Where can I get free addition to my house?

Question

My wife and I are both disable. We live in a 1 1/2 story house. The bedroom is upstairs and both of us are having trouble climbing the stairs. Want to add a bedroom on the front of the house where the porch is.

Answer 1

Enclose the porch.  

Answer 2

If you're trying to find agencies that might help, a lot would depend on your age, your diability, your location and your income. If you're seniors, you could contact the office for the aging. If you're not seniors then you could contact your local HUD office for asistance. If either of you are Veteran's, you could contact your local Veteran's agency. These agencies may not be able to help you directly, however, they may be able to direct you to other helping agencies that could assist you. Another agency that you might want to get in contact with is habitat for humanity. They do a lot of great things for people in need. I think that your local Dept. of Social Services or your local HEAP dept. can get you info. about applying to habitat for humanity. Another idea might be to consider moving into an apartment geared for people with disabilities. Many cities have these types of housing, sometimes they are refered to as HUD housing. Some may also be labeled as senior housing however people with disabilities often are considered as well.

Another thought would be to move to a ranch style home (one floor). I'm assuming that you currently own your home, so I'm sure that buying something else and/or moving might sound overwhelming.

As for building onto your current home, you need to consider if your property can legally accomodate something like an extra room. The first person to ask would be someone from your local zoning board or the city building inspector. Before you invest your time in anything, you want to first find out if you would be allowed to build onto your home. If you're only wanting to enclose your existing porch, you may still need to ask.

Additionally, I don't know where you live but many counties have a nonprofit home rehabititaion and improvement agency that exists because of grants. These agencies often help low to moderate income residents who reside within the county,  who own their own home, in repairing and maintaining their homes. Usually, it deals with siding, windows, heaters,insulation etc. but they also offer assistance for addaptions and accessibility for the elderly and disabled. There's often a waiting list for these types of agencies, so apply now. Your local Dept. of Social Services will know the name of such an agency in your county.

Another solution would be to find a contractor to give you an estimate of the cost of converting your porch into a bedroom and then taking out a low interest loan (which can also be found through various county agencies) to complete the work.

Best of luck to you.

Answer 3

Depends on the state you live in. The state of Texas has a program that helps disabled people make adjustments to their homes when they are disabled. You should check with your local state agency that assist disabled families.