Frequently Asked Questions

No. RAD Renovations is a free, voluntary service whose main focus is assisting in the navigation of the funding and renovation process for individuals with limited mobility who are in need of an accessibility modification in their home. RAD Renovations would not be possible without the generous support from United Way of Calgary & Area.

Applications are processed based on a first come, first served basis. The initial pre-screening of your application will determine whether you are eligible for funding or have funding available to you. If you are eligible for funding, a RAD Renovations team member will contact you to book a free home assessment

In order to greatly move the process along as quickly as possible to determine whether you are eligible for funding, please have your most recent City of Calgary Property Assessment (your Property Tax Bill will not accepted) in addition to your Notice of Assessment from Canada Revenue Agency from the previous year (for both yourself and your spouse if applicable). If you are unable to locate these documents, please contact the numbers and websites below in order to have a copy of your documents sent to you prior to applying to the RAD Renovations Program.

Notice of Assessment Canada Revenue Agency
1-800-959-8281
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/cra-login-services.html

Property Assessment City of Calgary
403-268-2888, Press 9

The length of the process differs with each individual project. Once a Home Assessment has been conducted by the RAD Renovations team and the project is deemed feasible, the required quotes, drawings, client documents, forms etc. are then gathered and the funding application(s) are submitted to each funding source within 4 weeks. The timeframe of each funding source to review and approve an application all differ. Once approved, the awarded contractor will schedule your project and construction can begin. Construction times will vary depending on each individual project and can be weather dependent as well.

Yes. If you are applying for funding for your home accessibility renovation through RAMP (Government of Alberta) and/or a disability specific organization, you are required to have either a current Occupational Therapist (OT) or Physiotherapist (PT) who has been to your home in order to conduct an assessment. Depending on the funding source requirements, your OT or PT will be required to either fill out a form on your behalf with their accessibility modification recommendation and/or provide a letter of support in order for you to apply for funding. If you do not have a current Occupational Therapist (OT) or Physiotherapist (OT) who has been to your home to conduct an assessment, please speak to your Home Care Aid (Alberta Health Services) or family doctor for a referral prior to applying to RAD Renovations for assistance with funding applications.

RAD Renovations has a pool of skilled and qualified contractors that we continually assess, review and grow. All of our contractors been screened for qualifications, accessibility code and building code knowledge, high quality of work, insurance, client communications and the ability to pay for a project out of their own pocket until they are reimbursed by a funding source which can take up to a month or more. As we cannot vouch for all of the above with contractors
outside of our chosen pool, we cannot work with contractors we have not previously been screened and approved. Contractors and vendors are also required to follow specific accessibility codes as mandated by the Government of Alberta if applying to RAMP for funding and by working with only our own pool of contractors, RAD Renovations can ensure these codes are met.

If you have a contractor you trust and are comfortable with, we highly encourage you to use your chosen contractor and proceed with applying for funding (such as RAMP – Government of Alberta or other disability specific organizations) on your own. Our program is intended for individuals who cannot navigate the system on their own and require assistance with finding contractors best suited for the job. Information on the appropriate funding application(s) as well as resources such as Accessible University can also be provided upon request to those wishing to use their own contractors and apply for funding on their own.

The RAD Renovations Program does not provide any funding towards home accessibility renovations but instead assists individuals in applying to funding sources they may be eligible for. The main funding source available in Alberta is through RAMP. Other funding sources are also available to provide additional funding support, including but not limited to: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Cerebral Palsy Association, Easter Seals Alberta, Ceridian Cares and Seniors Home Adaptation and Repair Program (SHARP, Government of Alberta). Please note, each funding source has their own eligibility criteria that individuals and projects will be required to meet.

If you are paying for your accessibility modification out of your own pocket and managing the renovation yourself or applying for funding completely on your own and would like to be matched with a contractor referral from our pool of contractors, please contact us at rad@accessiblehousing.ca or 403-735-2434

If you do not qualify for funding and you are paying for your home accessibility renovation out of pocket, RAD Renovations can assist by conducting a home assessment for the feasibility of a renovation and provide you with contractors and quotes. However, please note that RAD Renovations does not provide management of the construction process for those who are funding their home accessibility renovation out of pocket, due to the heavy demand of our program assisting low-income Calgarians with limited mobility who need help navigating the process.

No. We are a non-profit, voluntary service whose main focus is assisting in the navigation of the funding and renovation process for individuals in need who require full assistance. Individuals can apply directly to RAMP and/or other funding sources without utilizing the services of RAD Renovations.

Yes. The number of modifications that can be completed within your home however will depend on how much funding you are eligible for or is available to you.

No. The RAD Renovations is a program offered by Accessible Housing, a nonprofit and charitable organization. RAD Renovations is not affiliated with the Government of Alberta or Alberta Health Services. Although we work alongside RAMP and Alberta Health Services in order to complete funding applications, we are all separate agencies and organizations.

No. RAD Renovations provides construction drawings for funding application purposes and/or permitting requirements only. Our highly effective team specializes in managing knowledge and experience within the residential construction industry in combination with residential accessibility guidelines and RAD Renovations Frequently Asked Questions the successful sourcing of funding required for each modification. Please contact your local architect or engineer to sign off on blueprint drawings.