YOUR ESSENTIAL
ADAPABILITY
CHECKLIST
The Toronto All Standard
The ALL Standard (Adaptable Laneway Living Standard) is your custom checklist for building an adaptive laneway home in Toronto. The ALL Standard has been created in collaboration with Toronto architects, builders and accessibility experts. The ALL Standard addresses the unique characteristics, size and location of laneway homes and simplifies the three essential features needed to build-in adaptability.
No-Step Entry
The most important element of Adaptive Laneway Living begins with a no-step entry to allow for a smooth transition from outdoors to indoors. Designing & building your no-step entry will alleviate any unsightly ramps and/or mechanical lifts not in keeping with your laneway suite's design should you (or your family/tenants) experience any mobility changes.
Required Elements
1. An accessible path of travel
From the street, the laneway and/or private parking area to at least one suite entry door
Minumum 48" wide (1200 mm) smooth pathway to suite entry
Slope of pathway not to exceed 1/12 slope
​
2. No-step Entry
No steps and/or stairs to access at least one suite entry door (must be the entry door connected to the accessible path)
At-grade entrance or landscaped ramp to the entry door
If landscaped ramps are used, do not exceed a 1/12 slope
​
3. Suite Entrance
Provide for a covering over the suite entry door to protect from the rain and reduce snow build up around the door sill
Minimum 36" wide (915 mm) suite entry door with lever handle
Reduced threshold entry door (low door sill to reduce tripping)
​
​
Wider Doors & Hallways
We've all encountered a skinny 24" door to a small bathroom and they are difficult to pass through in the best of times. Including the following minimum door & hallway widths below will ensure your new laneway home will suit everyone. With some door openings found within structural walls, widening these after initial construction can be difficult and expensive.
Required Elements
1. Door Widths
2. Hallways Widths
36" minimum (915 mm) suite entry door
(36" min required for 1x door whether a single or double door)
32" minimum (812 mm) to all common living areas
(adaptable bathroom, bedroom(s), living room)
43" minimum (1100 mm) hallways and passageways
throughout the laneway suite
Consider furniture placement and watch out for tight spots around kitchen islands and entry/common room doors
​
​
Adaptable 3pc Bathroom
An adaptable bathroom is the key to easily realizing a 'minimally accessible' bathroom in the future. It is difficult to include a fully accessible bathroom in a small home so we have worked with industry professionals and builders to select keys . The elements below represent the most difficult and costly aspects to renovate later. So - do it now!
Required Elements
1. Location of 3pc Bathroom
3pc bathroom recommended to be located on the ground floor
Should bathroom be located on the 2nd floor, a rough-in for an elevator shaft or support for a stair lift must be provided.
Compact elevator: Check out compact residential elevators from Stiltz which require as little as 7sq to include in your floorplan. Minimum opening between floor joists 31" (784mm) x 41" (1046mm). Consider concealing the future elevator shaft within closets stacked between floors if you plan to install the elevator at a later date.
​
Stair lift: Check out residential stair lifts from Bruno which will work for either straight or curved staircases. A stair lift requires minimum support required. Please consult your architect and/or contractor to ensure your new stairs will support the added weight.
​
2. Layout
Clear dimension from the front edge of the toilet to the facing wall shall be a minimum of 32" (812 mm)
Space from the front edge of the bathtub to the centre of the toilet shall be a minimum of 20" (508 mm)
Clear floor area in front of the sink/vanity shall be a minimum of 30" (760 mm) wide by 48" (1220 mm) deep centred on the sink/vanity
​
3. Hidden elements
Recessed shower floor area (whether wood framed floor or on-grade concrete slab) to accommodate zero-threshold shower now or in the future
Full 3/4" plywood backing in the stud cavities of all bathroom walls (to receive future grab bars if/when needed)
Sink/vanity drain & water lines to come from wall (not from floor), and exit the wall 16" - 18" above the finished floor (to allow for current or future wall hunk sink/vanity)
​