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If you have developed a debilitating illness which affects your mobility, coordination, balance or strength, you may need to hire a remodelling contractor to modify your home. If you decide to do this, here are two tips which you may find useful.

Consult with an occupational therapist

To ensure that the end results of the remodelling process meet your requirements, you should seek out the advice of a person who practises occupational therapy.

An occupational therapist will be able to evaluate your needs and determine what changes must be made to your home in order to enable you to continue to live in it without injuring yourself or putting yourself under unnecessary physical strain.

Their training and experience mean that they will be better placed than most people to identify potential hazards around your house that need to be removed or modified.

For example, if you have arthritis and experience stiffness in your knees which makes it hard for you to bend them, your occupational therapist may recommend that your remodelling contractor remove any raised thresholds present in your interior doors to reduce your risk of tripping when you enter or exit a room.

Your occupational therapist will also be able to accurately determine which new features need to be added to create a safe and functional environment for you to reside in.

Their input into the remodelling process will not only ensure that you are satisfied with the end results but will also prevent you from wasting your time and money on making modifications that are unnecessary.

Consider both your current and future requirements

If you do not want to face the expense and disruptions associated with making additional modifications to your property in a few years' time, you should consider making changes now so that the house will continue to meet your requirements in the future, should your illness become even more debilitating.

For example, if your arthritis currently affects your hands but has not yet had any impact on your knees and hips, you may not have considered installing a stair lift. However, having it fitted now could make life much easier for you if your illness progresses to the stage where you can no longer easily walk up and down your stairs.

Similarly, even if you are currently able to stand and walk, it might still be worth having ramps installed in the entryway to your home if you suspect that you may eventually need to use a wheelchair.