SAFERhome Standards Overview

The SAFERhome Standards are a design overlay for homes that brings flexibility, safety, and cost savings to consumers. A SAFERhome is ready to adapt to your changing needs throughout your life.  The SAFERhome Standards were created from the Trades.  All 15 SAFERhome Standards criteria are within the existing Provincial and National Building Codes and Bylaws.  It takes between 5 to 6 hours to incorporate all 15 Standards into a home at the framing stage.  Typically, a standard 3,000 sq. ft. home can incorporate the SAFERhome Standards for less than $1,000 including registration and inspection.  Multi-Unit Developments are even less per unit.

There is now a real housing choice of getting more than the traditionally accepted minimum building standard.

• SAFERhome Standards are measurable and tangible, and the “Gold Standard” in Universal Home Design. 

• Universal Design is a way to build homes that work better for all people!

• SAFERhome Standards program creates homes that work for everyone and their individual needs, regardless of age, size, ability, or mobility.

• SAFERhome Standards are for Single/Multi-Family Residential Homes, Multi-Unit Residential Buildings, and Multi-Story Residential Towers.

• SAFERhome Standards are defined into 3 categories comprising of 15 Standards.

	STRUCTURAL &  DESIGN	8 STANDARDS OVERVIEW
Criteria	SAFERhome Standard	Description
1	Exterior Thresholds	All exterior thresholds are flush.
2	Interior Thresholds	All interior thresholds meet minimal code constraints (eg. shower entrance).
3	Doors & inch points	All doors and pinch points are a minimum of 34″ but ideally 36″ wide.
4	Hallways & Stairs	All hallways are a minimum of 40″ but ideally 42″ wide. Staircase(s) minimum 42" wide.
5	Washroom Wall Reinforcements	Reinforced with 2″x12″ solid lumber in all washroom tub, shower, and toilet locations.
6	Wall Reinforcements   (Top of the Stairs)	At the top of all stairs, walls are reinforced with 2″x12″ solid lumber at 36″ to centre.
7	Multistory Connection Provision	Either an allowance for an elevator options in stacked closets or build all staircase(s) with a minimum width of 42″.
8	Sink Cabinets	Cabinets underneath each sink are easily removed.

	ELECTRICAL & TELECOM	4 STANDARDS OVERVIEW
Criteria	SAFERhome Standard	Description
9	Light Switch Positioning	All switches positioned at 42″ to the centre of the electrical box from the finished floor.
10	Electrical Outlet Positioning	All outlets positioned at 18″ to the centre of the electrical box from the finished floor.
11	Electrical Outlet Placement Locations	Beside windows, especially where draperies or blinds may be installed; Bottom of staircases; Beside the toilet; Above external doors (inside); On front face of kitchen counter.
12	Four-Plex Outlet Locations	Placed in master bedroom, home office, garage, and recreation room.
	Supplemental Criteria (the following three criteria are Optional)	If you would like a hard-wired low voltage system in your home that provides a higher level of security and reliability. SAFERhome Standards offers the supplemental criteria that measures and recognizes the full access technologies ready home.
Supplemental	RG-6 Coaxial Cable Runs	All homeruns return to one central area. (Node Zero).
Supplemental	Telephone Pre-Wiring	CAT 5E (4 pair) homerun to all areas and return to one central area. (Node Zero).
Supplemental	Electrical Outlet Placement At Node Zero	At Node Zero Location (the communications control centre for smart home options) where all the house wiring meets in one place.

	PLUMBING	3 STANDARDS OVERVIEW
Criteria	SAFERhome Standard	Description
13	Bath and Shower Control Positioning	All controls are offset from centre, roughly 1/2 way between the historic centre location and the outside edge of the shower or tub enclosure.
14	Waste Pipes	All pipes are brought in no higher than 14″ to the centre of the pipe from floor level.
15	Pressure/Temperature Control Valves	(Canada for renovations only) Control valves are installed on all shower faucets.

updated September 2017