My wife and I live in a 3 bedroom semi-detached house and have made an offer on a bungalow, after viewing several. I was diagnosed with Parkinsons just over 12 months ago and am still fully mobile. Our motivation is to get a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and front door on the same level- preparing for a future where I expect to be less mobile. "Cons" are bungalows locally are much more expensive than semi-detached houses, many are in a bad state of repair and too small to fit our furniture etc. Also, for the particular property we have offered on, we would have to spend money to make the long, gravel driveway wheelchair friendly.
Does anyone have experience in making the decision to move from a 2-story house to a bungalow? With hindsight what was good and what was not-so-good about the decision to move (or not move)? I would value any experience or opinion!
My Mum moved from a 3 storey house to sheltered accommodation- in a flat. It meant no stairs to worry about and when she needed to use a zimmer it was easier and everything was easier to manage.
One thing that was something I would look out for is the ability to move around and between rooms in straight lines - arranging the furniture is one way to ensure easy moving around...but some houses make it easier thatn others depending on the layout. In Mum's flat it was a bit tricky due to the layout of doors and the way they opened. She had to walk and then stop and turn and then get going again....(but still much easier than had she stayed in her house!)
Several of my friends in my age went "sensibly" looking for bungalows against the time when we might be less mobile with or without a specific medical condition.. Alll of us have found that came down to it, there was very little choice between a rabbit hutch and a substantial,, i.e. expensive property, on they were on estates too far away to walk to the shops.. As soon as I got my dx. I set about having an extension (undeerfloor heating) built to my semi::- decent sized bedroom ( now an office), wet room and utility room.alll with wide doorways,,, and a small SE facing sunroom. I always said I would want more space once I retired and II love it. It cost an arm and a leg (incredibly deep foundations were required because of clay and surrounding trees) so its not necessarily an investment but I've no intention of selling and count myself very lucky to have been able to afford it and stay in my nice village location.
By the way most occupational therapist say going up and down stairs is good exercise whilst you can manage it but PWP's have a balance issue.. I'm sitting here nursing sore ribs and a huge bruise/lump on my thigh having bounced down the stairs last Thursday and the bath is getting bit difficult so its better to make a decision sooner than later. You don't want to be coping with a big change when you are already having difficulties
We moved to a bungalow while OH was still able to do most things. It was a good move but with hind sight I wish I had known that it is expensive to get a suitable ramp if there are two steps up to the front door. We are lucky in having space for the length of ramp needed but even so we had to have a turn on it. We have the standard slope of one in twelve and please don`t agree to anything steeper because even this can be quite hard work as we get older.
We had a bath lift for the bath. If you get one, look for one with a swivel seat. At the end it was impossible for OH to sit on the seat and swing his legs in. He preferred a bath because the water kept him warm and he enjoyed a soak, neither possible with a shower.
Outward opening doors on bathroom and loo are sensible alterations. If you fall there you may be behind the door making it extremely difficult to get in to help you.
Many thanks for your responses to our question- you have given us great food for thought, based on real experiences, which we will consider when deciding on our next step.
Depending on your age and how long you gonna own. As age sets in 2 story not easy. Less stairs the better. 13 stairs to basement and 13 up to 2nd story. Will keep you in shape but when that arthritis crap happens, you gonna wish you had no stairs. If you go with a 2 story put a laundry shute in from top to bottom.
Older I get, the more I like the bungalow. Everything including laundry, freezers, pantry etc is on the main floor level. Basement contains guest bedrooms, storage and my hobby spaces so no need to go down there every day except for the hobbies. Definitely a Bungalow costs more, not only foundation, but foot per foot, you need more shingles, soffit, eaves and, of course, potentially a bigger lot.
The advantage of a Bungalow is there are no stairs to climb and as you age, this could be a factor. https://kuavo.co.uk/
A few years ago construction costs for a Bunglalow versus 2 story (both worth roughly 4000 ft of living space were $200/ft2 for the Bunglalow and $150/ft2 for the 2 story.
I’m sure the $/ft have changed since then, but the ratio of 25% less in construction cost per ft2 should roughly be the same.
instal a ome llift as we have done (Stiltz cost £16,000) this makes a “housealow” with a downstairs bedroom upstairs - lot chehaper than moving (agency costs, stamp duty leal etc etc (c £50,000)
My wife was diagnosed a year ago, and we are in the same situation as many here of trying to decide what to do home wise. We are currently in a 300 year old cottage in Cumbria, which is where my wife is from, but our daughter is in London and we know that she would love us to be closer so that she could visit more often. The cottage has steps up to the living room from the kitchen, a spiral staircase and a step from the upstairs hall into the master bedroom, all of which could possibly become an issue in the future for either or both of us as I suffer from back problems. (Isn’t getting older so much fun? Better that the alternative though.) However one major advantage of our cottage is becoming very apparent, its proximity to essential services and facilities: we live in a well serviced town and can walk to the supermarket, physio therapist, hospital, pharmacy, butcher, baker, pub, restaurant etc. and we seldom have to use the car. If we do decide to move this will play a major part in deciding the location.
Good afternoon Nev1 … You don’t say how old you both are. If you think that you will be moving to somewhere more “senior friendly” at some stage in the future then it is a good idea to start looking for your forever home now, while you can still cope mentally & physically.
I am a single 70 year old male [diagnosed with Atypical Parkinson’s 1 year ago].
I made the move from a large bungalow with extensive garden 10 years ago when
I was very fit & healthy. & moved into a 1 bed ground floor flat on the south coast near the sea side. It took quite a while to sell my property & get rid of years worth of accumulated belongings.
Like you have, I had a list of must haves in the location of my new flat. I also have
2 excellent hospitals close by, butchers, bakers, pharmacy & GP’s. All of which were easily walk-able but now are not.
My physical condition with Parkinson’s has deteriorated quite a bit over the last
1-2 years & I now have an essential blue disabled badge.
You have highlighted the “potential hazards” in your current home & one fall to either of you could change your lives.
My mobility issues would make living in a [lovely] cottage like yours impossible.
Hi Steve 2. I am so sorry to hear that your condition has worsened so rapidly, and I do hope that you are coping with what must be a very difficult set of circumstances. I am 70 and my wife 69. Since starting medication and doing physio and taking regular exercise her outward symptoms have reduced to the point where most people would not know that she has PD, but we have to think of the future, without spoiling the present, and keep an eye on things.
