that will transport the occupants to the finished basement or the second floor bedrooms. For those on a tighter budget, other designs will outfit the staircase with a lift that will allow the home owner to retain their independence while living in a multi-level house. Wider door openings and hallways are now a standard feature in most new homes, as they will accommodate a walker, scooter or wheelchair. Bathrooms have also been made more accessible for the older tenant with the inclusion of handrails, larger shower stalls with seating built in and slightly lower counter tops with openings that allow a wheelchair to roll up to it. An intercom system that opens up communication throughout the house and a sprinkler system that can be automated to water the landscape are all fairly standard features in the smaller new homes builders are designing within these communities.

These homes can include green features that will help to protect the retiree's nest egg as well, as retirement usually equates with living on a strict budget. Keeping utility bills on the low end is a necessity, so a well-insulated house will help with that endeavor. Spray-in soy based insulation or blown-in insulation made from recycled jeans are both great green products that will seal up the structure and keep drafts out. A tankless water heater will keep the cost of heating water for laundry and showers to a minimum, and energy efficient appliances will cut costs, too.

New homes built with the older demographic in mind can prove to be better suited budget wise for a retiree than hiring help to upkeep their current residence as well as a contractor to outfit / retrofit their home with all of the handicap rails, a stair lift and wider door frames should the need arise for these amenities.