For Residential Homes

Universal Design Specifications

2026 version. © The UD Project.

This is a set of universal design specifications for residential housing. The information in these chapters is intended to supplement existing residential building codes. Most housing is unregulated by accessibility policy, which has created a significant shortage of homes suited to the 19% of households with accessibility needs (HUD, 2022). Many functional details in home design are routinely overlooked and make everyday tasks unsafe for people with disabilities or chronic health conditions. The Residential Universal Design Specifications aims to address those gaps.

Chapters

Chapter 1 Parking Areas

Dimensions, surfaces, lighting, and entry features for residential parking spaces.

 Chapter 2 Entrance Routes

Pathways, slopes, surfaces, and features connecting parking to the home entrance.

 Chapter 3 Entrances

Door widths, thresholds, hardware, and landing areas at home entry points.

 Chapter 4 Circulation

Hallway widths, doorways, turning radii, and interior passage requirements.

 Chapter 5 Kitchens

Counter heights, appliance placement, floor clearances, and storage access in kitchens.

 Chapter 6 Bathrooms

Floor space, toilet area, sinks, showers, storage, and lighting for universally accessible bathrooms.

 Chapter 7 Bedrooms

Floor clearances, closet access, and layout requirements for accessible sleeping spaces.

 Chapter 8 Laundry

Appliance configuration, pathway requirements, and access features for laundry areas.

 Chapter 9 Additional Areas

Outdoor spaces, garages, home offices, and other residential areas beyond primary rooms.

 Chapter 10 Systems

Electrical, lighting controls, alert systems, and home infrastructure specifications.

Note: Although these specifications address accessibility, no item is disability-specific. Each design element is necessary for a home to be considered universally accessible.

Definitions

For definitions of terms, including universal design, disability, and impairment, see this page: What is Universal Design?

How we chose what to include

The Universal Design Specifications does not address every item that can go into a home. The focus is on design elements integrated into the physical structure and building site.

We compiled years of research at The UD Project and included every design element we believe is necessary to make a home universally accessible. To validate our research, we solicited advice and feedback from nearly 200 individuals with either personal or professional experience across a wide range of disabilities and impairments.

Many features, design elements, and products did not make the final list because they were not universally useful. We also received feedback about products that are difficult to find or prohibitively expensive. Those did not make the list even when the underlying idea was sound.

Why is this needed?

Over 67 million adults in the USA live with a disability, yet fewer than 0.15% of housing units are universally accessible. The CDC estimates that 27% of adults have some type of disability, and HUD has found that 19% of households include someone with accessibility needs. Given that homes typically serve multiple owners over several decades, building accessibly from the start is more practical and cost-effective than modifying inaccessible homes after the fact.

The Residential Universal Design Specifications is copyrighted by Pruett & Co., LLC, DBA The UD Project. Questions? Email [email protected].