Begin 2020 with this valuable ADA checklist for your business or facility.

As a long time COO of a commercial real estate/property management firm and a 10+ year client of ADA-PROS, I was excited when Chris Taylor, CEO, asked me to write not only about my experience working with Chris and his team over the last 10 years but also the value of one of their most downloaded tools:  The Top Ten Inspection Checklist — for Multi-Family, Office/Industrial and Retail — a very valuable tool to help you inspect your own property for ADA compliance.

Experts abound, but “practical experts” are rare.

Regardless of your industry, you no doubt rely on a bevy of consultants, engineers, legal and other experts to help you deal with the opportunities and challenges that business presents daily. In the field of ADA compliance, I’ve worked with several consultants, but what has kept me coming back to ADA-PROS for more than a decade has been the practical approach they take to their CASp Reports, inspections and the knowledge they have for what the Americans With Disabilities Act really says.In short, they live in the real world.  They understand ADA requirements, but they also understand what’s possible/feasible/permissible, and more importantly, what makes common sense.

One stop shop:  from Inspection and Design Services to questions — lots of them.

Having a CASp Report on your facility or property is a good first step.  Your CASp Report gives you a practical, understandable roadmap of what you need to do to become compliant.  Having a CASp Report WITH a set of civil drawings to support the alterations is even better.  Here’s a pro-tip … on my first round of CASp Reports many years ago, I didn’t make the investment in the civil drawings.  In short, it’s something I regret.  When the CASp Reports were refreshed due to the CBC (California Building Code) update in 2016, I made the investment in the civil drawings, and now it’s paid off ever since.  Now I can send the civil drawings to a contractor for easier bidding, permitting, etc., and having them helps out for the post-construction inspection to ensure everything was done to spec.Chris and his team work hand-in-glove in the Inspection and Design Department.  When I’m trying to understand what changes they are recommending, having both the CASp Report and the civil drawings makes answering my questions, and the ensuing discussions, much more productive.

ADA-PROS:  We’ve Got Your Six.

Chris and team introduced a concept this year that really describes their service to people like me … and possibly you:  We’ve Got Your Six.  You may or may not be familiar with the term, but it’s a military phrase that means, “I’ve  got your back.”  I think it aptly describes my experience as a long time client.  Through numerous projects, consultations, CASp Reports, job walks, and times when I needed ADA-PROS to respond in a 911 fashion, I can say they’ve had my six!  I’m confident they will have yours too!

ADA compliance is something you can do.

While there’s no substitute for the knowledge and experience of ADA-PROS, if you or a team member has responsibility to inspect your property, there are things you can do to identify barriers to access, make your location more accessible and reduce the chance of a lawsuit.And that’s where the famous Top Ten Checklist for multi-family, office/industrial and retail comes into play.  Armed with the checklist for your property type, a tape-measure, a notepad and your phone’s camera, inspect your property to ensure you’re doing your very best to reduce barriers to access.  It’s been a handy checklist for my team, and I’m sure you’ll find it just as handy and valuable.  If you have questions, you can always reach out to Chris and his team. Download The Checklists

Who’s got your Six?

ADA compliance isn’t going away – ever – in my humble opinion.  It’s only going to become more complicated, complex and, unfortunately, litigious. If you’re an existing ADA-PROS client, you know the value of having them in your corner.  If you haven’t allowed ADA-PROS to “have your six”, I encourage you to give them an opportunity.  You can reach them at www.ada-pros.com.