Hi,
My Elderly Mother has just moved home, and is now living in a 1950's Bungalow with a Conservatory. The Conservatory is probably the original one, as it has just a single brick wall, and single glass windows. Internal measurements are approx 6 Ft x 10 Ft.
The Conservatory floor is approx 12 Inches below the Kitchen floor level, and has a couple of steps leading down to it. The floors in the Bungalow are all concrete. The Damp proof course is only just below the Kitchen floor level.
Unfortunately, my Mother cannot walk unaided, and uses a Tri-Walker to move about the Bungalow. Although she can manage very shallow steps, the ones leading to the Conservatory are quite steep, and are both at different raise levels.
As the Conservatory is about 6 Feet wide a ramp down would cut the Conservatory in half, and is unrealistic.
Would it be best to raise the conservatory floor, and to build a ramp outside of the door, down onto the patio? The Conservatory has enough headroom, and the door into the Garden is a sliding one. That door could also be reduced in height, as there is a step out of the Conservatory, which could be built over.
Alternatively, a ramp could be built along the remaining length of the Conservatory, from the Kitchen door. This together with a flat platform would be approx 7 feet 6 Inches long. But, ideally, another flat platform and step would be needed at the end of the ramp to allow access to the rest of the Conservatory. There would be a requirement to install a Safety rail along the length of the actual ramp, and everyone would have to use the ramp when going from the Kitchen to the Conservatory, and/or out into the garden.
We do not have the funds to purchase a new, and much larger Conservatory. Any suggestions regarding the difference in floor levels would be very welcome.
Thank you,
My Elderly Mother has just moved home, and is now living in a 1950's Bungalow with a Conservatory. The Conservatory is probably the original one, as it has just a single brick wall, and single glass windows. Internal measurements are approx 6 Ft x 10 Ft.
The Conservatory floor is approx 12 Inches below the Kitchen floor level, and has a couple of steps leading down to it. The floors in the Bungalow are all concrete. The Damp proof course is only just below the Kitchen floor level.
Unfortunately, my Mother cannot walk unaided, and uses a Tri-Walker to move about the Bungalow. Although she can manage very shallow steps, the ones leading to the Conservatory are quite steep, and are both at different raise levels.
As the Conservatory is about 6 Feet wide a ramp down would cut the Conservatory in half, and is unrealistic.
Would it be best to raise the conservatory floor, and to build a ramp outside of the door, down onto the patio? The Conservatory has enough headroom, and the door into the Garden is a sliding one. That door could also be reduced in height, as there is a step out of the Conservatory, which could be built over.
Alternatively, a ramp could be built along the remaining length of the Conservatory, from the Kitchen door. This together with a flat platform would be approx 7 feet 6 Inches long. But, ideally, another flat platform and step would be needed at the end of the ramp to allow access to the rest of the Conservatory. There would be a requirement to install a Safety rail along the length of the actual ramp, and everyone would have to use the ramp when going from the Kitchen to the Conservatory, and/or out into the garden.
We do not have the funds to purchase a new, and much larger Conservatory. Any suggestions regarding the difference in floor levels would be very welcome.
Thank you,