Q: What if the contractor I’ve already chosen for design/build services does not specialize in accessibility renovations?
A: As designers and project managers, we can assist to ensure the plans meet your specific needs. Most contractors and designers refer to the accessibility portions of the Building Code for guidance. However, the Building Code is not designed to meet your specific needs so the contractor should not be relying on it. As the Adapt-Able Design Group is not a construction company, we can work with your contractors to ensure a successful project.

Q: I see your office is located in Toronto. How far do you travel?
A: About 90% of our work is in Ontario, however we travel, as required, out of province and periodically outside of Canada.

Q: I’m losing confidence in my contractor. He gave me a price to make my home accessible, but now that the job has started, his price keeps going up. What should I do?
A: Sometimes “extras” are legitimate and sometimes they’re not. You can’t always foresee what may be hidden inside your walls, such as bad wiring, but hopefully you will have included a reasonable contingency in your budget. However, you need to be wary of ‘extras’ by a contractor attempting to take advantage of you. You have the right to stop the job if the contractor is not fulfilling their responsibilities.

The Adapt-Able Design Group’s Project Management services analyze bids before awarding the job to ensure that they are reasonable. Throughout construction, we oversee the work and administer payments to the contractor on your behalf only after we are satisfied that they are fulfilling their obligations. When extras are identified, we determine the most cost-effective solution, obtain pricing, and help you understand your options. The Building Inspector has no obligation to ensure the contractor is following your plans or is treating you fairly, except where it relates to the most basic elements of structure, insulation, electrical wiring, plumbing, heating etc.

Q: I am working with a limited budget. Can the Adapt-Able Design Group still help me?
A: We design according to your budget, so one of the first things we need to know is how much you can comfortably spend. If your plans appear to be too grand for your budget, we’ll be up front and tell you.

You may qualify for government grants or loans, and if you have enough equity in your home, you may be able to secure a reverse mortgage that becomes payable when you sell your home.

Funding Programs:

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Persons with Disabilities (RRAP-D)
Ministry of Community and Social Services, Home and Vehicle Modification Program administered by the Ontario March of Dimes
Canadian Home Income Plan (CHIP) for homeowners 60 and over

Local service clubs may also be a source of assistance and can be found in the Yellow Pages under “Service Clubs.”

Q: Can you make apartment units and condominium suites accessible?
A: Yes, depending on the size of the suite and the ability to move walls as required, and the willingness of the Property Manager or Condominium Board to allow the changes.

Q: Can you work with a new home subdivision builder?
A: Absolutely and we do this frequently. The key is to involve us in helping you choose a model and negotiating changes to the design before you sign a contract.

Q: Do you have Occupational Therapists on staff?
A: We work with hundreds of Occupational Therapists. We prefer, whenever possible, to work with your treating therapist(s) who understand your unique needs. If you do not have a therapist, we can recommend one who can provide service in your area and who is experienced in understanding your specific abilities and limitations.

Q: Is the Adapt-Able Design Group a construction company?
A: No. We believe there is a conflict of interest between making recommendations to resolve your needs and being the contractor who benefits from an increased scope of work required to accommodate your needs.

We are a design firm specializing in barrier-free housing solutions for people with unique needs and we offer Project Management services to oversee construction. As designers, we base our recommendations on meeting your needs and we choose products (when applicable) to suit you. We are not a vendor of any product lines. That said, we can normally assist you by offering “preferred pricing” on products.

As Project Managers we do our own internal budget pricing, tender to local contractors, analyze bids, check insurance and WSIB coverage, award contracts, complete regular site visits, oversee construction, problem solve whenever extra work is required or your contractor has on-site questions, and pay your contractor only when we are satisfied that they have fulfilled their obligations. Our approach allows us to manage construction projects anywhere and to understand multiple markets and local costs. In essence, we are here to protect you.

