3 Things to Consider When Selecting a Contractor for Your Wood Handicap Ramp

We have to admit that there are just some things that we may not build by ourselves. In efforts of trying to save money and also to have a sense of fulfillment, people always look towards DIY instructions to their projects done. It works for some people, and for some it doesn’t. In the case of Wood Handicap Ramps, although that you can definitely build them on your own, this article is intended for those who doesn't want to, or cannot build the project by themselves. This article features 3 major things to consider when selecting a contractor for your Wood Handicap Ramps.

1. License and Compliance – The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) imposes strict guidelines for design of handicap ramps to ensure the safety of any wheelchair operator who will use it. It is imperative that you check if they have the proper licenses to construct such project. It's also a good idea to do your homework and check back on how they fair in terms of compliance with safety standards in building handicap ramps by checking on they previous projects. Having a quick chat with their previous clients as a referral or testimony would be good if you are up for it.

2. Ask for a Mock up/Scale Model – Describe in detail how you want your ramp be designed. It is important that you and your contractor see eye to eye on how the project is going to be constructed. From materials to safety features, everything should be discussed as detailed as possible. Providing pictures of the location, on site visits and sample plans will help your contractor come up with a design that will both meet what you need and as well as the safety guidelines for the ramp. Once the design is finished, ask for a scale model or mock-up so that you would know how your ramp would look like in the contractors' perspective.

3. Budget – After everything is discussed and the design is laid down for you to see, the next thing that you have to consider is how much they would charge for the project. Talking to several contractors would be ideal so that you would have more options. All you need to do is choose the contractor who can provide balance in quality and cost. If you have a good budget for the project, might as well spend it on other things that can improve the project as a whole. You can allocate what you can save and have additional safety and maintenance features for the ramp, like installing heat plates to melt the ice on the ramp in winter. Your projected cost will also determine how much you would be paying for the permit. On the other hand, if your budget is lower than what they charge, be honest with them so that they can adjust the costing and still meet safety guidelines. Never compromise the security and safety for lower cost, it would defeat the purpose.

Getting a good contractor for your wood ramp is crucial for the success of the project. With the contractor meeting all 3 mentioned would also give you a feeling of assurance that your project is in good hands.

Building Steel Handicap Ramps For Your Home

Steel Handicap Ramps can be a life-saver for those who find their mobility suddenly limited. Just because a person is confined to a wheelchair does not mean that their accessibility to their house or other places needs to be limited. One thing that can make this easier is by constructing a ramp to reach areas that otherwise would be accessed by stairs.

There are many different types of wheel chair ramps available. Some ramps are portable so they can be toted to wherever they're needed, whereas others are more or less permanent fixtures at the structure where they are placed. Ramps can be purchased from many different locations and they can be made from many different types of materials.

The wheel chair ramps can also be used to push heavy carts or any wheeled object. Hence when constructing a ramp for the house, the design must be so chosen that it caters to the multiple needs. The permanent ramps available are more costly and are generally made of wood or steel. The portable wheelchair ramp is the most chosen type of ramp, for its multiple uses.

The slope of the Steel Handicap Ramps must not be too steep; hence taking the measurement of the height of the surface gives the idea of the length of the ramp. If for example, the surface is 10 inches high, then the horizontal length also must be 10 inches long. Take care when drawing the outline of the designed ramp, keep in mind the area available to you. You will have to build a solid post for each 5 feet square area of the ramp length for support structure.

The wheel chair landing must be marked using the batter boards. The side leveling can be done by making use of triangular shaped plywood with the dimensions of 3-4-5. Dig out the surface on soil that is not slippery and measure and mark the position of the posts for the support.

When digging the holes for the poles, one must make sure it is dug 6 inches below the frost line. The fiber tube forms must be cut taking care that they are 6 inches shorter than the holes dug. Nail the wooden board with the fiber forms and place it 8 inches inside the holes. Then proceed to place the posts in the holes. If necessary the levels can be made use in plumbing of the poles.

The forms must be filled with concrete and leveled properly. After the concrete dries away, remove the forms. The landscape fiber can be graveled on the top. The crossbeams also must be added for safety purposes.

If you cannot afford the portable wheel chair ramps for your home or your office, then it is best to build a wheelchair ramp for the house. It is not a herculean task or an impossible one to build the ramp.

The ADA guidelines will give the idea of the structure and the required length of logs. The materials that are needed for building the same are wooden pads, plywood, landscape fiber, hole digger, mixed concrete, nuts, bolts and the likes. So basically you can build the steel handicap ramps for the wheelchair yourself.