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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures equal access and usability for individuals with disabilities. For example, people in wheelchairs or using walkers should have reasonable physical access to public spaces, like sidewalks, businesses, and government buildings. Accommodations and building modifications to achieve ADA compliance may include entrance ramps, handrails, and wider door openings.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires doorways to be at least 32 inches of clearance to provide reasonable wheelchair access. It’s not that the doorway itself needs to be 32 inches wide, as the door hinge and other hardware may reduce the actual clearance by a few inches. In most cases, the door frame needs to be wider than that so that a person has at least 32 inches to pass through when the door is fully open. Most wheelchairs measure 25 to 36 inches in width.

Along with the cost of widening doorways, you may also invest in several other common house alterations and modifications. The average total cost to build a handicap-accessible house ranges from $700 to $8,000, depending on what changes you want to make. Adding grab bars and handrails can cost up to $500 while installing a stair railing costs $900. Installing a stair lift costs $1,500 to $5,000, whereas installing an elevator costs as much as $60,000. Other changes may involve lowering thermostats, remodeling bathrooms, widening hallways, and installing wheelchair ramps.