Here we are walking up to the front door and the first entrance barrier hits us right away. Outdoor steps can be a fall waiting for the unwary, an annoyance for you as well as your visitors, especially when old man winter comes to stay. In Iowa, full basements are common which typically means that the first floor can be at least 18" above ground level.The standard way of dealing with this height offset is stairs up to your exterior doors.
Building a new home, it's relatively easy to avoid the steps by taking advantage of natural slopes and/or landscaping to make at least one exterior door a ground level entry. When remodeling and retrofitting, it can take a little more work to deal with the elevation, but there are good options. A wood, aluminum or concrete ramp is probably the most cost effective solution. You can also combine a ramp and deck for a more graceful solution. Depending on your lot restrictions you can also use landscaping to build up a berm of dirt and build a new walkway to the existing building. Another alternative is mechanical lifting equipment, which in a typical Iowa winter climate can be problematic to keep in running condition.
Some other things to be considered when planning your entrance would be:
- Door needs to be a minimum of 36" wide
- Porch floor, stoop, or landing, ideally, at the same level as the floor inside the home so there is no awkward step up or step down when entering the home.
- Door locks should be easy to operate, consider keyless locks with a remote control or keypad.
- Lever-style door handles are much easier to open then round or oval door knobs.
- Adequate lighting both inside and outside the entrance.
- No raised threshold – much easier for strollers, wheelchairs, rolling luggage and reduces the risk of tripping.
- Roof, canopy, or awning to protect the entrance from rain and snow, especially when there isn't a raised threshold.
- When possible, landing space both outside and inside the entry, at least 5' x 5' for the outside landing. The outside landing should be offset on the handle side of the door to be out of the way of the door swing.
- A bench outside the door makes a great place to set things down while opening the door, setting down to take boots off or a place to rest before continuing.
Other things to consider if for a friendlier entrance:
- Lighted doorbell
- Intercom system
- Large house numbers, easily visible from the street
- Power activated door for easy entrance
The entrance is the first impression of your home, eliminate the barriers.
