Wheelchair ramp questions, from slope to permits

Yes, and which one fits depends on where the house is. In DC, the DHCD HAIP grant lists ramps for homeowners who qualify. Maryland's Accessible Homes for Seniors finances ramps for senior homeowners, Montgomery County's HARP makes accessibility changes free for qualifying households, and USDA's Section 504 grant can pay for a ramp in eligible rural areas. Veterans can ask the VA about HISA, which covers permanent ramps.

We don't rent ramps, and we have no published rental rate to quote you. For a short need we install a modular aluminum ramp that bolts together and comes out again when the need passes. Its price is set after we measure the rise, and the written scope gives it before you decide.

A modular aluminum ramp goes up faster than one built on site, because its sections arrive ready to bolt together. A wood or concrete ramp is framed or poured in place, and a built ramp in DC can need a Department of Buildings permit first, which adds to the calendar. The written scope gives the install days for your entry.

No steeper than 1:12, which means one inch of rise for every 12 inches of ramp. That is the maximum running slope in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design from the US Department of Justice. Someone pushing their own chair, or a helper pushing a heavy one, often does better on a gentler slope, and the measurements show whether the yard has room for it.

At a 1:12 slope, about one foot of ramp for every inch the door sits above the ground, plus a flat landing at the top, the bottom and every turn. A door 24 inches up needs roughly 24 feet of ramp before the landings. That's why a ramp often turns back on itself or runs along the side of the house.

Usually the steps stay, and the ramp runs beside them or wraps around to the same landing so anyone who walks can still use them. Some modular systems can bridge a short flight, but the ramp's length still comes from the full height of the door above the ground. We measure each step and the landing before suggesting either.

In most yards, yes. Aluminum modular sections stand on adjustable legs resting on pads, so they need little or no digging and no poured footings. Soft ground or a steep grade can call for more support, and the measurements show whether yours does.

For a short or uncertain need, aluminum, because it bolts together, won't rot and comes back out. Wood suits a house where the ramp is staying and should match the porch, as long as it gets a non-slip surface and upkeep. Concrete lasts longest and is the hardest to change, so it fits a permanent need where the yard and the plan are settled.

Renting can make sense for a need measured in weeks, if a rental company near you serves the house. For anything longer, or a need that may grow, owning a ramp built to the measured rise gives you one that fits and stays as long as you need it. We install ramps the family owns, so get a rental quote elsewhere and set it beside our written price.

A ramp, when the yard has room for a safe slope, because it has no motor to fail. A platform lift fits where a ramp can't, like a tall stoop that drops straight to the sidewalk, and it needs far less ground. Powered lifts go in through a qualified installation partner we name before you agree to anything, and our crews handle the landing, the rails and the power.

A slope steeper than 1:12, no flat landing at the top to open the door from, missing rails or edge protection, and a surface that turns slick in the rain. Gaps where the ramp meets the walk or the threshold catch a front wheel. A door too narrow for the chair at the top undoes the rest.

They can, especially in shade, where moss and algae grow on the boards. A wood ramp needs a slip-resistant surface, such as a grit coating or strips, and boards kept clean through the winter. Aluminum ramps usually come with a textured surface built in.

Ramp builders range from handymen to ramp companies to remodelers, and a ramp fixed to the house should come from a licensed contractor. A built ramp in DC or Maryland can need a permit, and the licensed contractor pulls it. We build modular and built ramps and hold DC and Maryland contractor licenses, and License No. 420226000078 is on every page of this site.

Look for reviews that mention measuring, the slope and the landing at the door, because those make a ramp usable. Watch for complaints about ramps that came out too steep, prices that grew after work started, or a door at the top nobody fixed. Then ask the installer to put the rise and the run of your ramp in writing.

No. The ADA covers public buildings and businesses, so a ramp at a private house doesn't have to meet it. Local building codes and permits still apply to a built ramp, and the ADA's 1:12 slope and its landings are a good standard to build a home ramp to anyway.

We build ramps across Montgomery and Prince George's counties for houses within 30 miles of the US Capitol. A ramp built in place usually goes through the county permit office, DPS in Montgomery or DPIE in Prince George's, and towns such as Takoma Park and Hyattsville can add their own rules. Our Maryland ramp cost guide covers what moves the price there.

Where the rise is only a step or two, a portable ramp is the quickest bridge, and for a taller entry a modular aluminum ramp is the fastest ramp that lasts. Rails on both sides of the steps help someone who can still walk with support. We don't promise a day before measuring, so call with the date and we'll tell you what can be ready by then.

A portable ramp over one or two steps can be set in place quickly. A modular ramp for a taller entry takes measuring, ordering the sections and assembly, so it takes longer than a day from the first call. We don't offer same-day or emergency installs, and we're open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM every day to schedule one.