Washington, DC - REMODELING magazine announces today the launch of Home for Life, a virtual home tour that showcases how to remodel a home to save money and live well throughout the retirement years.

The first of the 76 million baby boomers turned 65 years old last year. A recent survey conducted by AARP revealed that 84 percent of boomers would like to stay in their current home during retirement but only 16 percent have taken any steps to adapt their home for the next couple of decades.

The photo-realistic online virtual tour is now open at The home focuses on the needs of a hypothetical couple who have been married almost 40 years and have decided to continue living in their current home after they retired so they can remain near their friends, family and community services. The tour shows homeowners and remodelers how to:

Adapt a home for aging in place

Incorporate universal design into any renovation

Lower a home’s heating and cooling costs for years through energy-efficient home improvements, products and replacements

Save money and hassle over time through choosing low-maintenance materials and products with long lifecycles

“Our goal for the REMODELING Home for Life virtual tour is to shed light on what baby boomers and remodelers will need to consider to adapt homes for the retirement years, including universal design strategies, lowered operating costs, and durable, low-maintenance products and systems,” said Sal Alfano, editorial director of REMODELING. “We have brought together experts in remodeling design, active adult lifestyle, energy and resource efficiency, and universal design to create Home for Life.”

The REMODELING Home for Life tour will show how to transform a classic suburban family house into a convenient, energy-efficient and low-maintenance home for an active baby boomer couple, and offers a wealth of ideas to remodel for the next stage of life. The tour features before-and-after photos and changes for the most-cost effective remodeling projects including:

Kitchen

Bathroom

Master bedroom

Front entrance

An AARP webinar for its members focused on universal kitchen design and remodeling and promoted the REMODELING Home for Life virtual tour and members of the project team. In addition, REMODELING will participate in a meeting with AARP and the organization’s 50 state agencies at the end of June to introduce them to Home for Life.

“The baby boomer generation is not slowing down. They are living longer and expecting more out of their lives – even in retirement,” said Aldea Douglas, a project manager for home and community issues at AARP. “We at AARP are working to ensure that their homes and communities are able to keep up with them. Tools such as Home for Life demonstrate how—with a few modifications—you can enhance your home’s comfort and safety to maintain your independence as your lifestyle and needs change.”

Home for Life project team members include:

Case Design/Remodeling, Inc., Bethesda, Md.

Case Design/Remodeling, Inc. is the Washington D.C. metropolitan area’s largest full-service residential remodeling organization. With a focus on excellence for over 50 years, Case has more certified remodelers, certified kitchen and bath designers and certified lead carpenters on staff than any other remodeling organization. Case has been honored with more than 70 awards for design and craftsmanship, and was recently named “Remodeler of the Year” by a major industry publication. They are driven by a passion for helping homeowners achieve their remodeling goals and dreams and approach every job with the highest level of integrity. To learn more about Case, please visit CaseDesign.com or call 800-513-2250.

AARP, Washington, D.C.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people age 50 and over have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole, ways that help people 50 and over improve their lives. Since 1958, AARP has been leading a revolution in the way people view and live life. Our work reaches deep into members' communities through support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at http://www.aarp.com or call 888-OUR-AARP (888-687-2277).

Carl Seville, Seville Consulting, Decatur, Ga.

Seville Consulting provides professional training, green building certification and sustainability consulting services for residential single and multifamily buildings and light commercial construction. We certify buildings through the LEED for Homes, EarthCraft House, National Green Building Standard, and Enterprise Green Communities programs. We provide energy audits, energy modeling, HERS ratings and BPI testing services. We work with both affordable and market rate housing. Our clients include builders, developers, remodelers, architects, homeowners, for profit, and non-profit organizations. Learn more at http://www.sevilleconsulting.com or call 404-597-7782.

Richard (Dick) Duncan, The RL Mace Universal Design Institute, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Dick Duncan is the executive director of the RL Mace Universal Design Institute, an organization dedicated to promoting the concept and practice of accessibility and universal design. The Institute’s work manifests the belief that all new environments and products, to the greatest extent possible, should and can be usable by everyone regardless of age, ability, or circumstance. The Institute advances the concept of universal design in all design disciplines, including housing, public-use buildings, outdoor and urban environments, and related products. Learn more at http://www.udinstitute.org or call 919-960-6734.

RM Design Studio, Chicago

RM Design Studio is a nationally recognized leader in computer rendering and virtual reality, utilizing the latest software, tools, and techniques to help its clients with any of their design and marketing needs. The firm’s architectural expertise is essential, allowing it to start any project with as little as a hand sketch. Learn more at http://www.rmdesignstudio.com or call 630-540-1222.

Home for Life Sponsors

Platinum sponsors include: Lumber Liquidators (wood flooring); Simonton Windows, Inc. (windows); Sterling Plumbing, A Kohler Company (plumbing fixtures); USG Corporation (drywall and tile backer board); Waypoint Living Spaces (cabinets and built ins); and Wilsonart International (countertops).

Gold sponsors include: Dow Building Solutions (insulation); Grace Construction Products (roof underlayment membrane, window and door flashing); Kleer (exterior trim); Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt, LLC (roofing); Panasonic Eco Products Division (ventilation); ProVia (entry doors); Rinnai America Corporation (space and water heating); Sherwin-Williams (paints); The Tapco Group (exterior siding); and ThyssenKrupp Access (elevator).

Bronze sponsors include: DAP Products, Inc. (caulks, sealants & window foam); Kohler (standby generator); Overhead Door Corporation (garage door and opener); Raindrop Gutter Guard (gutter systems); Schlage (locksets, door hardware, and home automation); Tejas Originals, LLC (outdoor ktchen & fireplace); and Ecolife Stabilized Weather Resistant Wood/Viance (decking).

The virtual tour will be available through December 31, 2012. For more information, or to register for the tour, visit http://www.homeforlife2012.com.

About REMODELING

REMODELING magazine, published by Hanley Wood, LLC, is the leading publication in the home improvement industry. Designed to address the specific concerns of residential remodeling pros, the magazine is both a business tool and an industry leader for a market that reached $278 billion in 2011. REMODELING’s annual Cost vs. Value Report (http://www.costvsvalue.com) compares construction cost with resale value for 35 popular home improvement projects in 80 U.S. markets. Follow more remodeling trends at http://www.remodelingmag.com.

Source: REMODELING