I am back house sitting again. It wasn't in the plan, but I am thankful that the opportunities came to me. It has enabled me to live "rent-free" for almost a year now. I am indifferent about it at times. I would love to live in my own home, but that isn't going to happen for a while. Unless I win the lottery or my book becomes a really, really best seller.
These days I spend longer in a house than I did before and for reasons I can explain perhaps, I find I am looking more at the way the houses are built.
Yes, I know, most building is done by men. Tradesmen. Many of whom are very talented in their skilled - be it cementers, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, painters and more.
Last year I moved out of an apartment in which I had lived for nearly 5 years. I had many issues with the builders - not the standard of their work, but the way they placed rooms and facilities in the unit. I had the impression that the build was done as quickly as possible as cheaply as possible, with little thought about the practicalities of living in it.
For example, the laundry. I actually have no problem with the washing machine/dryer etc being in the garage, but I note that there appeared to be no consideration about getting the washing to the clothesline. In the unit, I had no choice but to lug a heavy washing basket of wet clothes into the passageway from the garage and take a long trek.
Down the passage, past the kitchen and dining area, out onto the patio, and then down the side of the house to the clothesline. The trek alongside the house had rocks and cement stepping stones that were so far apart one had to be very fit to get from one to the other. Oh, and the rocks and stones made it impossible to use a wheeled laundry trolley. No trolley could be walked through the house and over the steps at the doorway, and from the patio to the path. The lady of the house had to carry the heavy/wet washing all this way!
Bathrooms and toilets are rooms where there often appears to be no thought about the placement of things. I hate having to lean over the bathroom handbasin to see properly to put makeup on. Many of us need our faces to be inches from the mirror to see the fine details for applying eye make up etc.
How many toilets have the toilet roll holder almost behind the sitter? Having to twist around to reach the darned thing is annoying, especially for women who use that facility more often on a daily basis than men.
This site suggests that the toilet roll holder should be 12 inches forward from the toilet bowl. The one in this house is right beside the bowl. Is it laziness or do the tradesmen not know?
If a family wishes to remain in their home right into their senior years, other things need to be considered. Steps. Even at the entrance - the builder and owner need to consider access if someone has an accident or as they age or have mobility issues.
I get the impression that builders generally don't consider many of the issues that would be helpful to the people living in the house, and I guess some of the issues are gender issues. Men would not relate to even the issues I mentioned.
Re the image above. This bathroom entity was supposed to be just a shower. No bath. However, the builders decided that a bath with 3 shower roses would be best. True story. It is a very high step to get into it and is so long it requires 2 bath mats. The tangle of hoses and confusing taps adds to the silliness of it all. It is very dangerous for seniors.
Women need to have input into a build, especially if they are going to live in the home.
These days I spend longer in a house than I did before and for reasons I can explain perhaps, I find I am looking more at the way the houses are built.
Yes, I know, most building is done by men. Tradesmen. Many of whom are very talented in their skilled - be it cementers, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, painters and more.
Last year I moved out of an apartment in which I had lived for nearly 5 years. I had many issues with the builders - not the standard of their work, but the way they placed rooms and facilities in the unit. I had the impression that the build was done as quickly as possible as cheaply as possible, with little thought about the practicalities of living in it.
For example, the laundry. I actually have no problem with the washing machine/dryer etc being in the garage, but I note that there appeared to be no consideration about getting the washing to the clothesline. In the unit, I had no choice but to lug a heavy washing basket of wet clothes into the passageway from the garage and take a long trek.
Down the passage, past the kitchen and dining area, out onto the patio, and then down the side of the house to the clothesline. The trek alongside the house had rocks and cement stepping stones that were so far apart one had to be very fit to get from one to the other. Oh, and the rocks and stones made it impossible to use a wheeled laundry trolley. No trolley could be walked through the house and over the steps at the doorway, and from the patio to the path. The lady of the house had to carry the heavy/wet washing all this way!
Bathrooms and toilets are rooms where there often appears to be no thought about the placement of things. I hate having to lean over the bathroom handbasin to see properly to put makeup on. Many of us need our faces to be inches from the mirror to see the fine details for applying eye make up etc.
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How many toilets have the toilet roll holder almost behind the sitter? Having to twist around to reach the darned thing is annoying, especially for women who use that facility more often on a daily basis than men.
This site suggests that the toilet roll holder should be 12 inches forward from the toilet bowl. The one in this house is right beside the bowl. Is it laziness or do the tradesmen not know?
If a family wishes to remain in their home right into their senior years, other things need to be considered. Steps. Even at the entrance - the builder and owner need to consider access if someone has an accident or as they age or have mobility issues.
I get the impression that builders generally don't consider many of the issues that would be helpful to the people living in the house, and I guess some of the issues are gender issues. Men would not relate to even the issues I mentioned.
Re the image above. This bathroom entity was supposed to be just a shower. No bath. However, the builders decided that a bath with 3 shower roses would be best. True story. It is a very high step to get into it and is so long it requires 2 bath mats. The tangle of hoses and confusing taps adds to the silliness of it all. It is very dangerous for seniors.
Women need to have input into a build, especially if they are going to live in the home.
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