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Is it cheaper to build stairs or a ramp?

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Both ramps and stairs have benefits for easy ingress and egress.

When designing the entryway to a home, or considering ways to transition between floors at different heights within a home, the most common options are stairways and ramps. However, determining whether stairs or ramps are best suited for your particular situation can be difficult. By evaluating the pros and cons of both, as well as your mobility needs, getting up or down will be a breeze.

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Mobility

When choosing to install a ramp or a staircase in home building, you must consider any physical mobility limitations of the people living in the home. Stairs may be convenient for people who can walk without any assistance; however, individuals requiring a wheelchair, walker, or cane will have an easier time walking up and down ramps where large strides are not required. Likewise, small children will also have an easier time navigating ramps.

Safety

Both ramps and stairs have safety benefits and risks. A stairway that is properly lit and equipped with handrails can be a safe way for able-bodied individuals to move from one area to the next. However, stairs can pose a major fall risk for the young and elderly. Meanwhile, ramps with handrails provide a safe way for people of all mobility levels to change elevations in a home. However, outside ramps can become especially slick and difficult to maneuver when icy or covered in debris, like leaves.

Cost

Staircases are considered the most economical choice when creating access to a raised area of a home. The reason for the affordability of stairs is that they come in prefabricated designs and can be constructed in limited space. Meanwhile most ramps require a custom design to fit the area that they will be used in, which can add a significant amount to the cost of construction.

Limitations

While stairs may limit mobility where ramps allow people of all mobility levels to move about, there are other limitations to consider. Stairs can be built nearly anywhere that there is a difference in height between landings and take up only one small area. Conversely, ramps require far more space to allow for the proper rise. Typically, ramps rise at a ratio of 1:12, meaning that if you needed to build a ramp that had one foot in elevation rise, it would have to be 12-feet long. Thus, space can be the most limiting factor regarding ramp design.

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homedepot.com - How to Build a Ramp - The Home Depot

1 Measure for Ramp Length and Design

There are several requirements to follow for building a ramp that meets ADA guidelines. It's also important to carefully choose the ramp’s location and design. Measure the distance between the ground and the threshold to find the rise of the ramp. The rise of single ramp run must not exceed 30 inches. If the threshold is more than 30 inches from the ground, two or more ramp sections will be necessary and separated by level landings. Slope is the proportion of vertical rise to horizontal length. The steepest slope permitted by the ADA is ratio of 1:12, meaning that the ramp rises one inch for every 12 inches in length. A ratio of 1:16 is not as steep and therefore easier to navigate with a manual wheelchair; a 1:20 slope requires even less effort but is longer in length and requires more materials. To determine how far the ramp will project horizontally from the threshold, multiply the rise by the desired slope and then divide that figure by 12 to convert the measurement to feet. For example, a 30-inch rise multiplied by 1:16 slope equals 480 inches. That length divided by 12 equals 40 feet, the horizontal distance the ramp will extend from the threshold. If your yard is too small to accommodate that length in one straight run, use turns and landings between multiple sections of ramp.

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