RESEARCH - 01

Research based on South East London housing partnership

Using Living Spaces

1. Turning circle: Each room shall have extra space, close to the door, for 1500mm turning circle
2. Transfer spaces: 1400mm is required in front of any furniture.
3. Operable fittings: Reaching heights between 800 and 1000mm.
4. Radiators: Shall not impede circulation.
5. Sockets: Shall be at least 750mm from a corner, height 800mm to top of socket plate. 
6. Light switches: Full plate or large rocker light switches must be specified, height 900mm to top of switch plate.
7. Hoists: Ceiling shall be horizontal and have structural capacity for future possible hoist installation. The maximum weight load including equipment is 250kg. The minimum ceiling height is 2500mm. The maximum ceiling height is 3650mm.

Using the Kitchen

1. Space and layout: 1500mm turning circle plus room for another person i.e. 1800mm x 1500mm clear manoeuvring space.
2. Worktop: A continuous surface with knee recess is essential under and between hob and sink unit. Knee recess height 600mm. The work surface shall be adjustable, tiled behind, for heights from 700mm to 900mm. An 800mm wide section of adjustable height worktop with knee recess alongside the hob/sink section which can act as a work station. Fascia boards and vertical supports are to be avoided. 
3. Provide storage: Appropriate to the size of dwelling (as set out in National Housing Federation ‘Standards and Quality in Development: A Good Practice Guide’), the major proportion of which is in a position and format useable from a wheelchair. When requested by an Occupational Therapist wall units with pull down baskets should be provided.
4. Provide adjustable shallow sink: With insulated bowl, reachable from a wheelchair, easily manipulated taps (e.g. short lever) and flexible plumbing, tiled behind, for heights from 700mm to 900mm. 
5. Provide adjustable hob: A flat surface hob for example a ceramic or induction hob with front or side controls, wall tiled behind to allow adjustment between 700mm and 900mm. Minimum of 300mm to each side of hob for pan handles, to be adjustable with the hob.
6. Built in oven: accessible from a wheelchair with reversible side hung door and non-tilt shelves. Heat resistant pull out shelf below oven. A 300mm worktop space to be available to the side of the oven on the opening side of the oven door.
7. Additional space for appliances: Is essential for people with disabilities, especially in smaller units (e.g. 4 spaces in a 1 or 2 person unit).
8. All controls and socket outlets: Shall be accessible. Provide remote and labelled switches for appliances and equipment. Switches shall be 150mm above maximum worktop level.
9. 300mm worktop space: To be provided on the opening of the fridge door.

