Puddicombe Access Solutions Inc. offers complete Home Accessibility Assessment & Design services. We specialize in claim-based home modification such as Catastrophic Loss Automobile Insurance Claims, Long Term Disability, Personal Injury Claims as well as Military Benefits. In addition to Provincial and National Building Codes, we have an in-depth understanding of the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS), Tort Guidelines and the Canadian Military Benefits allowing us to assist our clients in navigating through a home modification claim.
Residential Wheelchair Accessibility
About Us
Our services include:
- Accessibility Consulting
- Accessible Design Services
- Project Management
- Home Assessment and Evaluation
- Elevator / Wheelchair Lifting Device Consultation
- Project Tendering Services / Contractor Vetting & Selection
- Expert Report and Testimony Services
We provide full design, consultation and project management services for accessible home construction or renovation. We work with the client and their rehabilitation team from start to finish to ensure that both their immediate and long-term needs are met. We provide custom tailored solutions based on the client’s needs and their style preferences to ensure that their home continues to look like “their home” and not like an institution.
Puddicombe Access Solutions Inc. is owned and operated by Scott Puddicombe, an Accessibility Consultant with over 30 years’ experience. Scott started out as a licensed carpenter completing standard additions and renovations but after being hired to complete a bathroom renovation for a child with special needs, he found accessible home modification far more rewarding and never looked back. He formed Puddicombe Access Solutions Inc. and went on to get his elevator mechanic’s license allowing him to supply and install elevating devices for his clients. He became proficient in AutoCad, designing the accessible renovations, additions, and new homes he completed. Over time he forged relationships with contractors that shared his passion for accessible construction so that he could focus on design, consultation, and project management. Scott understands accessible home modification from all aspects and has dedicated his career to helping people with disabilities live safely and independently while maintaining the beauty of their home. His qualifications include:
- Ontario Trades Qualification Act
Carpenter License # 403A-320314 - Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Ontario Elevating Device Mechanic – Class E 00001903 - Richardson Access Elevators Inc.
Certified Wheelchair Lift Technician - Qualified by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to provide Expert Reports and testify as an Expert Witness regarding home adaptation and modification for the purpose of accessibility
Bathtub Adaptations to Accommodate Mechanical Lifts
Occupational Therapy Now, March/April 1999
Barrier Free Design Project
Ottawa-Carleton Home Builder’s Association 2002 Design Awards
Invited Panelist and Guest Speaker
“Population Health Initiative on Falls: Making the Connections to Tackle Stairs and Grab Bars.”
Community Health Research Unit, University of Ottawa. 2003
Mayoral Certificate of Merit
Accessibility by Design Awards – for Innovation in Residential Accessible Design
City of Ottawa, 2004
Guest Lecturer
Algonquin College School of Design – “Accessibility in Design”
2005, 2006, 2013, 2014
Maximizing Accident Benefits for Home Modification
The Litigator, Journal of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, 2007
Puddicombe Access Solutions was contacted by “Holmes on Homes” to provide accessible design solutions for the episode entitled “House to Home” and Scott Puddicombe appeared in this episode.
Puddicombe Access Solutions also provided the accessible design for an episode of “Save Us From Our House” entitled “Room To Grow” assisting a family with the housing needs of their daughter, who has a rare genetic disorder requiring an extremely specific home environment.
Consultation & Design
Whether the individual uses a wheelchair, walker, cane, or simply struggles with changes in elevation, we custom design solutions to meet their current and future needs. Our primary goal is to create safe and independent access throughout the home and property that complements the existing design and décor and maintains a residential look and feel. Whenever possible we employ design to meet a client’s needs, minimizing the need for dependence on mechanical devices.
There are many considerations that fall outside of the scope of the provincial building code that will not be addressed by the permit office or building inspector such as elevators, medical devices, and environmental control systems that need to be custom tailored to a client’s specific level of ability. Simply following the building code standards for accessibility will not always meet an individual’s needs. Puddicombe Access Solutions Inc. works directly with their client and their client’s rehabilitation team to ensure that the design meets all of their needs while putting as much emphasis on style and beauty as on function and performance.
Our award-winning designs create universally accessible home environments that allow individuals to regain their independence. Experience, knowledge and attention to detail are the key to our success.
When contemplating home accessibility, the outdoors areas of the home must also be considered. Puddicombe Access Solutions was a pioneer in the field of Accessible Landscapes, employing landscaping techniques to overcome changes in elevation that beautify the home and increase its value in place of cumbersome and unsightly wooden and metal ramps. We also design accessible outdoor areas that expand the usable area of the home and provide recreational space that all can enjoy.
We also design new homes providing universally accessible living environments that are designed to meet our client’s exact needs without the compromises required when dealing with an existing home. We have stock plans of fully accessible homes that require little or no changes to meet the needs of an individual with mobility needs or we can start from scratch to design a home as unique as its owner.
There are many types of elevating devices including elevators, vertical platform lifts, inclined platform lifts, stairchairs and each type has its own benefits and drawbacks. We have the experience and knowledge to provide impartial recommendations based on the client’s needs, abilities, and circumstance.
Construction Management
Accessible construction projects differ greatly from standard construction projects and require increased knowledge, attention to detail and quality of work. Although quality workmanship is imperative, a sense of compassion regarding a client’s needs is also essential when modifying a home for accessibility. We work with proven contractors who have been vetted to ensure that they have extensive experience in accessible construction as well as an understanding of the challenges our clients face.
Accessible construction also comes with additional decisions that must be made such as suitable finishes, types of lifting devices, accommodation of medical devices, cabinetry design, location of electrical outlets as well as other items that fall outside of standard home modification. Making these decisions can be stressful, as they play a critical role in a person’s safety and independence. With over 25 years’ experience in accessible design & construction, we provide our clients with the information required to make an informed decision of what will best suit their personal needs.
Insurance, Military & Legal Claims
Puddicombe Access Solutions works extensively with Automobile Insurers, Legal Representatives, and the Canadian Military providing Assessment, Design, Consultation and Project Management Services for home modification and accessible housing. Our extensive experience in these industries allows us to expedite claims and ensure that all aspects of the process are properly executed.
We also provide consultation regarding the suitability of an individual’s home for accessible modification. Although almost any home can be modified for accessibility, it may not be the most cost-effective route forward. Almost all insurance, legal and military benefits provide for an alternate housing option. We work with our clients to determine the value of their home, both monetarily and emotionally, and help them to determine whether a new or different home may better suit their needs. In such cases, we guide our clients through the process of selling their existing home and purchasing or constructing a new home.
We work extensively with automobile insurers and have an in-depth understanding of the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) and the implementation of home modifications within it. We are a registered HCAI service provider and work with all insurers. We provide Project Management services for home modification claims including:
- Home Assessment
- Accessible Design
- Client Consultation
- Contractor Vetting & Selection
- Permit acquisition
- Inspections
- Review of any and all change orders
- Scheduling of payments
- Documentation of work progress
- Project completion reports
Puddicombe Access Solutions has been qualified by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to provide Expert Reports and give Expert Testimony regarding home adaptation and modification for accessibility. We have over 25 years of experience in assisting claimants with the assessment of their home as well as the associated costs and the execution of the required modifications within the Judicial System.
Puddicombe Access Solutions also works closely with the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Unit to support its members. We have assisted in the development of their home modification policy and are well-versed with the unique process that the military employs when assisting their members through the home adaptation process. We work from design inception through to project completion providing the members with the necessary support they require to ensure their home meets their needs.
Puddicombe Access Solutions Inc.
46 Marlborough Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 8E7