Thoughtful renos add years to comfortable living in family home
By Sheila Brady
Suzanne and Marc can never imagine selling their large, two-storey home in the established community of East Hunt Club. They love the corner location and their neighbours. And they remember, with love, raising their son and then losing him to cystic fibrosis when he was a young teen. “Our home has been a labour of love,” says Marc, now 63.
It was only last year the couple came face to face with reality after Suzanne fell at a local restaurant, requiring surgery to repair a broken kneecap. There were months of rehab and the realization their beloved home needed a safety check and overhaul. Even before the accident, Suzanne had difficulty mounting the slippery, narrow steps to the oversized whirlpool tub, not to soak, but to open or shut blinds providing privacy to the master ensuite.
“We never used the tub because it was too difficult to get into,” says Marc. “I used the tub about three times in 10 years.” He mentions other issues with the ensuite: “The original shower was very cramped and there was an impromptu grab bar we had stuck on the wall with suction cups.”
The couple had already turned to BuildABLE Design + Renovations, a custom company owned by Sean and Kyla MacGinnis, to assess their home. Sean quickly set the tone, doing an audit of the home, making renovation recommendations based on a theme of safety and successful aging in place. He did a safety audit of the ensuite bathroom, adding heavy-duty safety bars capable of supporting 500 pounds near a high toilet. The large new shower also features secure safety bars, a seat and the promise of easy access with a wheelchair or walker because there is no limiting lip at the entrance. The flooring is anti-skid and slip-proof and a smaller tub is easy to access.
“Now when we walk into the ensuite, we feel like we are in a five-star hotel,” says Marc. “We have gone from an unsafe to a safe home,” says Suzanne, 70. “We feel safe and happy.”
