Design for when your knees start to go
Most blokes walk into my office thinking about the shed first and the kitchen second. But nobody wants to talk about the day they can't hop up a couple of stairs without groaning. Designing for aging in place isn't just for the elderly. It's for the bloke who blows a knee out playing touch footy on the weekend or the grandmother coming for Christmas lunch with a walker. If you're building a kit home from scratch, you have the best chance to get this right before the slab even gets poured. It's heaps easier to widen a hallway on a floor plan than it is to take a reciprocal saw to your studs ten years down the track.
The secret is subtle design. You aren't building a hospital ward. You're building a home that happens to be smart. We see a lot of people in places like the Sunshine Coast or the Sapphire Coast building their forever homes. They want the breeze, the view, and a bit of dirt to garden on. But they forget that those three back steps to the verandah will eventually feel like climbing Mount Kosciuszko. Because human bodies have a shelf life, we need to talk about level entries and wider door frames now.
The bones of a forever home
We use BlueScope TRUECORE steel for our frames because it stays dead straight. This matters more than you think for accessibility. If your timber frame warps or bows over five years in the Aussie humidity, those sliding doors start to stick. A door that requires a massive shove to open is the enemy of someone with arthritis. Steel frames give you that precision. Plus, when you're looking at AS 1428.1 (the Australian Standard for access and mobility), every millimetre counts. If you're an owner builder, you've got to be across these measurements.
Hallways are the biggest trap. Standard hallways are usually 900mm wide. That's fine for now. But try turning a wheelchair or even just carrying a bulky laundry basket through there when you're less agile. Go for 1200mm. It feels luxury. It feels spacious. And it's practical. Same goes for doorways. Using 870mm or even 920mm doors instead of the standard 820mm makes a world of difference. It doesn't cost much more to upsize the door, but it's a nightmare to retro-fit later when there's a steel stud in the way.
Kitchens and Wet Areas
The bathroom is where most accidents happen. I always tell my clients to forget the hob in the shower. A stepless entry where the tiles just slope gently to the drain is the way to go. It looks like a high-end hotel feature anyway. While you're at it, ask your plumber about reinforced walls. Even if you don't need grab rails today, have the owner builder or your chippy install extra noggins behind the tiles in the shower and next to the toilet. If you ever need to bolt a rail to the wall, you'll know exactly where the strength is. No guessing. No cracking tiles trying to find a stud.
In the kitchen, think about your back. Wall-mounted ovens are a godsend. Bending down to pull a heavy roast out of a low oven is a recipe for a slipped disc. If you're designing your kit layout, put the oven at waist height. And drawers. Use drawers for everything in the bottom cabinets. Digging through the back of a deep cupboard for a Tupperware lid is rubbish. High-quality runners that let the drawer come all the way out make life simple. Simple is good.
Lighting and Switches
Ever tried to find a light switch in the dark in a house you've lived in for twenty years and still missed? As we get older, our eyes need more light. Natural light is king. Use big Windows. Our kits come with quality glazing, so use it to your advantage. South-facing windows bring in that nice consistent light without the harsh afternoon heat of an Australian summer.
Think about the height of your switches too. Lowering them slightly to 1000mm rather than the standard 1200mm makes them reachable for everyone. Rocker switches are better than those tiny little toggles. They're easier to hit with an elbow if your hands are full of groceries. It's those small, cheap tweaks that make a kit home actually liveable for forty years instead of ten.
The Owner Builder Advantage
Managing your own build means you can keep an eye on these details. Most volume builders will charge you an arm and a leg for 'custom' changes like widening a doorway by 100mm. When you're the one calling the shots, you just make sure the slab is right and the frames are set. You can choose the levers over the round doorknobs. You can pick the slip-resistant tiles for the porch. You aren't just a number in a system. You're the one making sure the house actually works for your life.
Steel frames also mean you've got less to worry about regarding termites, which is a massive lifestyle win. Nobody wants to be eighty years old and finding out their floor joists have been turned into lace by white ants. Using TRUECORE steel means the skeleton of your house is bulletproof. It gives you peace of mind while you're busy worrying about the fun stuff like what colour to paint the feature wall in the lounge.
Final thoughts on the long game
Building a home shouldn't be a short-term play. If you're putting in the sweat and tears to manage an owner builder project, do it right once. Don't build for who you are today. Build for the version of you that might be a bit slower but still wants to enjoy a beer on the deck. Open plan isn't just a trend. It's a functional necessity for mobility. Clear paths, wide doors, and no stairs. It sounds simple because it should be. Get the floor plan right now, use the right materials, and you won't be looking for a change in ten years because the house became a chore to live in.
