Accessibility Design Services

You have a floor plan and simply need some general guidance? Send us your proposed design. After we conduct a phone interview with you, we'll review the design and solutions, and we'll recommend access features and details to be incorporated. We may redline (edit) the floor plan, propose products to be explored, enclose standard detail sheets, and/or create sketches to convey our ideas to you and your builder. We can then continue to advocate for you during construction, answering questions as necessary.

This is the starting point for many of our clients. During this meeting, you guide us through your home and we verbally address limitations and reveal possibilities for further access, safety, and ease of maintenance for your home. This session, which averages between two and three hours, sheds light on the decision whether you should renovate, relocate, or build anew. A written report, with or without associated costs, can also be provided for use by third parties or individuals not present at the Home Access SIte Visit. We can also address construction limitations, as well as budget and real estate value constraints.

Good design depends upon understanding needs and goals. The more we know about your situation, the more successful our design will be. As part of our services, we conduct an extensive needs assessment to gather the information necessary to customize your home. Conceptual drawings and sketches will be produced during the process of design development, space planning, and conceptual integration of products.

In the construction world, construction drawings are the tool for communication. Precise, professional drawings are essential to receiving accurate bids, timely permits, and detail-oriented construction. Accessibility Design can provide hand-drawn or computer-generated documents (construction drawings) for this use.

In some cases where the built environment creates a barrier, an innovative product can remove the barrier. There are hundreds of new assistive products introduced every year—some of which might be ideal for your project. We travel regularly to national product shows and meet with vendors and innovators of specialty products. From grab bars to elevators, from flooring to sinks, we have done the research so you and your contractor don't have to. We can recommend or specify these specialty products, assist in the purchasing process, and oversee and coordinate their installation.

Construction is expensive, and paying close attention to your budget is important. With the experience we've gained through hundreds of renovations, we can assist in establishing realistic expectations of how far your budget will go. We will be the watchdog for areas and features that may push or reduce your expenses.

Choosing the right contractor for your project can be difficult, especially if each of your bidders is offering a different solution (they may differ in design, products, finishes, timeframe, etc.). We help you select a contractor based on "apples to apples" comparisons, allowing you to accurately evaluate and compare bids and contractors. We separate the design from the construction and create a detailed request for bids with product specifications, construction plans and drawings, and a written scope of services. When the bids are submitted, we evaluate them for missing or misinterpreted issues or services, and we guide you to the appropriate selection for your project needs.

Many unforeseen decisions can arise during the construction phase of any project, large or small. We assist with coordination of project elements and decisions during this phase, keep you informed, and protect your interests as the project progresses. For example, we help you and your contractor with communication, change order requests, third party reimbursements/billing, vendor communication, and project completion/phase scheduling.

A committed representative on the job site with your best interests in mind makes a positive difference in the outcome. During the construction phase, we become your advocate on the job site and visit the site regularly to observe the contractor and sub-contractors. This ensures that key dimensions are observed, the craftsmanship is of top quality, and the job is completed successfully. The number of visits required depends upon the size of the project and the level of detail involved.

The job is not done until we know that each and every task, no matter how minor, has been accomplished. We assist with creating a contractor checklist for project completion. When all the items are checked off, your home is ready.