Both rails on the stoop
A second rail anchored into brick or concrete gives both hands a hold, going up and coming down. In a DC rowhouse it is the most useful entry fix there is.
In DC, the front steps come before everything
If a parent cannot get in the door, nothing inside matters. In DC that door usually sits above the sidewalk, up a stoop or porch steps with one rail or none.
Most rowhouse fronts have no room for a ramp. The lot is narrow and the steps run right down to the sidewalk. So the first fix is a solid rail on both sides, and the next is often a different door.
A ramp still makes sense on plenty of DC lots. Detached houses in the outer neighborhoods and rowhouses with a deep rear yard often have the room, and the assessment tells you which kind of lot you have.
What we do in Washington, DC
The back door to the alley
Many DC houses have a rear door a step or two above a yard that opens onto an alley. A short ramp or a level path there can become the main way in.
Ramps on detached lots
In neighborhoods with side yards, a built ramp can run along the house to a door near grade. Ramps typically run $1,000 to $10,000, set by the length the slope demands.
Doors a walker can pass
Old front and interior doors are often narrow. Widening one typically costs $300 to $2,500 per door, and lever handles can replace round knobs during the same visit.
How it works in Washington, DC
- Count the stoop. DC front steps often rise straight from the sidewalk, so we measure each step and the room left for a ramp.
- Check the back and side doors. An alley or yard door can sit lower than the front and make the better everyday way in.
- Plan around public space and historic review. Work near the sidewalk or in a historic district can need more than a building permit, and the scope says so.
Typical installed ranges are on the ramps and access page and in the guide How much does a wheelchair ramp cost in Washington, DC?. Your own price comes in writing after the walk.
Ramps and Access questions in Washington, DC
Why not just build a ramp out front?
On most DC rowhouses the front yard is too short for a ramp at a safe slope. The assessment measures it, and if a ramp will not fit, you see the other options in writing.
Do you build modular ramps for a short recovery?
Yes. Modular aluminum ramps bolt together and come out again, which suits a rental or a recovery of a few months.
Does a new ramp need a DC permit?
A built ramp generally does, through the DC Department of Buildings. The scope lists that permit before any work begins.
Is a keypad lock worth adding?
Often. Nobody fumbles for keys on a dark stoop, and family or a caregiver can get in without a spare hidden under the mat.
More about wheelchair ramps and home access
Every service for a Washington, DC home
A new ramp at the stoop rarely settles the whole house. If the walk also flags the upstairs bath or the narrow inside stair, the page for each of those fixes is linked here.