Home modifications
Doorways and Clearances
The most common home assessment question is whether the client's device fits through the door. Measure the actual clear opening, from the face of the door in its open position to the opposite stop, not the nominal door size. A nominal 32 inch door yields roughly 30 inches of clear width after the door slab and stops.
Specifications
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Door clear opening | 32 in minimum, measured door open 90 degrees, face of door to stop |
| Hallway / accessible route clear width | 36 in minimum |
| Turning space, circular | 60 in diameter |
| Threshold height | 0.5 in maximum, beveled if over 0.25 in |
| Door hardware height | 34 to 48 in above floor, operable without tight grasping or twisting |
Confirm values against the cited sections at ada.gov before clinical use.
Source: 2010 ADA Standards
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Seat height | 17 to 19 in, floor to top of seat |
| Centerline position | 16 to 18 in from side wall |
| Clearance around toilet | 60 in minimum from side wall, 56 in minimum from rear wall |
Standard residential toilets run 15 to 16 in seat height; 'comfort height' models fall in the 17 to 19 in range. Confirm values at ada.gov before clinical use.
Source: 2010 ADA Standards
Field notes
- Swing-clear (offset) hinges buy roughly 1.5 to 2 inches of clear width by swinging the door slab out of the opening, and are usually the cheapest fix for a marginal doorway.
- Measure the device, not just the doorway: standard adult wheelchairs are commonly 24 to 27 inches wide, but bariatric chairs, rollators with splayed rear wheels, and power chairs vary widely.
- Removing the door and casing is a zero-cost trial to test whether width is truly the barrier before recommending construction.
- Interior thresholds over 0.5 inch are trip and caster hazards; beveled transition strips are an inexpensive fix worth listing on every home safety report.
References
- U.S. Department of Justice. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. September 15, 2010. ada.gov