“Style and accessibility are the hallmarks of the Homes for Life award-winning projects,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Paul Sullivan, CAPS, CGR, CGP, a remodeler from Waterville Valley, N.H. “These innovative designs use tailored solutions to transform each house into a home for a lifetime.”
Consulting Manager at Universal Designers & Consultants, Inc. (UD&C)
ADA/FHA Accessibility Specialist Lee Swinscoe began working with UD&C in 2004 and became a fulltime team member in 2006. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture Degree from the University of Maryland. He received his certification in the Certified Access Specialist program (CASp) in 2010 and became a founding member of the Certified Access Specialist Institute (CASI) in the same year.
During his tenure with the company, Swinscoe has worked on a variety of projects, including those in the lodging, retail, food and housing arenas. As consulting manager, Swinscoe is responsible for discussing projects with clients, providing client proposals, coordinating survey schedules, logistics and training new employees. He is also responsible for conducting property surveys, reviewing plans and drafting/editing reports. Swinscoe also assists in the development of instructional material and training sessions for various projects and clients. See more at the UD&C’s Website.
Related links
To make a split-level home functional for a family member returning from a nursing home, Larry Taff, CAPS, of TZ of Madison, Inc. in Madison, Wis., added a single-level screened porch and deck with an open floor plan for a view of the yard.
Are you a CAPS designee – or Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist – looking for a new way to promote this specialized remodeling niche that’s becoming more popular among your boomer customers? NAHB has a new tool for you: the consumer PowerPoint presentation “Make Your House a Home for a Lifetime.” It’s perfect for presentations at home shows, education sessions and more.
The National Association of Home Builders Remodelers group recently announced 2 winners of its annual Homes for Life awards, which recognize great design for aging in place and Universal Design. The awards were presented on Oct. 17 at the NAHB Remodelers’ annual gala during the 2013 Remodeling Show in Chicago.
Remodeling Magazine ran a short article about Dan Bawden of Legal Eagle Contracting, and how he approaches working with clients wishing to age-in-place. Bawden helped write the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) course description 10 years ago for the National Association of Home Builders. Now, about 75% of his firm’s work involves some aspect of aging-in-place. Bawden’s firm uses a checklist to conduct home audits for new clients to identify the areas of their home that aren’t working for them.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.