Accessible house - Looking for referrals fpr real estate agents and renovaters

[Anonymous]

We are starting the process of trying to find a rambler that we could renovate to make accessible for our elementary school aged daughter who has severe physical disabilities. It needs to be able to accommodate a power chair. We want our child to be as independent as possible. Ideally, we want to stay in the Bethesda Chevy Chase area. Has anyone worked with a real estate agent or a firm that they worked with on renovations that they could recommend as we start the process? We want all the bedrooms to be on the main floor as well as the kitchen/dining room. Appreciate any advice. Really looking for a mentor/someone to speak to who could share advice with us b/c how they did it or a resource they used b/c it seems daunting but our current house can't really be renovated and we need to giv eher more independence.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who renovated a split level and installed an elevator where a closet was. I don't know who they used. Three bedrooms, kitchen, and at least on bathroom were on the first level. The downstairs was the family room and access to the backyard.

In the event of a power outage the elevator would not work in the event of a power outage without a backup generator obviously. But the key rooms were accessible in any case. They did not make the house bigger (built in 1950s), just respectful of load bearing walls and re-arranging interior walls.

[Anonymous]

We worked with Brian McCarthy from Bennett Frank McCarthy in Silver Spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We worked with Brian McCarthy from Bennett Frank McCarthy in Silver Spring.

What type of renovations did you do?

[Anonymous]

On the MCNeeds list I have seen advertisements for accessible houses in the past--not many--but a few over the years I've been on it. I would ask for help on that list as I think you will get good info. It's on Yahoo groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We worked with Brian McCarthy from Bennett Frank McCarthy in Silver Spring.

What type of renovations did you do?

Added on fully accessible bath, bedroom, ramped entrance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We worked with Brian McCarthy from Bennett Frank McCarthy in Silver Spring.

What type of renovations did you do?

Added on fully accessible bath, bedroom, ramped entrance.

Our DD also uses a power chair, btw.