Accessibility Adaptations

Designing for Life: How Balkham Design Supports Home Accessibility Adaptations

Our homes are more than just buildings; they are the heart of our daily lives. As family needs change, whether due to an accident, age, or a long-term condition, our homes must adapt with us. Designing a living space to support accessibility is an incredibly important, and often deeply personal, project. It requires sensitivity, careful consideration of future needs, and expert knowledge of building regulations.

At Balkham Design, we are passionate about creating spaces that are not just beautiful, but functional and safe for everyone. From simple internal adjustments to complex extensions tailored for mobility, we are here to provide the precise planning drawings and building control support you need for a dignified and effective home adaptation.

Beyond the Ramp: Understanding Modern Home Adaptations

For many, “accessible design” conjures images of a simple ramp, but modern home adaptations cover a huge and complex range of solutions designed to restore independence and improve quality of life. The decision to adapt your current home rather than move is often the most compassionate and practical one, allowing you to stay rooted in your community while having a space that truly supports you.

We commonly help with planning for:

• Creating Ground-Floor Living: Planning an extension to accommodate an accessible bedroom and/or wet room.
• Internal Modifications: Widening doorways, altering floor levels, or designing a layout that supports seamless navigation.
• Specialist Spaces: Incorporating features like through-floor lifts, hoist systems, or highly specialised kitchen areas.

The Architectural Roadmap for Accessible Living

Even the most necessary home adaptations require proper documentation to ensure they are safe, structurally sound, and compliant with UK law. This is where professional architectural planning comes in.

We manage the two critical stages for you:

1. Gaining Planning Permission (Where Required): If your adaptation involves a new external structure (like an extension), we handle the entire application process, ensuring your design integrates seamlessly with your existing property and the local area.
2. Building Control Compliance: This is the most critical stage for adaptations. We ensure your drawings strictly comply with the Building Regulations, especially Part M (Access to and use of buildings). This guarantees that your final build meets required standards for door widths, corridor space, toilet and washing facilities, and ramp gradients.

Our Sensitive Design Consultancy

Unlike a standard extension, an accessibility project needs a deeply personal approach. Our role as your design consultant is to listen first. We work closely with you, your family, and, where appropriate, your care professionals to ensure the design meets your precise, individual requirements – now and in the future.

Our local knowledge of the homes and landscape around Hastings and East Sussex allows us to propose solutions that are both effective and aesthetically pleasing, turning necessary changes into a thoughtful, integrated part of your home.