Can garden homes be made wheelchair accessible?
Yes, and with us the basics are already in place: single-storey, no thresholds and a walk-in shower without a step. What makes a home really wheelchair accessible are three measurements you need to fix in advance because they cannot be changed afterwards: the clear width of the doorways, the turning space in the bathroom and beside the bed, and the position of the pipes.
Yes. With us the basics are already in place: every home is single-storey, there are no stairs, the entrance is step-free and the bathroom has a walk-in shower without a step.
Even so, "single-storey" is not yet "wheelchair accessible". The difference lies in three measurements, and you need to fix those in advance because they cannot be changed after the home is built.
The three measurements that count
| What | Why | Can it be adapted afterwards? |
|---|---|---|
| Clear width of the doorways | A wheelchair needs more than the opening a door fits into | Only with great difficulty; the structure has to be opened up |
| Turning space in the bathroom and bedroom | Turning takes about one and a half metres all round | No; this is the floor plan |
| Position of pipes and drainage | Determines where the toilet, shower and washbasin can go | No; fixed during production |
With doors, note the difference between the door size and the clear width. A door leaf of ninety centimetres gives less free space in practice, because the frame and the open door take some of it away. So ask for the clear width, not the door width.
What is included as standard
- Single-storey, with no stairs and no changes in level indoors.
- Step-free entrance, provided the terrace is laid at the right height.
- Walk-in shower without a step, with the floor sloping to a drain.
- A bathroom with room for two people in the larger versions, which makes the difference when providing personal care.
The measurements per model, with the room sizes from the specification drawings, are set out in the layout of a garden home (mantelzorgwoning).
What to have adapted in advance
This is the list that belongs on the table at the design meeting if a wheelchair is, or may become, part of the picture.
- Wider doors to the bathroom and bedroom, and a wider front door.
- A washbasin you can get a wheelchair under, with no cabinet beneath it and the trap set towards the back.
- A section of worktop you can get a wheelchair under, and a hob with the controls at the front.
- A wall-hung toilet at raised height, with free space beside it for transferring.
- Reinforcement in the walls where grab rails will be fitted later. During construction this costs next to nothing; afterwards it is a renovation.
- Switches and sockets at a reachable height, not too low to the floor and not too high.
- Doors that open outwards for the bathroom, so the door does not get blocked if someone falls inside.
The ceiling hoist is the exception
If a ceiling hoist might ever be needed, that has to be known before construction. A rail system hangs from the structure, and in a relocatable home that is in the roof, not in just any ceiling.
Fitting a hoist afterwards is sometimes possible with a mobile model, but that needs floor space around the bed that is usually not there by then. If heavy care is expected, say so explicitly during the design; the structural engineer can take it into account without making the home more expensive.
Think of the things that have no measurement
Besides the measurements there is a category of details that cost nothing and that make the difference between being independent and having to ask for help.
- Windows that give a view from a seated position. A sill at standard height means that someone in a wheelchair only sees the sky.
- Controls at the right height: the thermostat, the sun shading, the ventilation panel and the doorbell.
- Enough free floor space at the front door to turn while opening the door, and a canopy so that this can be done in the dry.
- A kitchen arrangement with the most important things at one working height, instead of spread between high and low.
- Storage within reach, because a cupboard you have to stand up for is a cupboard that does not get used.
Go through this list with someone who knows the subject. An occupational therapist sees things in half an hour that a salesperson does not think of, and that advice is often available through the municipality.
Outside counts just as much
A perfectly accessible home with a gravel path leading to it does not work. The route from your front door to the resident's is part of the accessibility.
Make sure there is a paved path wide enough for a wheelchair and a companion side by side, without raised edges and without loose tiles. Choose a surface that stays non-slip in frost and rain; wood becomes slippery and is the wrong material for this route. And fit lighting that switches on automatically.
If there is a difference in height to bridge, use a gentle slope. A steep ramp is impossible for someone propelling themselves; allow at least one metre of length for every ten centimetres of height, and preferably more. What else is involved with the terrace is covered in terrace or veranda.
What you can still do afterwards
If the home is already in place, a considerable list remains. Grab rails by the toilet and in the shower, a shower seat, a raised toilet seat, a threshold ramp at the front door, better lighting, an automatic door opener, and a personal alarm system.
For some of this you can go to the municipality under the Wmo (Social Support Act). What is possible varies by municipality and by situation, so start at the municipality's Wmo desk before you call a contractor yourself. A conversation there often also brings you an occupational therapist who walks through the home with you, and that is better advice than you could pay for elsewhere.
What is no longer possible
Being honest is part of it. Widening doors in a relocatable home means opening up the structure, and that is not a small job. The bathroom cannot be enlarged without changing the floor plan, and the pipes are fixed. And a home of forty square metres cannot be given turning circles that do not fit in it after the fact.
That is why the most important decision is not which adaptations you have made, but which size you choose. If you expect a wheelchair, choose a version with space, not the smallest one that meets today's needs. What that means for your choice is set out in extending as care needs grow.
When a garden home is no longer enough
A wheelchair in itself is no reason to rule out this way of living; on the contrary, single-storey living at ground level is often more comfortable for a wheelchair user than an ordinary house. Where it becomes difficult is when permanent supervision or lifting assistance is needed, because then the distance across the garden works against you.
Discuss that with the occupational therapist or the district nurses before you choose. They see every day what is really needed, and their judgement is more useful than a brochure.
If you want to know which size fits on your property, do the permit check for your address. It determines the maximum floor area, and with that whether the more spacious versions are an option.
Sources
- [Decree] Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving (Bbl, Buildings Decree) — requirements for accessibility, clear width and residential use — accessed 21 August 2026
- [Act] Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning 2015 (Social Support Act) — home adaptations and aids through the municipality — accessed 21 August 2026
- [Standard] NEN 1814 — accessibility of buildings and outdoor spaces: dimensions for passage and turning space — accessed 21 August 2026