What Is FlexHousing™?

FlexHousing™ is a concept in housing that incorporates, at the design and construction stage, the ability to make future changes easily and with minimum expense, to meet the evolving needs of its occupants.

The intention of FlexHousing™ is to allow homeowners to occupy a dwelling for longer periods of time, perhaps over their entire lifetimes, while adapting to changing circumstances and meeting a wide range of needs. Similar concepts are referred to as Universal Housing in the United States and Lifetime Homes in the United Kingdom.

Sooner or later, a growing family reaches the point at which yesterday's dream home becomes too small. Usually, the only choice is to move to a bigger house. But moving can be difficult, disruptive and costly. And, when the children have grown up and moved out, the second, larger home may be too big or too difficult to maintain -- and the search begins all over again.

FlexHousing™ allows homeowners to adapt their dwellings, instead of moving, as their circumstances change:

• A large bedroom can be renovated into two smaller ones
• An existing bedroom can be converted into a home office
• An attic can be converted to a large family room or master bedroom
• The basement can be adapted to become a rental suite

A Circle of Life is one family's story on how their FlexHouse grew with them as their needs and requirements changed over the years.