Property and Adaptations for the Disabled
Adapting the home for independent living or to improve your lifestyle.
Inviting a builder into your home can be daunting especially if disability related adaptations are needed for you or someone you are caring for. In our experience, as disability property lawyers it is best to focus on the benefits and limitations of your home. What will improve life? Focus on your needs rather than how your house will change physically.
You may require legal expertise relevant to the needs to be met. Someone who can make arrangements to:
- Assess the availability of local authority grants
- Check if planning and building regulations fees can be waived by the local authority. This is usually the case if the alterations make life easier for a disabled person
- Review eligibility for government schemes such as schemes designed to subsidise energy efficiency improvements like extra insulation
- Arrange a feasibility report for building works
- Co-ordinate planning and building regulations applications
- Assess tenders for building works
- Review the terms of the building contract in terms of the price, specification of works, time scale for completion and phased payments
- Ensure elements of the work are zero rated for the purposes of VAT
- Secure an insurance bond to cover the cost of the buildings works if the building contractor goes into liquidation before completing the works
- Obtain final certificates and guarantees.
An independent solicitor who has this special knowledge and expertise is a must. Here are a few other matters you may want to consider:
- I need more space to move around
Consider changing the layout of your kitchen or bathroom, create openings or widen doorways, convert a garage into living space or a bedroom, add an extension.
No matter what the builder says, the majority of these works will require building regulations approval.
- I struggle to get in with the shopping
Consider level parking and improved access incorporating flooding preventative measures.
No matter what the builder says, the majority of these works will require building regulations approval.
- My life would be better if I was warmer in winter
Consider cavity wall insulation, a new boiler, new windows.
No matter what the builder says, the majority of these works will require building regulations approval.
- How will I pay for the work?
You may be eligible for a disability facilities grant or a renovation grant even if you are a tenant or you are not the legal owner.
- What should I expect? Expect more.
