Access Consultancy

Further Information

We offer access audits on a range of public and commercial premises. These audits provide an excellent overview of how accessible your business premises are to people with a range of access impairments. The audit will consider the environment, building and landscape, the services and facilities you are offering and policies and procedures if required. The Equalities Act 2010 superseded previous acts and makes it unlawful to discriminate against people because of their disabilities and requires that “reasonable adjustments” are made when providing access to goods, facilities, services and premises.

Having an audit completed and on file will help mitigate the risk of your business becoming exposed to an unlawful discrimination claim, either by a member of the public, employee or potential employee. Making your premises and business more accessible is also likely to increase your business footfall and in my opinion its just such a positive thing to do.  

We can also support with any new schemes you may be undertaking, either for yourself or for clients. Our design appraisals are a detailed assessment of your working drawing or feasibility plans and provide advise and feedback relating to your obligations under the Equalities Act, Part M of the building regulations and take into consideration any local planning policy. We can also support with drawings and design packages, see our Technical Services Section.

In delivering this we look to industry standards to create functional, practical but beautiful spaces. The chartered association of building engineers have published and promoted the principles of inclusive design as it relates to the built environment, the principles are, 

• Inclusive – so everyone can use it safely, easily and with dignity. 
• Responsive – taking account of what people say they need and want. 
• Flexible – so different people can use it in different ways. 
• Convenient – so everyone can use it without too much effort or separation. 
• Accommodating for all people, regardless of their age, gender, mobility, ethnicity or circumstances. 
• Welcoming – with no disabling barriers that might exclude some people. 
• Realistic – offering more than one solution to help balance everyone’s needs and recognising that one solution may not work for all

We also offer adaptations to homeowners, whether you are seeking to adapt part of your home for an elderly or disabled relative, such as a wet room, door widening or adaptive kitchen, or creating an extension or annex for such purposes we can help. Again, we can visit you to determine your brief, we are happy to also meet with occupational therapists and health professionals too to make sure we get the design right for the end user. 

We can then provide drawings and a specification for your approval, submit for planning and building regulation approval as required, find the most competitive contractor and oversee the work on site. 

We are passionate about ensuring that adaptive spaces are also beautiful and compliment your home.