| Title |
Cost Analysis on Application of Accessible Design Features for the Elderly Housing |
| Keywords |
Accessible Design ; Cost ; Barrier Free Design ; Lifetime Homes ; Elderly |
| Abstract |
With increase of aging population, accessible housing features become more important for the elderly for their independent living and aging in their houses than before. There are prevalent awareness that accessible design or barrier free housing is more expensive than the traditional housing. The purpose of this study is to explore costs of accessible housing features as an attribute of housing and find out how much cost increase occurs when accessible design features are applied. Results from cost analysis could contribute to reduce redundant or unnecessary cost for renovation or construction stages. For the study, we have identified accessible design features. Three single house types and two apartment types will be selected for accessible housing development. The same dwelling with the only difference being their accessibility conditions will be compared. According to each space, accessible design features will be enumerated based on lifetime homes, barrier free design features, and universal design features, and cost for each feature will be generated. Total costs for accessible design features applicable to existing housing buildings were calculated for renovation and construction situation. The housing structures of the cases were not built to permit adaptations, its costs for renovation to increase accessibility are much higher. When they have been built considering accessible features from the beginning of planning stage, the cost for accessible would become much lower that the cost for alternation. The estimated costs of accessible housing compared to original construction costs, range from 0.5 percent to 5.3 per cent for single house and it could increase up to 10.6 percent if an elevator will be added. The estimates range form 9.4 percent to 16.7 percent for alterations or renovation. |