Renovate to Enjoy Your Home Longer & Help You Stay Safe

CMHC (Canada’s Mortgage and Housing Corporation) has set out guidelines for accessibility issues, especially to prevent injuries, such as falls, that happen all too often to seniors. You can access the guidelines here.

Nord Alta follows these guidelines. At the same time we focus on design that clients enjoy, utilizing the highest quality materials your home requires.

Accessible home entry

We ensure that your entrance doorway threshold allows you to leave and return home easily and safely.

Nord Alta Accessibility Renovation Process

  • Your Own Personal Renovation Research & Planning Stage

    With accessibility issues, especially as you age, it’s smart to begin planning in advance. What will you need or have to consider? The earlier you think about it, the better.

  • Meet with Nord Alta for an Accessibility Renovation Project Estimate

    Nord Alta can help you develop optimal accessibility plans. We sit down with you to evaluate your project, and provide cost estimates. We’ve had to do it in our own home.

  • Barrier Free Renovation Planning Process

    We make sure that all accessibility issues are addressed, that all applicable building permits have been applied for, and materials ready for delivery

  • Getting Permits & Ordering Materials for Your Accessibility Renovation

    We work with products and materials that meet or exceed industry standards. In particular walk-in showers, safety bars, slip resistant floor surfaces, chairlifts and ramps.

  • "De-Construction" of Areas of the Home

    This stage involves reworking every area so it is barrier free and you can move around easily. Doors widened, thresholds lowered, walk-in shower, wheelchair friendly

  • Barrier Free Transformation Process – The Construction Process

    We put in furnishings, equipment and safety components that meet CMHC standards and your personal needs. We deal with access to a second floor or basement if required.

  • Final Accessibility Renovation Walkthrough

    You get to walk or “wheelchair” around your home to see how well it meets your needs. We show you what renovations we’ve done, how things work, special features and so on.

  • The Hug

    Our goal is to have you so happy about your accessibility renovation by Nord Alta, you’ll want to give us a hug, either standing, or from your wheelchair.

Barrier Free Renovations By The Numbers

Important Accessibility Renovation Questions

Should I build a main floor addition, or should I add a second story?

The first thing to consider is the residence and the property on which it’s located. If your property is within a city or town, there could be restrictions, such as the square footage of the buildings allowed on the property as a percentage of the land available. With most property in the Edmonton area, a property owner is allowed to build site coverage of 40%, of which 28% is the main residence and the other 12% would be for outbuildings such as a garage. In most situations this percentage is well within what most homes are originally designed for, although with lot setbacks and side yard setbacks, driveways and easements, it takes careful planning to fit the home within the existing lot, especially if the lot is pie shaped or irregular. Other things to take into consideration might be living in a mature neighborhood where you may face demands to conform to existing architecture or the historical flavor of the neighborhood. Once you have determined how much room is available to develop, it makes sense to sit down with your family and discuss your family's needs, wants, and other factors that you will have to consider when planning an addition.

Should I come up with designs before contacting you to start my barrier free renovation?

It's not only important to consider you current needs for accessibility, but it's also important to anticipate your future needs. Nord Alta Construction will discuss each room in your house - kitchens, bedrooms, bathroom, entrances, and more - to make sure your renovation covers all areas of accessibility for your family.

Do you use a written contract?

Yes. A contract should be mutually beneficial to all parties. Therefore, everything is completed in writing so there are no surprises. The benefit of a contract is that all the project details are spelled out, whether it is the scope of the work to be performed, the amount of time in which the contract is to be fulfilled, or the terms of payment. The contract also outlines the duties and responsibilities of each party. At one time, everyone relied on a handshake to seal the contract. Today we still have a handshake, but because there are so many details, it's important to get it in writing. Not all contracts are the same. However, each one should include: Scope of work Timetable of start date and completion Cost When progress payments are to be made Warranties, and mechanisms to arbitrate disagreements. With these details, a customer can be assured that their best interests and those of the contractor are taken into consideration.

Are there elements that should be considered in every barrier free renovation?

When retrofitting a barrier free space there are a number of elements that must be considered:
Access to other areas of the home
If the home is all on one floor then it’s important to clear away obstacles to clear flow. You want wider doorways, no cabinets or counters that stick out, thresholds that allow smooth movement from one room to another, or to the outside. If the home has a second floor and a basement and access is required, do you consider a chairlift? What other options might you have, such as relocating a washer-dryer from the basement to the main floor?
Exterior
Is there easy access to the front door, or to a garden, or a garage? Is there a level walkway available from the home to the sidewalk? Is a ramp required? What about railings? These are some of the issues that should be addressed

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Frequently Asked Questions