Q: What do I need to know about Ontario Auto Insurance?
A: Most people injured in a motor vehicle accident in Ontario are protected by no-fault insurance benefits through their auto insurer. One of the benefits available allows for home modifications to accommodate your disability-related needs. The benefit is based on what it would cost to modify the home in which you lived at the time of the accident including houses, apartments, condominiums and seasonal properties. If it is not practical to modify your ‘pre-accident’ home, this benefit can be redirected to a different housing solution.

The Adapt-Able Design Group can complete an assessment of your home to determine what home modifications are required to accommodate your needs. This Home Accessibility Report is required even if you know your home cannot be modified ‘in the real world.’ The report is necessary in order to quantify the amount of the housing benefit that should be made available to you for a different housing solution.

We do not bias our reports, and rely on objective medical information to make our recommendations and draw our conclusions. This means we have a high degree of credibility and is the key reason why we are often called to testify as expert witnesses in arbitration and court hearings.

Q: I am sure that my home can’t be modified, so instead of wasting time with an assessment, why shouldn’t I just move and have you assess my next home?
A: The amount of the housing benefit that can be made available to you in a future home is based on what it would have cost to modify the home in which you lived at the time of the accident. If you cannot quantify the cost of home modifications, you may have difficulty accessing these funds for a future home.

Q: I’ve already moved from my pre-accident home and did not have an assessment completed. How can you help?
A: The Adapt-Able Design Group is sometimes retained after a client has moved from the pre-accident location. Our assessment team will attempt to gain access into the pre-accident home in order to provide the information required for the Home Accessibility Report. The Adapt-Able Design Group will also review the present residence to determine whether an individual’s needs are being fully met at the new location.

Q: Can the Adapt-Able Design Group help me find a home better-suited to my needs?
A: Yes. We can complete an independent search or work with you and your real estate agent to help you short-list possible homes. Then, once you have negotiated a conditional offer to purchase, we will inspect and analyze the property, including a quick design to show you what changes are possible and give you a budget range for the required work.

Q: How do you know what accessibility features are necessary for me?
A: We review medical reports, speak with an individual’s medical and rehabilitation team, and obtain information through our questionnaire, the Functional Assessment Referral Form, to ensure that there is firm medical support for our recommendations. The accessibility recommendations are tailored to an individual’s abilities and unique living situation.

Q: I have a good idea what I need in a home so do I still need Adapt-Able Design Group to be involved?
A: With over 25 years of experience, our design team is trained to identify safe and appropriate accessibility features and to make the appropriate recommendations. Consideration is also given to Ontario Building Code Standards and local building by-laws. The Adapt-Able Design Group’s goal is to accommodate an individual in accordance with safety, accessibility and independence, as well as considering client-specific needs and tastes.

Q: I don’t use a wheelchair, but I have other physical and/or neurological issues. Do I still need an assessment?
A: Home modification costs following an accident are a substantial portion of an individual’s claim, and are not limited to those only using wheelchairs. If your disability results in you having difficulties in the home, then an assessment should be completed. We can assess your home to address reduced memory, distractibility, concentration skills, sequencing and organization, increased physical/verbal aggression, and sensitivity to sounds, light, and smells. We can also address mobility or endurance limitations, including the ability to bend, squat, stoop, kneel, and climb stairs. We also can assess your home if you have vision or hearing limitations.

Q: I own a cottage property and a Florida condominium. Can these also be assessed and modified?
A: Yes. If your pre-accident lifestyle involved using a vacation and / or winter property, Home Accessibility Reports should be completed. The Adapt-Able Design Group regularly conducts assessments of cottage properties, winter homes, even mobile homes. Our recommendations are site-specific and reflect the needs of the client to ensure a return to their pre-accident lifestyle.

Q: My injury was caused by someone else who I am now suing. Does the Adapt-Able Design Group offer anything related to helping my Tort claim?
A: Yes. When you sue someone, the onus is on you to prove your damages. We offer a variety of services that concisely prove your current and future damages as part of your claim. As always, our reports are unbiased – we tell it like it is. We are always prepared to testify as an objective expert witness.

If you have any further questions, please email info@adaptabledesign.com or call us at 416-781-3335 and we’ll be happy to assist you.