Lauren Homes builds aging-in-place and accessible custom homes on your lot in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres and across Southwest Florida. Every home Lauren Homes builds includes a wheelchair-accessible bathroom and comfort-height (ADA-height) toilets. On top of that, we plan beach-entry showers, grab-bar blocking, caregiver suites, no-step entries and easy-reach kitchens into the design before construction starts, when they cost the least to add.
Most of the calls we get about forever homes come from people in their 50s and 60s who want one home they can stay in for the next 20 to 30 years. Owner Fred Price walks through the six things he tells every one of them to plan for in the video below.
Video: 6 things to plan into an aging-in-place forever home in Southwest Florida (10 minutes). Watch on YouTube.
Standard in every Lauren Homes floor plan
- A wheelchair-accessible bathroom in every home we build, so a family member or guest in a wheelchair can get in and use it.
- Comfort-height (ADA-height) toilets, which sit higher and are easier to get on and off.
- Open-concept, single-level living with wide, uninterrupted walkways instead of small divided rooms.
Aging-in-place features we can build into your home
- 36-inch doors and wider hallways throughout the home
- Beach-entry (zero-entry) shower with no curb to step over
- Shower openings at least 36 inches wide
- Wall blocking for grab bars at the shower and toilet, installed now or later
- Built-in shower bench
- Shower niches you can reach from a seated position
- Handheld sprayer on a slide bar (one or two)
- Dual sinks for separate space at the vanity
- Pull-out drawers for pots and pans instead of deep lower cabinets
- Raised cabinets and countertops on a taller kicker
- Elevated dishwasher and built-in microwave
- Pot filler over the range
- Extra recessed can lighting in the kitchen, hallways and closets
- Wider kitchen aisle so two people can pass comfortably
- No-step front entry using a sloped paver walkway, where elevation allows
- Ramp from the garage into the home
- AC filter placed where you can change it without a ladder
- Scuff-resistant eggshell wall paint
- Low-maintenance, low-water Florida landscaping
- Pocket door that closes off a private caregiver or guest wing
- Multigenerational layout with a separate living area and kitchenette
Floor plans that work well for aging in place
We can modify any of our plans to fit your needs: move a wall, widen a hallway, turn a bedroom into a sitting room for a caregiver. We can also design a plan from scratch with an architect.
| Plan | Beds / Baths | Sq. ft. under air | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Julie | 3 / 3.5 | 2,393 | Single-story, 3-car garage |
| The Diana | 6 / 4 | 2,804 | Multigenerational: two living areas and an in-law suite |
| The Tenley | 3 / 2 | 2,056 | Right-sized for a couple, 2- or 3-car garage |
| The Lourdes | 3 / 2 | 1,621 | Easy to maintain, 3-car garage |
See every plan on our floor plans page.
What fits on a Cape Coral lot
Most Cape Coral lots are 80 x 125 feet. On a lot that size, the largest one-story home you can build with a 3-car garage, a good-size lanai and a pool is about 2,500 to 2,600 square feet under air. That is enough for three or four bedrooms, a den, a large living area and about three bathrooms, all on one level. Higher ceilings make a one-story home feel even larger.
Plan it now, not after you move in
Accessibility features are cheapest when they go in during construction. Wall blocking for grab bars, a curbless shower pan, wider doors and raised cabinets are small line items in a new build. Retrofitting the same items later means tearing out tile, drywall and cabinetry. Our cost to build a home guide and free home estimate show what a new home on your lot will cost.
Want the full detail? Read Aging in Place Homes in Southwest Florida: 6 Things to Build Into Your Forever Home and Best Southwest Florida Builders for Accessible Custom Homes.
Aging-in-place and accessible home FAQs
Does a private home in Florida have to be ADA compliant?
No. The Americans with Disabilities Act covers public buildings and businesses, not private single-family homes. When a builder says “ADA” for a home, it means features built to ADA-style measurements, such as 36-inch doors, comfort-height toilets and grab-bar blocking. At Lauren Homes we build those features to fit how you will actually live in the home.
How wide should doors be in an aging-in-place home?
Plan for 36-inch doors. A 36-inch door leaves enough clear opening for most wheelchairs and walkers. Shower openings should be at least 36 inches wide too. Every home Lauren Homes builds includes a wheelchair-accessible bathroom, and we can plan 36-inch doors and wider hallways throughout the rest of the house.
Can I build a no-step home in Cape Coral if my lot has to be raised?
Often, yes. Depending on your lot’s elevation and flood zone, the finished floor may sit above the garage and the yard. Where it does, we can use a gently sloped paver walkway to the front door or build a ramp in the garage so you never have to climb stairs to get inside. What is possible depends on how high the home has to be built on your lot.
What is a beach-entry shower?
A beach-entry, or zero-entry, shower has a tiled floor that slopes gradually into the shower with no curb to step over. You can walk, roll a wheelchair or push a walker straight in. Pair it with a bench, a handheld sprayer and grab-bar blocking.
How big a single-story home can I build on a Cape Coral lot?
On a typical 80 x 125 lot, about 2,500 to 2,600 square feet under air, with a 3-car garage, a lanai and a pool. That comfortably fits three or four bedrooms, a den and about three bathrooms on one level.
Where would a caregiver or visiting family stay?
Many of our plans are split plans, with the primary suite on one side of the house and the other bedrooms on the other. We can add a pocket door that closes off that side into a private wing with its own bedroom, bathroom and sitting area. For more separation, our multigenerational plans, such as The Diana, give each household its own living room and kitchen or kitchenette.
What kitchen features make aging in place easier?
Pull-out drawers for pots and pans, cabinets and countertops raised on a taller kicker, an elevated dishwasher, a built-in microwave, a pot filler over the range, plenty of recessed lighting and a kitchen aisle wide enough for two people to pass.
Can Lauren Homes modify one of its floor plans for aging in place?
Yes. We customize any of our plans, and we have modified plans for many clients by moving walls, widening openings and adding caregiver space. We can also start from scratch with an architect.
Where does Lauren Homes build aging-in-place homes?
We build on your lot in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Alva, Punta Gorda and other parts of Southwest Florida. If you do not own land yet, we can evaluate a lot before you buy it.
Plan your forever home with Lauren Homes
Tell us how you want to live in your home for the next 20 or 30 years, and we will help you pick and customize the right plan. Call 239-829-1520, book a free consultation or get a free home estimate.
Lauren Homes · 1425 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral, FL 33990 · Florida License CRC1331621