Saturday, April 19, 2014

Find Detailed Wheelchair Ramp Construction Instructions Online

By Essie Osborn


Increased medical expertise in modern times has also led to large numbers of people who might have died but instead are confined to wheelchairs. This has seen the advent of legislation to provide ramps in buildings to make wheelchair access easier. Private homes might also need such a facility, and details of wheelchair ramp construction would be very useful to many people.

The size of a ramp would depend on your particular requirements and the site where any ramps are to be installed. These ramps take up more floor space than stairs of an equivalent width, as they have a more gradual slope. Before you decide on a site, you would need to take these factors into consideration, remembering that it is better to provide more than the absolute minimum space.

Perhaps the easiest way to handle the situation is to employ an expert to do the work. However, most homeowners would probably not be happy with the cost of this alternative, especially if they can undertake construction themselves much more cheaply. Whatever path you choose, you want to be sure that you cannot be accused of negligence by sticking strictly to any applicable rule regarding construction and inspection.

People who intend to undertake construction personally will find many suitable websites offering detailed drawings and step-by-step instructions. In most cases these plans are more than adequate, but you should not be tempted to increase the slope to fit a particular site. Doing so might result in extra expense as an inspector might require expensive modifications to bring it up to standard.

An easy option for home use is to install one of the excellent modular ramps which can be bought online. These sturdy ramps are designed to meet all the requirements and are extremely simple to set up, with legs which are adjustable to fit most sites. These can easily be moved to another house if you are wish to relocate to another home.

If you intend to undertake the whole job yourself, you should make sure your design is safe and meets all the requirements. The existing instructions available online will serve as a valuable guideline for your design. You should be sure to make any ramps roomy enough and provide railings or other safety features. You should also consider whether child handrails in addition to those for adults would be appropriate.

A permanent construction will probably require planning permission. The ADA website has details of all the requirements which include minimum widths, landing design, and permissible materials. You might also want to check if there are any specific local requirements before finalizing your design.

While wheelchair ramps are mandatory in buildings open to the public, it might also be a good idea to fit them in a home. Stairs are notoriously unsafe, and are responsible for many severe injuries. Installing ramps can be an excellent way of reducing the number of hazards in your home.




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