Here Stuart Reynolds discusses the main hygiene and durability pain points for social landlords in inclusive bathrooms and how these can be overcome using thoughtful design and product choice.
Accessible bathroom installation can breathe new life into a person’s ability to live independently. Whether the bathroom in question needs to suit multi-generational tenant household requirements, meet present and future disability issues or promote accessibility on a tight budget, social and private landlords must navigate a range of challenges.
Growing need for accessible bathrooms
The 2022/23 English Housing Survey report estimated that the number of people aged over 65 (444,000 households) has risen by 46% since 2012/13 (304,000 households). With an ageing population, and latest housing figures showing that at least one member in 2.3 million households is living with a disability or long-term illness within the social rented sector (more than 56%), the pressure is on for creating more accessible homes.
Not surprisingly, the most common issue for social renters, who are in households that have someone with a long-term illness or disability, is mobility (56%). Also, 18% of new lettings are now being given to people with a defined disability. However, with a 21% to 18% decline in the proportion of adapted homes in the housing association sector alone, the situation is a challenging one to say the least for tenants looking for an inclusive home.
Accessible home and bathroom pain points
The primary pain points of an adaptation that social landlords need to overcome include funding, space and layout and futureproofing. When it comes to adaptations, minor alterations, such as grab rails, are relatively straightforward to fund, however major works require a means tested Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) and occupational assessment. They also need an experienced install team to minimise costly delays. Retrofitting a bathroom to be accessible and fully compliant can also be challenging, particularly when dealing with outdated existing designs, materials and infrastructure. In addition, to avoid repeated renovations, more and more social landlords are having to consider how their adaptations can be future-proofed.
Overcoming accessible bathroom pain points
Social landlords can overcome the pain points of bathroom adaptations to meet tenant needs for accessible bathroom solutions cost-effectively, through good design. Landlords need to adopt a bathroom design that provides physical support where needed by the user. Ensure that the design allows for products to be put in the most logical places, and to prioritise the minimisation of clutter to increase the user-friendliness of the space and reduce trip and fall hazards.
To ensure adherence to standards – Alongside a familiarisation with relevant regulations and guidelines, such as the Building Regulations Part M, Equality act 2010, BS 8300: Design of Buildings for an Inclusive Environment, AKW’s website features a wide range of best practice accessible bathroom guides, compiled with leading occupational therapists for initial installation and futureproofing advice.
To overcome space and maintenance issues – Using Part M as a baseline for the adaptation of the bathroom to a tenant’s specific needs, careful consideration must be given to what is put where in the space and also the choice of materials. For example, long-term maintenance issues can be minimised if tiling is replaced with materials such as wall panels. For example, more cost effective than tiling, AKW’s Alveo PVC and Marlbrook ranges enable a non-clinical finish to be obtained. They are easy to maintain and can be fitted quickly using a standard toolkit, reducing bathroom downtime, and saving on using a specialist tiler.
To manage moisture and humidity – Overcoming moisture and humidity problems begins with specifying or retrofitting an exhaust fan that is appropriate to the room’s size (typically 1 CFM per square foot) and ensuring that the ductwork is vented directly outside to avoid moisture build up elsewhere in the home. AKW’s Vent-Axia Extractor Fans have been designed to exceed the needs of social housing, with innovative multi-vortex technology which ensures high performance with low sound and energy levels.
To avoid drainage issues – Poor drainage in level and low access accessible showers isn’t just a slip hazard; it can lead to leaks and structural damage if not dealt with. It is recommended therefore that wet room floor gradient slopes be set to a drop of 10-12mm per metre to prevent water pooling in unwanted areas. Also, that efficient drain grates with sufficient flow capacity to handle the volume of water are specified, along with a manual or digital waste pump if there is a low gradient floor, long pipe run, or gravity-fed drainage systems are not possible. AKW’s collection of manual and digital shower waste pumps are ideal for showers where conventional gravity waste systems might not suffice.
The key take-home for social landlords is that by applying key design principles, accessible bathrooms can meet tenant needs for accessible bathroom solutions cost-effectively and for the long-term.