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Aging-in-place answer

What is CAPS certification and why does it matter?

Short answer

CAPS — Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist — is the credential issued by the National Association of Home Builders specifically for residential aging-in-place modifications. It covers the building codes, ADA standards, and clinical mobility considerations that a general remodeler will not have. Every contractor we route work to must hold a current CAPS certification.

More detail

CAPS is administered by the NAHB and is structured as three required courses plus continuing-education credits over a three-year renewal cycle. The curriculum covers ANSI A1264 grab-bar load standards, ADA 1:12 ramp slope and turning-radius requirements, building-code requirements for accessible bathrooms, common mobility-aid clearances, and the project-coordination patterns that come up when an occupational therapist is involved.

The credential matters because aging-in-place work fails in ways that a general remodeler will not anticipate. A handyman who installs a grab bar with drywall anchors instead of stud blocking, a contractor who builds a wheelchair ramp at 1:8 slope because the available run is short, or a bathroom remodel that uses polished tile in a wet zone — these are the typical failure modes of well-meaning but uncredentialed work.

We re-verify CAPS status annually and remove contractors permanently for confirmed conduct issues. Every match is to a contractor with a current credential, not one that lapsed three years ago.

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