Living with MS
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When hiring a contractor for home
modifications that are going to
help you live more independently,
it is important for the modifications
to work for you. There are many guides to
modification, including the Americans with
Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines
(ADAAG), the Fair Housing Act Accessibility
Guidelines, and the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI). There are also
some very helpful resources on line such as:
the IDEA Center at SUNY Buffalo and
Adaptive Environments. It is important to
expect a knowledgeable contractor to quote
you a fair price and stick to it. Home modification
work takes skill. Often contractors
may overlook modifications that would work
for you.
A contractor may believe that it is sufficient
to build using only the ANSI standards, but
it’s important to note that the ANSI standards
are the minimum standard. You may need
modifications that differ from the minimum
standards suggested under ANSI, ADAAG,
or the Fair Housing Act. Show your contractor
what it is like for you on your worst type
of mobility days. Show your contractor what
mobility aids you use in each part of your
home. If you use a hoyer lift, make sure the
contractor knows that before he/she submits
a proposal to you. As much information you
can give the contractor regarding how you
maneuver around your home, the better.
This information will guide what modification
will be done in your home. There are plenty
of products that say they are approved
under the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) or a contractor may be following ANSI
standards, but that work may not be right for
you. Show your contractor how far you can
reach your arms forward, to the side, or up.
Ask for a copy of the plans and materials
that will be used in your project. Any good
contractor will give you this information. Ask
lots of questions, such as, what long-term
care will I need to put into the material?
What does the material look like? Does this
material become slippery when it is wet?
Does this material hold up in extreme hot or
cold weather conditions?
Make
sure you understand
what the
contractor is going
to do to your
home before the
work begins.
Contractors, like
other professionals,
are often
busy. It is a good
idea for you to
write out a contract to use with your contractor.
State in the contract the work that is to
be completed, the time frame the work will
be completed in, and the payment schedule.
Larger contracting businesses may do all of
the work, and expect payment at the end.
Some contractors will expect payment
before the work begins.
A suggested payment schedule is 50% of
the total cost before the work begins, 40%
upon completion, and 10% after you fully
inspect the work. Your inspection process
can range from having someone else come
and look at the work, to you spending a couple
of days in the home after the modifications
are completed. This will give you a
chance to notice any mistakes that have
been made, and the leverage of holding a
final payment so the contractor will have to
come back and complete the job before
he/she is paid.
Remember, all the work done in your home
is up to you. You control what is to be used
and in what way. Do not expect the contractor
to understand your disability, or how that
affects your home access modification
needs. If you are not sure what home
access modifications would work for you,
check with your local Independent Living
Center. Your local Independent Living Center
may offer home access modification assessments
free of charge. Another resource may
include your physical or occupational therapist.
Home access modifications vary from individual
to individual. Each person’s disability
and living arrangement may call for different
types of modifications to happen.
Remember to ask lots of questions and do
your research before making access modification
changes in your home.
Some helpful resources on home modifications
include:
Federal Access Board & the Americans with
Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines
(ADAAG)
Adaptive Environments
AARP
Center for Inclusive Design and
Environmental Access
Article written by:
Sarah D. Wendell
Home and Community Access Program
Manager, Vermont Center for Independent Living
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