All the best,

Bill Patrick, Senior Designer/Division Manager Residential Remodeling

EGStoltzfus Homes, LLC

(717) 393-0212

P.S. Do you need help fixing a few things around your house? EGStoltzfus can help with this, too! Contact us about our EGS Handyman Service, (717) 393-0212.

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Feature Article

Practical Accessibility

Accessibility concerns within the home are often considered an "aging" issue, but this isn't necessarily the case. If you've ever had a leg in a cast (or had a love one that did), you know how difficult it can be to navigate around the house on crutches; little actions such as negotiating the two steps leading into the home, getting in and out of the bathtub, and even opening a door can difficult when your movement is limited.

In fact, statistics show that 1 in 5 Americans 35 years and older will be disabled for a period of three months or more at some point in their life. When your mobility is hindered (even temporarily), simple tasks can be dangerous, tiring and frustrating.

In essence, a universally designed home is suitable for everyone. It doesn't matter if you are young or old, healthy or ill, disabled or not. The house is designed so that people with a variety of needs can all enjoy the same home. Universal design is related to "aging-in-place" remodeling, a growing trend resulting from more Americans electing to stay in their homes as they mature.

When planning the design of a remodeling project with our clients, we often have a discussion about "universal design" or the more commonly called "aging-in-place." Throughout the planning process, homeowners carefully consider how they will use their home in the future. If they are younger, they may not so much be concerned about their own mobility or health-related issues, but they may be sympathetic of the type of care their parents may need - when visiting or living with them - as their parents age.

One misconception about aging-in-place is that the renovations mean making your home ADA compliant. Although the ADA has a set of ideal standards, many of the renovations are focused on practical accessibility issues - a universal design.

Here are some of the universal design features that are often considered:

• Improved lighting. Brighter lighting helps those with poor vision and also makes good sense, particularly in the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Installing lever door handles. These handles are easier to open and close than round knobs, which are often difficult to grab for those with poor hand strength.
• Installing rocker light switches. Because these switches are larger than the standard, many homeowners like them because they are much easier to turn on when your hands are full.
• Mounting thresholds that are flush with the floor. These not only make it easier for wheelchairs to get in and out of the door, but they also eliminate a tripping hazard.
• Installing floors and bathtubs that are non-slip. Keep in mind also that area rugs can be especially treacherous for those who shuffle their feet.
• Contrasting colors between the floor and the walls. If a person has poor vision, this helps them see where the floor ends and the walls begin.
• Ensuring there is less clutter and more floor space to move around.

"Aging-in-place" design can certainly be expanded to include many of the helpful devices and products on the market today, but these modest changes are a great place to start. By making some thoughtful accessibility accommodations during your remodel or by designing customized features into your new home, you will have a better chance at shortening your stay at the hospital or staying home all together. We find with our clients that it is often the simple, practical changes that make the greatest difference for everyone's ability to enjoy the home.

Do you have a remodeling project in mind? Call Cindy Luckenbill at (717) 393-0212 to get your project started.

The construction phase of your custom-designed home is where it comes together -under one roof. It starts with EGStoltzfus Homes obtaining the building permits needed from the municipality - and then the real fun begins!

Back at your lot, we do a "stake-out" of your property (not to be confused with police work). With the stakes in the ground defining the perimeter of your home, we make sure that it is set the way you envisioned. Once everything is to your liking, we call in the excavators to dig out the area where your home will be.

Once the hole is dug, it is time to set the foundation walls and put the steel beam in place. Now, framing can begin. The first part of the framing process will include erecting the exterior and load-bearing walls. Our goal is to get your home "under roof" as quickly as possible so construction can continue - no matter what Mother Nature is doing outside. Once the house is under roof, we'll begin to etch out the floor plan with interior walls.

Now that the framing is complete, the next step in the construction phase is the mechanical rough-in; this includes installing electric, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Once the mechanicals are in place, we ask homeowners to walk through the home with us, as this is the time to request any changes (if necessary) before the walls are closed up. It is also during the mechanical walk-through that we verify the location of ceiling lights, switches, receptacles, cable/phone jacks, audio/visual wiring, heating vents - basically anything that runs between the walls.

When the behind-the-walls components are confirmed, we close up the walls by installing wall insulation and then hanging drywall. Most homeowners get extremely excited when this portion of construction is taking place - because they can truly see the floor plan taking shape. The kitchen and family room are defined, and any nooks - an office space and a quiet corner to read, for example- are now taking shape!

Once the rooms are constructed, all the fixtures and features you picked out during the selection process are installed. Cabinetry and flooring are permanently placed, and the detailed accents, such as tile and paint color, are added to your home. Finally, we add the little touches-from installing the cabinetry hardware to hanging the lights. Every detail (big or small) is meticulously tended to in order to make your home complete.

Finally, before we hand the keys over to you, we get your home professionally cleaned. Constructing a home is dusty and dirty work (both inside and out), and we want to make sure you don't have to do any additional cleaning before moving into your custom-designed home.

To discover more about our designed home services, start here. 

Your Trusted Expert

Do you need help fixing a few things around your house? EGStoltzfus can help with this, too!

The EGS Handyman Team can expertly fix and/or replace items such as doors, windows, and siding and repair or install exterior or interior trim ... to name a few tasks we help our homeowners with. Got an issue you want fixed? Give us a call at (717) 393-0212.

We have the tool for you! If you are thinking about remodeling in the next 12 months, these tools will help you navigate that process.

Free Kitchen Planner guide. Published by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), this full-color guide is filled with advice to help you define the scope of your kitchen remodeling project, finalize a budget, refine product choices and plan for installation.

Free Concept to Completion guide. This easy-to-read booklet walks you through the eight steps to a successful remodeling project.

To request either the Kitchen Planner or the Concept to Completion guide, email  Cindy Luckenbill or call her at (717) 393-0212.

Our purpose for bringing you The Construction Connection is to share our wisdom. We have seen it all and yet there is so much more to learn every day.

For nearly 45 years the divisions of EGStoltzfus (Neighborhoods, Designed Homes & Remodeling, Commercial Construction and Handyman) have been Building Better and Creating Value for more than 7,000 property owners. The collective wisdom of our team is the key to a predictable outcome for each and every project.

In this forum we will be reaching out to offer specific how-to's for caring for your property and improving what you have, as well as suggestions as to what to do when it's time to start anew. Additionally, we will provide you with information on market conditions, technology updates, codes and legal concerns, design trends and many more topics we feel can connect all our readers to Better Value.

The team of EGStoltzfus Homes is always available to answer your questions and advise you through a remodel or new home construction project.

Get to know us better!>>