Owen Barclay is the owner and founder of Accessable Homes & Property Services Ltd. He is also a member of Langley Pos-Abilities Society!
This kind and caring man is an Aging-in-Place specialist whose company specializes in ensuring that your home suits your mobility needs as your mobility needs change. By using Universal Designs he strives to make your environment usable to the greatest extent possible; to improve upon the original space by tailoring it to your individual needs. Owen talks about how they are in the business of an 1/8th inch. If your home’s doorway is an 1/8th of an inch off it won’t work for you. He takes the time to make sure everything in your home is exactly the way you need it.
He is often initially contacted by an Occupational Therapist who would like to recommend a client, or a concerned family member worried about the safety of their loved one. Even if that person is currently in the hospital, don’t hesitate to reach out to Owen for help.
Owen thinks of the process as a journey. At the beginning of the journey you may only need a handrail but as time goes by that may evolve into an entire bathroom renovation.
The process is relatively simple.
Owen will personally visit to do an assessment of your home. He will work with your Occupational Therapist, doctor, or family members to ensure that your home is exactly what you need now or what you may need in the future. This is the Design Phase.
Next comes the Preparation Phase.
This is when specific products are chosen. While waiting for products to be delivered and technicians to be scheduled Owen is working on the details to keep your home as accessible as possible during construction.
Accessable Homes & Property Services also offers services such as Custom Home Adaptations, Indoor and Outdoor Property Maintenance, or Construction Management. If contractors are needed, he will ensure that they know what is required and he will see that all of the little details are taken care of. He shares about how people can be very tense in the beginning of the process. They may worry about being charged extra or if a project will be left unfinished. Owen loves to see that pivotal moment when people realize that they can trust him, relax and look forward to his visits.
COVID protocols are in place. All technicians are required to wear a face mask when in your home and all clients are asked to wear a mask when technicians are present. Wipe down kits are on hand to ensure sanitization. His company is serious about COVID precautions and your safety is their priority.
What sets Owen apart?
He cares. He will listen and answer any questions you or your family may have. He is also willing to ask the hard questions to determine that the requested renovations are realistic to your situation and that unnecessary work is avoided. He comes with personal past experience in having to make his own home accessible for his son and truly understands how important it is to your health and safety.
When asked what he finds most satisfying about the work that his company does, Own says “Making a difference in people’s lives. Doing the right thing to help them is inspiring.” People call him to say that the changes he has made are life changing.
His hope for the future is that when he is finally ready to retire and move on, that there will be someone ready to continue helping people and serving them. The need for his services will still be there and he hopes that that someone will continue to meet those needs.
If you own your own home and have limited mobility, you may be eligible for a HAFI Grant. This grant helps low-income households be able to adapt their homes to suite their accessibility needs. If you are a landlord or tenant, you may be able to apply for this grant as well. When this grant is reinstituted (hopefully April 1st) and if you receive this grant, this could be an opportunity to hire Accessable Home & Property Services.
You can find details about Owen’s services on his website accessible.ca. A new website is under development with the hopes that it will be educational and informative. Currently, there is a blog on his website for information about accessible living and a list of resources to be checked out. There is an “About” section to learn more about his amazing story.
Owen’s commitment to you is to offer the best designs, advice and reasonable pricing as he possibly can. Through his positive reviews and references, you will see that he has reached this goal time and time again.
Don’t hesitate to give him a call or send him an email today!