My FIL is coming home in a wheelchair in 4 days. My husb. wants to build a ramp for him. But do you think it's reasonable to get a portable one for now? Can we get one in a few days? I read that to build one it is to be 1 ft long for each inch of height (like, if porch is 24" high then ramp should be 24 ft). Can you tell me anything else? Does he need a permit to build? I wonder if it has to be real good, lasting & 'beautiful', he might use a walker in awhile. He can use a walker a little bit but someone must be with him in case he falls backwards. As a matter of fact, he lives alone. My husb. is going to stay with him for the 1st week.

Lor, is his condition temporary or permanent? Is the ramp for long-term or short-term use? Is your FIL a vet or a Lion, or a member of the Elks? Does he expect to remain in this home for a number of years yet to come? Will he go on living independently?

Start a list of all the questions you can answer and depending on your answers to those questions, the next steps will get clearer to you.

A couple of my friends in MI had to have building permits to add wood ramps to their deckworks. I think it may vary by location. Home improvement stores have designs and estimates on file in the lumber/building areas.

His safety should always be the top priority!

Your local mobility company may offer rentals. You could call to check that if he's not staying long and you have no need for a permanent structure. We needed permits here in Illinois to build wood ramps.

We have two sets of portable ramps, one 7 foot, one 9 foot that we bought. I found the 7 foot ramp on Ebay for about $240 and they work well. We have to help Jim up sometimes due to the pitch but overall they do the job when we have to go somewhere stairs are. The 9 foot ramps came from a mobility store but they were far more expensive, I think about $800 but they are much more sturdy.

And yes you are right. You must have a 1 foot pitch for every inch your structure is, in your case the porch is 24 inches. Mine was 18", so my ramp is 18'.

Sandy C. this sounds like what we have found out. And I think as far as needing a permit and all that, it would depend on the regulations as to where they live. And if it's permanent or not.

eBay is a good idea. We just made a portable ramp for my three wheel scooter and it's not that long because the scooter is powered. It will be taken away in the winter. It is a real simple ramp.

Thankyou guys. AfterMyNap, thanks for telling me to start a list of questions, thats a good idea. I think my husb wants his dad to have a kinda luxurious looking ramp but his condition is likely just temporary (he will soon use a walker then maybe a cane we think). He is 80 yrs old too.
But he does have to learn how to use it himself (no one to push him) because he lives alone.

Something else...my hubby said he is not going to get a building permit cuz it will "just be in the backyard".

This was very helpful to me. My husband is planning to build a ramp. But I hadn't even thought about there being portable ramps. That sounds like it might be a more practical idea.
Thanks!