Using the Bathroom & Shower Room

1. Space for bath and shower: Will vary between 1/2 bed dwellings and 3+ bed dwellings. In dwellings with 2 storeys there should be a fully accessible shower room on one floor and a fully accessible bathroom on the other.
2. 1 and 2 bed bedroom dwellings: Shall be provided with fully operational level access shower including all fittings. A bath shall be available on site and installed over the gully when necessary for individual tenants. This decision will be made at viewing. Where the dwelling has both a shower room and a bathroom the side transfer to WC to be on the left for one and on the right for the other.
3. 3 or more bed bedroom dwellings: Shall have a fully operational bathroom and a fully operational shower room, each with WC and side transfer to WC to be on the left for one and on the right for the other. 
4. Bathroom and shower room: Not to be en-suite unless secondary access from hall/corridor.
5. Re: 2 and 3: The Housing Corporation Guidelines require a shower gully to be available in every bathroom rather than under the bath. However, a gully with 1:40 falls in the centre of a bathroom floor makes the space harder to negotiate in a wheelchair. A useable shower 1200mm square in the corner of the room is required. 1:40 falls to the gully in the same corner. It is advisable to ensure a drainage fall across the whole floor. 
6. Turning circle: Bath and/or shower rooms must each have 1500mm turning circle clear of the basin and WC. 21 
7. Transfer space to side: Of WC pan, shower seat and bath must be 850mm from side edge; front edge of WC pan to rear wall must be 800mm unobstructed. 
8. Transfer space to front: Of WC pan and shower seat must be 1100mm. 
9. Rail fitting space: To wall side edge of WC pan and shower seat 250mm minimum and 350mm maximum. 
10. Hoist transfer space: Between edge of WC pan and edge of bath must be a minimum of 850mm. 
11. Fixings Structural capacity shall be provided in every bathroom and shower room for: - ceiling track hoists (and ceiling shall be horizontal) - rails by WC - shower seat and rails - floor fixed equipment - over bath rails See Appendix A, 
12. WC height: Should be standard i.e. 400mm pan with seat and standard cover. 
13. The cistern: Must have a splayed lever handle on the outer/ transfer side. 
14. Showering space: Shall be at least 1200mm square. 
15. Level access shower: Seat shall be on site and have drop-down legs, a back and drop-down arms and be height adjustable for fitting if required. 22 
16. Level access shower: Controls shall be large and easy to see with anti-scald thermostatic control pre-set at a temperature of 43°C, 750mm from corner to edge of controls, height 1000mm.
17. Level access shower: Slider bar 1000mm long, 600mm from corner, lower height 1000mm on same wall as controls. 
18. Level access shower: Hose 1500mm long. 
19. Rail with weighted shower curtain: Required to contain water. The curtain shall fall to 15mm from finished floor level and enclose 1200mm square. Rail height to allow for ambulant use of the shower. 
20. Bath: Must be standard i.e. height 520mm, width 700mm, length 1700mm, i.e. NOT A SHALLOW BATH. 
21. Bath taps: Shall be short lever and fitted either centrally on the long outer wall or on the outside corner of the short side of the bath and shall not hinder transfers. 
22. Integral bath rails: Shall not protrude above the rim of the bath nor hinder transfers. 
23. Over bath shower: Controls shall be large and easy to see with anti-scald thermostatic control pre-set at a temperature of 43°C. Position 750mm along the length of the bath from the tap end, height 1000mm from finished floor level. 
24. Over bath shower: Slider bar 1000mm long located 900mm along the length of the bath from the tap end. Lower height 1000mm from finished floor level. 23 
25. Over bath shower: Hose 1500mm long. If hair rinse shower then standard shorter hose required. 
26. Wash-hand basin: Shall be non pedestal, cantilever, adjustable height with flexible plumbing and splashback tiled in advance for heights from 700mm to 1000mm. Taps must be short-lever. The basin must be suitable for family use – not the hand rinse type referred to in part M documents. Its position should not infringe the transfer space required in paras 11.7 and 11.8. Centre of wash hand basin to be no less than 500mm to the centre from the nearest corner. There should be at least 800mm from the front edge of the pan to the nearest edge of the wash basin. 
27. Rails: 2 x 750mm dropdown rails, 2 x 600mm and 2 x 450mm pressalit type grabrails with slip resistant surface shall be available but NOT FITTED until tenant identified and assessed. Where a WC pan has been boxed off the wall a longer drop down rail 1000mm long shall be available. This list is not exhaustive. NB. Arrangements are required to be in place for installation of shower seat and rails as directed by an Occupational Therapist, prior to tenants moving into the property. 
28. Floor: Shall be waterproof and slip resistant, sheet material (i.e. not tiles) extending up the wall by 150mm. 
29. Pull switches: Shall have large pull, cord restraining eye and height 800mm. 
30. Shaving point: Height between 800mm and 1000mm. 
31. Over basin light: Shall have pull cord long enough to reach from a wheelchair.

Using the Bedroom

1. Turning circle: All bedrooms shall have 1500mm turning circle clear of door swing. 
2. Transfer space: To each side of double bed and one side of single beds shall be 1100mm. 
3. Access past bed: A minimum of 1000mm between end of the bed and the wall, 1400mm if furniture opposite foot of bed. 
4. Access to furniture: 1400mm is required between the bed and any other unit (e.g. wardrobes, chest of drawers, etc.). 
5. Controls: Single bedrooms shall have 3 double socket outlets. Twin and double bedrooms shall have 4 double socket outlets. Sockets to be at least 750mm from a corner, height 800mm to top of socket plate. 
6. Adjacent to bedhead: Shall have socket outlet, TV/ FM points, entryphone point and 2 way light with pull cord over the bed. 
7. Hoists: Ceiling shall be horizontal and have structural capacity in all bedrooms for future possible hoist installation.

Reference: http://www.bexley.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=11673&p=0