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I am going to remodel an older 9’x9′ bathroom, on the main floor of a full basemant home, to include a shower area to use with a wheelchair. It is very important to have floor level at the entrance level with the adjoining floor. Wheelchairs are very difficult to manouver over even small lips. I was considering a tile floor sloping to a central point with the shoer head coming out of one wall so the whole area would drain. What is the best way to approach this problem. Cut the floor joists out and repleace them with another set a couple of inches lower? This would allow for a concrete floor to be tiled but would be a lot of work. Please show me an easier way.
Thanks for your help, sherman
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Perhaps build the floor up, rather than cutting floor joists.
Is it possible to put in a small sloped up area in the adjoining room? Not a full blown ramp, but built up to the threshold. Then, on the bathroom side, start the finish floor 1/4" higher than top of slope, as 1/4" should be managable by a person using a wheelchair. From threshold slope down towards drain.
Make sure existing joists can accomodate new construction assemblies and new loads.
*I'd use the old sawzal to lower the tops of the joists to where you want them and then sister twins onto them. With an aging popuilation this is one we'll all see more of.
*Piffin, Thanks for the suggestion, it's the best idea I've seen so far. Sherman
*Have you considered a fiberglass shower stall specifically designed for handicap access? They're made for easy access by wheelchair bound persons and still install directly on the existing floor.
*ShermanFirst option: use a router to lower the tops of the floor joist in the bathroom. Rip up the old flooring and expose the joist. Figure on how low you need to go, then take a router and a stop guide[screwed to the joist] and reduce the height of each joist. This should be the cleanest and most accurate method. Use a sawzall to finish cutting the ends of the floor joist closest to the walls.Second option: use a skillsaw with a stop guide screwed to the floor joist... probable a little faster. Again using a sawzall to finish the end cuts.I would cut the floor joist to the lowest point in the bathroom [shower drain] and then build a scoped mud set floor to that point. Your control point is the door entrance elevation. Everything is down hill from there. You'll probable need to sister the floor joist to add back some of it's strenght.If you email me, I have a set of plans left over from a HUD job I bidded on... these plans have a nice detail section on a handicap bathroom specfications.Mike