WHO estimates about 842,000 fall deaths worldwide in 2023, around 71% among people aged 60 and over. One recommendation: adapt the home.
A bedroom, a full bathroom, a step-free entrance, a kitchen you can use seated, laundry and level access to the garden.
Measure travel time, not kilometres. On a weekday at 8 a.m., drive from the house you are considering to the nearest emergency department. In an emergency: 112.
A home for later life: the short answer
If you buy a villa in Romania at 55 or 60, you are buying a house for two stages of life. In the first, stairs are no problem and the upper floor is a bonus. In the second, after a knee operation or with a walking frame, the same stairs decide whether you can stay at home.
The World Health Organization estimates about 842,000 deaths from falls worldwide in 2023, around 71% of them among people aged 60 and over. One of its recommendations for older people is a home fall-hazard assessment and modification.
The simple rule: make sure daily life can happen entirely on the ground floor. A bedroom, a bathroom with a level shower, the kitchen and an entrance without steps. Everything else can be upstairs.
In plain words: you do not need a single-storey house. You need a ground floor you could live on alone.
The move itself, residence and health insurance are covered in our guide to retiring in Romania.
One storey or two: the comparison
| Topic | Single-storey house | Two storeys with a ground-floor bedroom |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Everything on one level | Fully accessible if planned well |
| Plot | Needs a larger built footprint | Less footprint for the same living area |
| Planning limits | The local plot coverage limit (POT) can restrict it | Easier to stay within the coverage limit |
| Heating and cooling | More roof relative to floor area | Less roof relative to floor area |
| Family visits | Less privacy for guests | The upper floor can become the guest floor |
| Resale | Sought after by older buyers | Suits a wider range of buyers |
The choice depends on the plot and the local plan. The villa types (semi-detached, detached, terraced) are compared in our guide to choosing a villa type.
The ground floor: what has to be there
These are the things that turn a ground floor into a complete home:
- A bedroom with room for a double bed and comfortable clearance on both sides.
- A full bathroom, not just a guest toilet: shower, toilet and basin.
- An entrance without steps, or one where a ramp can be added later without rebuilding the façade.
- A kitchen you can work in while seated, at least along part of the worktop.
- Laundry on the same floor. Carrying a laundry basket on the stairs is an unnecessary fall risk.
- Access to the garden without a high threshold.
Romania has an accessibility standard for buildings, normative NP 051-2012 (approved by Development Ministry Order 189/2013). It was written mainly for public buildings and urban space, but an architect can use it as a reference for door, corridor and wheelchair turning dimensions. Ask yours to plan the ground floor to those dimensions.
Stairs: keeping your options open
Even with a full ground floor, the stairs stay. A few things that cost little during construction and save a lot later:
- A straight flight beats a spiral. A stairlift is usually simpler and cheaper to fit on a straight staircase.
- Handrails on both sides, and lighting with switches at the top and bottom.
- Even step heights and a non-slip surface.
- Room for a home lift. If the design allows, leave a shaft or a space that could later take a small lift or platform. Ask the engineer to check this at the design stage, because it affects the structure.
The bathroom: where falls happen
The bathroom is one of the riskiest rooms in the house for falls: water, hard floors and little space. What to ask for during construction:
You do not need a single-storey house. You need a ground floor you could live on alone.
| Item | What to ask for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shower | Level access, with a floor drain | Walk in with a frame or a shower chair |
| Floor | Slip-resistant, including when wet | Fewer slips |
| Walls | Reinforcement behind the toilet and shower walls | Grab rails can be fitted at any time |
| Door | Wide, ideally opening outwards or sliding | If someone falls by the door, you can still get in |
| Lighting | A night light in the corridor from the bedroom | Fewer falls at night |
| Taps | Single lever, thermostatic | Fewer scalds |
Wall reinforcement is the cheapest and most important item. A grab rail takes ten minutes to fit, but only if there is something solid behind it.
Distance to medical care in Ilfov
When choosing a location, the right measure is not kilometres. It is travel time at rush hour to:
- The nearest 24-hour emergency department.
- The private clinic where you will hold a subscription. Large private networks operate in Bucharest and the north of the city; we covered them in our healthcare guide.
- The nearest pharmacy.
- The family doctor, who is the gateway to the public system.
In an emergency, 112 reaches all emergency services and is free from any phone. Travel times from north Ilfov into the city at different hours are in our DN1 commute guide.
Run the test yourself: on a weekday at 8 a.m., drive from the house you are considering to the nearest emergency department. That is the number that matters.
One more question worth asking: how will you get to a doctor on a day you do not drive? Check whether there is public transport nearby, whether taxis and ride services reach the neighbourhood, and whether the clinic offers home visits.
A house that is easy to look after, not only easy to walk in
Accessibility is not only about stairs. Over the years, looking after the house gets harder too. A few decisions worth making now:
- A garden that does not need daily work. A big lawn and many flower beds look lovely but need mowing, watering and pruning. Automatic irrigation and hardy planting make a big difference.
- Heating you do not have to tend. A wood stove is pleasant in the evening, but carrying logs in winter is physical work. A central system with phone control is simpler.
- Motorised windows and shutters where they are hard to reach.
- Room for one more person. A small room near a bathroom can later serve a carer, or a family member who comes to help for a while.
- Someone nearby. Neighbours, a maintenance firm or a community. Loneliness is a real risk in later life, no less than stairs.
Checklist before you buy
- Can you sleep, shower, cook and do laundry on the ground floor?
- Is there at least one entrance without steps?
- Are the stairs straight, with handrails on both sides?
- Are the bathroom walls reinforced?
- Is there room for a future lift shaft or platform?
- How long does it take to reach an emergency department at rush hour?
- Is public transport or a taxi available for the days you will not drive?
- Who are the neighbours, and who could help if needed?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a single-storey house to age in place?
No. What matters is a ground floor you could live on alone: bedroom, full bathroom, kitchen and laundry. A two-storey house with a ground floor like that can work just as well, and is sometimes easier to fit on a smaller plot.
Does Romania have an accessibility standard for private houses?
There is an accessibility normative, NP 051-2012, approved by Order 189/2013. It was written mainly for public buildings and urban space. For a private house it is a good reference for dimensions, and an architect can use it in the design.
What is the cheapest thing worth asking for during construction?
Reinforced bathroom walls and a level shower. Both cost little at construction stage and let you fit grab rails and walk in with a frame at any point.
How do I check the distance to a hospital?
Measure travel time, not kilometres. At rush hour, drive from the house to the nearest emergency department and to the clinic where you will be a subscriber. In an emergency, call 112.
Can a lift be added later?
Sometimes. It is easier if the design left a suitable space and the engineer checked the structure. Without that preparation, a later installation can be complicated and expensive.
The bottom line
A home for later life is one where the ground floor is enough. Plan it as a complete home, keep options open on the stairs and in the bathroom, and check the drive to an emergency department before you sign.
If you are considering a villa in Romania for the years after retirement, with us or anywhere else, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the plans together and see what can be adapted.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: World Health Organization: falls fact sheet · Order 189/2013 approving normative NP 051-2012 (legeaz.net)
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. The rules are correct as of 22 October 2026. Accessibility adaptations need an architect and an engineer, and medical questions need a doctor.
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This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
