Design for the person who will live there
Think through cooking, sleeping, laundry, storage, visitors and favorite furniture. A guest room or second bedroom may also serve as an office, hobby space or room for a caregiver.
Discuss accessibility before the layout is set
If step-free access, specific doorway clearances, a particular shower layout or more circulation space is important, bring that up early. Those features require project-specific design and specification; the standard layout should not be assumed to meet every accessibility need.
Think about the connection between homes
Consider exterior lighting, a comfortable walking route, privacy, parking and outdoor seating. We also need to review whether the proposed living arrangement and dwelling are appropriate for the address.