well, my wife has all but vetoed texas as being too
far from family. amazing how much grand chrildren can
change things. i wonder if florida certifes ada
consultants. anyone know?

--- c p <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Ken:
>
> I actually found him several times, several ways.
> When I moved into my present home (about '97 or so)I
> asked around & was given the name of a contractor
> who
> claimed to do accessibility work: Rick Lair dba
> Challenge Specialties.  We met him, were impressed
> but
> just decided to  hold off on getting the work done.
>
> Then after I retired I started participating in the
> Mayor's Committee on PWD.  He was a participant, &
> we
> renewed acquaintanceship.  By then he had gotten out
> of the contracting business.  He was a
> state-registered accessibility inspector, inspecting
> &
> approving (or frequently disapproving) physical
> accessibility features required under the Texas
> version of the ADA.
>
> {What was your original question......?}
>
> We interacted occasionally, mostly me using him as
> my
> resource, checking to be sure I was right before
> I'd
> goad the city on an inadequate curb cut or
> something.
> I knew he sold ramps, etc.  (Yes, his website is
> http://www.rampman.com)   When the City told me I
> was
> going to sell this house to them, I determined that
> under Federal law they had to assure that my
> replacement home was accessible to me.  They agreed
> to
> my hiring him as a consultant, to evaluate the new
> house & write a report on what would be needed.
> Best
> money I could have spent, & I'd have paid for it
> myself if they'd refused!  Rick not only saw what I
> needed now, as a crutch & part-time wheelchair user,
> but what I  would probably need as I got even older.
> The City accepted his report & agreed to 99% of his
> recommendations.
>
> I'm hiring him to do several inspections during the
> course of the modifications, even tho I'm impressed
> with the contractor - hiring a knowledgeable
> inspector
> is cheap insurance.
>       http://www.rampman.com/
> BOB
>
>
> --------------------------------------
> On Fri, 9 July 2004 Ken Barber replied:
> Bob,
>
> How did you find your consultant, and does he have a
> web site?
>
> Kendall
>
> An unreasonable man (but my wife says that that's
> redundant!)
>
> The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the
> unreasonable one
> persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
> Therefore, all
> progress depends on the unreasonable man.
> -George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c p [mailto:[log in to unmask]]=20
> Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2004 7:24 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [C-PALSY] Automatic Door Openers
>
> Ken:
>
> The contractor is working on modifications now, & we
> hope to start moving next month.
>
> (To recap, because of an ecological
> restoration/flood
> control project, we were forced to sell our home to
> the   City.  The good side is that, by Federal law,
> they are required to replace it with a house
> accessible to the owner.  I hired an ADA consultant
> who, fortunately for me, was far-seeing; he wrote an
> evaluation to not only cover me as a crutch user but
> as a future wheelchairer.  We found a 15-year-old
> house that the consultant thought would work.  I
> presented the house, the report, & contractor bids
> to
> the City & they agreed.)
>
> The door opener  (& closer - very important!)is an
> "Open Sesame" system IV, runs about $1650 +
> installation, with a wireless remote.  Combined with
> an X-10 (SmartHome) "DOORBELL FON DOOR ANSWERING
> SYSTEM" ($155-225 + inst. - & I'm paying for that
> toy)
> should enable me to answer the doorbell on my phone,
> talk to the visitor, & open the door to let them in
> -
> all from  my study or anywhere else in the house.
> Add a wireless camera with the receiver plugged in
> to
> the AUX port of my TV, &  I  can look the visitor
> over
> also.
>
> OK, so that's my toy.  But modifications will
> include
> a roll-in shower, wall-hanger ('handicap') sink,
> reinforced hooks in the bedroom ceiling (hey, I can
> imagine....), ramped sidewalk & patio,  wheelchair
> thresholds on exterior doors, of course wider
> interior
> doors, kitchen faucet controls beside the sink, & a
> bunch of  little things like light switch extenders
> (too costly to lower switches, repaint, etc.),
> remote
> control thermostat, & a wireless transmitter in the
> curbside mailbox to signal me when the door is
> opened.
>
> My advice: plan ahead, read articles, save catalogs
> &
> clippings, & plan some more.   Even tho  I've been
> thinking about this for a year, I still see things
> I
> missed.
>
> And when you take bids, make contractors either
> specify the model # they're going to use (e.g. Crane
> #nnnn toilet) or the dollar allowance (e.g. $2  @
> for
> bathroom tile).
>
> I'm no expert, but  I'm learning from experience
> -and
> lucky to have a sharp consultant & an innovative
> contractor, so ask if you have questions.
> BOB
>
>
>
> _______________________________________
> On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 Ken Barber replied:
>
> I AM READING THIS THREAD  closely, i had not thought
> of this. in retirement(when we leave atlanta) judy
> and
> i will need to build or modify to be assessable.
> there are probably other things that i need to know
> to
> put them in, before the need becomes painfully
> obvious
> as i grow older.
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
>




__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail