Are there steps leading up to your patient or customer’s front or back door? Does your home include split-level rooms or garages which are impossible to navigate in a wheelchair?
A wheelchair ramp is a common and life-changing adaptation for plenty of people with reduced mobility, and modular ramps are one of the most popular types. But what is a modular ramp? How does it compare to other types? And is it the right choice for your home?
Keep reading to find out.
What Is A Modular Ramp?
Unlike their concrete cousins, modular ramps are usually made from metal and are becoming increasingly popular as a home access solution.
A modular ramp is constructed from a selection of individual sections, including handrails, footings and landings. These ramp pieces come in various sizes, lengths and widths to suit different needs and applications, and can be straight or include corners.
The ramp is assembled and bolted together at the site of installation and can be used immediately once situated. Removal of the ramp is simple, and the modular components can also be re-used.
Which Properties, People And Landscapes Is A Modular Ramp Suited To?
Sections of modular ramps can be put together in different combinations, making the system extremely versatile and adaptive to all applications. The simplicity of their construction means that modular wheelchair ramps can also be fitted into almost any landscape, including grass and other soft surfaces.
Modular ramps provide convenience and accessibility for a range of users. Anyone who relies on wheelchairs, mobility scooters, canes, crutches or walkers will find the simple ergonomic design of modular ramps completely life-changing. They can also make navigating thresholds with a pram or pushchair a breeze.
The Benefits Of A Modular Ramp
Metal modular ramps boast a boatload of advantages. Here’s why you should consider installing a modular ramp for your patient or customer.
Secure And Safe
Most modular ramps are made from aluminium segments which are bolted together securely, holding up to 450 kilograms to support the user as well as their equipment. Safety handrails are needed for ramps over 1.8m in length or 15cm in height.
For extra safety, you can choose a textured, non-slip surface such as mesh to help reduce the risk of slipping.
Super-Durable
Powder-coated ramp components are scratch-proof, resistant to corrosion and flaking, and protected against the general wear and tear that comes with daily ramp use.
Not only does this keep your ramp in a safe condition for its whole lifespan, but it also means that the modules can be recycled and sold on when you no longer need them.
Simple Installation
Unlike concrete ramps, where the whole area needs to be prepared and levelled before the ramp can be created, metal modular ramps can be installed over any surface.
The separate component parts of modular ramps can be fixed together very quickly by trained fitters, often taking as little as an hour or two. Installation can be executed come rain or shine, unlike concrete ramps, which can only be constructed in dry weather.
Complete Versatility
The modular ramp system can be 100% customised to work with the space you’ve got and the needs of your patient or customer. Its flexibility means that the layout of an installed ramp can also be changed by adding or removing sections, and the whole thing can be easily taken down and relocated.
Instant Draining
Because of a lack of effective drainage, the surface of concrete wheelchair ramps can become mossy and slippery. Pools of water are also a common occurrence, making the concrete ramp dangerous to use.
In contrast, modular ramp compartments are self-draining.
Easy Repair Process
Because modular ramps are made from individual segments, it is extremely simple to remove one or multiple pieces and replace them with a new piece of the same specifications. And because this takes no time at all, there’s no waiting around for a whole new ramp to be built.
Cost Effective And Recyclable
Small concrete ramps can be a cheap and cheerful solution to gaining access to a property. However, most often, the price of a long or awkwardly shaped concrete ramp, plus the necessary groundwork and labour cost, makes it an expensive project.
By comparison, modular ramps are much cheaper, as well as easier and quicker to install and take down, with no time spent waiting for them to be ready for use.
The Drawbacks Of A Modular Ramp
The only drawback of a modular ramp is its more industrial appearance.
Concrete ramps, for all their disadvantages, are easier to blend into existing paths and surrounding areas. This might be an attractive advantage for patients or customers who don’t wish to draw attention to their accessible home adaptations.
How Long Does Installation Take?
Putting together a modular ramp and testing it for safety should take expert fitters a couple of hours, tops. The longer or more complex the ramp, the longer it takes, but because modular ramps can be constructed in any weather and the ground underneath needs no prep, it’s a very simple installation process.
How Much Does A Modular Ramp Cost?
Without knowing the length and height of the ramp, as well as other specifications such as width, it’s impossible to answer this question fairly.
As a rough guide, a straight ramp of 8ft for a domestic property, including handrails and platforms, will likely cost somewhere between £1,800 and £2,500.
Is A Modular Ramp Right For You?
Does your patient or customer need a ramp to be able to access their home safely and independently? Do they value quick and easy installation, and the ability to modify and move the ramp should they wish?
If you can answer yes to those questions, a modular ramp could be the perfect solution.
Want to find out more about different types of accessibility ramps? Read up on the topic in our recent blog ‘Accessibility Ramps For Your Home: Everything You Need To Know’.
