The house dictates what's possible
A converted tobacco-warehouse loft with concrete construction takes reinforcement differently than a wood-framed mill cottage with plaster walls and joists sized a century ago. Blocking, threshold height, and pan slope all get decided based on what's actually inside the wall, not a catalog spec sheet.
Build a complete scope
- Whether a narrow mill-cottage plan can take a compliant turning radius
- Where reinforcement is added, and what load it is designed for
- Threshold, pan slope and fixture clearances established before demolition
- Wet-rated surfaces and grab hardware anchored into real backing
- Permits, inspection stages, and the warranty on labor and materials
Durham context
Durham combines nineteenth-century tobacco and textile districts, early streetcar neighborhoods, postwar ranches, and fast-growing suburban edges. In the older mill-village cottages, narrow original floor plans can make finding room for a fully accessible layout the real design challenge.