Independence Now partners with a variety of home modification contractors to support our consumers’ goals for independence. In our newest blog series, we’re pleased to highlight these companies and the services they’re able to provide for our community.
HandyPro of Washington DC Metro is a company we frequently work with to complete standard and custom home modification projects for consumers so they can remain independent in their own homes. Ali Soltani, Project Manager of HandyPro of Washington DC Metro, and Melissa Bressler, an Outreach Manager/Occupational Therapist at HandyPro, recently spoke with Independence Now about the wide variety of services they provide.
What kind of work does HandyPro do?
HandyPro is a general contractor, but we specialize in doing home modifications for people with disabilities and older people. When you work with us, you don’t need to hire anyone else because we can complete a project from A to Z. We can do everything from concrete, framing, electrical, plumbing, and more. Most of our specialists are employed in-house but we also have an extensive list of vetted contractors that we work with. Whether in-house or contracted, everyone we work with must go through a thorough background check to optimize the safety and security of our clients. We also have licensed Occupational Therapists (OT) in-house who work with our designers to ensure the unique needs of our clients are fully met.
In addition, our team has a Certified Environmental Access Consultant (CEAC). who has gone through formalized training to learn how to modify homes for people with disabilities and older people along recognized guidelines.
How does HandyPro partner with organizations like Independence Now to provide home modifications for consumers?
We work with a lot of organizations like Independence Now in a variety of ways. We work closely with both the organization and the client to help obtain available funding through the Medicaid waiver program. Sometimes, an organization will reach out to us as an agent of a consumer and provide reports to let us know their recommendations. Sometimes, we coordinate between an organization and consumer and then we provide the recommendations, a proposal, and pricing. Oftentimes we’ll provide several options to fit within a consumer’s budget or space layout. Once everything is approved by all parties, we’ll start the job and, once complete, we send the organization photos. We don’t consider the project complete until everyone is satisfied with the completed work.
What are some of the projects you’ve done for Independence Now?
We’ve done a lot of bathroom remodeling, stairlifts, and ramps. Those are the major things that most people need but we’ve also done more extensive work like custom kitchens. When we do a job like that, we actually make custom cabinets right on the site. When applicable, we try to work with the consumer and others who live with them on the design so it suits the entire household. For example, there may need to be different counter heights or cabinet access so our designers take that into consideration when planning the layout. We can also work with clients to develop an aesthetic design that fits within their budget so the space is as beautiful as it is functional.
What are some of the less common or very custom projects you do?
One of our favorite projects is ceiling lifts. A ceiling lift is a lifting device mounted on a rail system that can lift and transfer individuals to different areas of their home. It doesn’t take up as much floor space, compared to your traditional floor lift, and usually can be operated by one caregiver or even the individual using the lift, which really maximizes their independence. It also benefits caregivers and family members, decreasing the risk of injury to all, with the lift doing the majority of the lifting.
We also do custom stairlifts for homes with unusual stair designs. We bring in a special 3D camera connected to a computer that can create a digital model of the staircase within one-eighth of an inch.
Those are examples of some big projects, but we also do projects as small as automatic door openers. Even something as simple as installing safety hand railings to ensure individuals have the extra support they need. Our mission is to provide modifications so people can access all areas of their home to maintain their independence. We’re not just looking for large projects. If people need just one grab bar we’ll happily install it!
Anything else you’d like to add?
As we said, there’s no project too big or small. We can customize to meet your needs, we can meet your budget, and we stand by our work. We’re proud to be 5-star reviewed on Google. We work with the VA, Workman’s Comp, the Medicaid Waiver program, local funding programs, and we have financing available. We also have rental programs for ramps and straight stairlifts.
If you’re considering a project, we offer no-cost consultations and we also do educational webinars and programs to help you determine what works best for you. We provide a one-year labor warranty on top of the manufacturer warranty on every project we do. We guarantee a one-hour window arrival time because no one likes waiting around all day for a contractor! Our craftsmen/women are licensed, insured, and bonded. We typically run monthly promotions, please feel free to ask us about it!
Most of our projects are residential, but we do commercial work, as well. We do work throughout the DMV area and we have an eastern shore location.
If you’d like to learn more about HandyPro of Washington DC Metro and their services, visit www.handyprowdc.com or call (301) 960-9830. Check out the below photos of a recent porch lift HandyPro installed for one of our consumers!