Designing living spaces and work places for people with disabilities

How do you...
... go about choosing a designer to provide the best solution to a disabled person's very particular needs? After all, how often does a typical designer do work of this kind? Once a year? Once every two years? Once every five years?

How do you...
... start designing and building a house with easy access and where everything is in the right place, at the right height? Or adapt an existing house so that it stops being a prison and becomes a home in which to live with dignity and independence? How about designing a work place that is accessible and safe and a workspace that is ergonomically comfortable and efficient? Or planning a public building where everyone has equality of access to all the facilities?

How do you...
... minimise the risk of getting it wrong, of getting inappropriate advice, of spending large sums of money solutions that simply don't work?

Talk to Margaret Blackwood Technical Consultants!
Margaret Blackwood Technical Consultants is a team of professionals who are totally dedicated to designing living spaces and work places for people who have disabilities. Our experience encompasses hundreds of projects, large and small, for a wide range of disabilities. Each job has been focused on the needs of the individual, the person for whom the solution has to be right first time -for access; for space; for equipment; for long-term suitability; for value for money. No one in Scotland is better qualified to ask all the right questions and provide all the right answers. Using proven technology. At a realistic price.

What services do we offer?
Designing new houses
Working with occupational therapists and other specialists, we help the client define his or her individual needs. Using the latest computer technology, we design quality houses to a high specification. They are barrier-free and have ample space in which to move around, easily accessible storage and services, specialised bathroom facilities where needed, made-to-measure kitchens and any special equipment needed to make life as independent, as comfortable and as safe as possible.

Redesigning and adapting existing houses
Many people who become disabled or whose needs change want to remain in their present home. In many cases that home can be redesigned, extended, adapted and fitted out with any specialist equipment necessary. We will survey the house and work with everyone concerned to provide the best solution, both for the immediate and long term. All within an agreed budget. We can also help to find properties that are suitable for adaptation.

Installing specialist equipment
In over 25 years of designing living space solutions we've built up close working relationships with specialist equipment manufacturers who provide practical solutions at realistic prices.

Project Management
Whilst we can simply provide a top-class design service, we have the staff and the technical expertise to manage projects from the initial briefing stage right through to handing over the keys.

Access Audits and Plan Appraisal
Accredited by the Centre for Accessible Environments, we are now able to offer access auditing to any organisation wishing to satisfy the needs of their disabled employees and customers and to the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. Where an organisation is using a local or internal architect, we provide a plan appraisal service and are happy to offer suggestions and recommendations based on our experience and the requirements of the end user.

Technical advice and funding
We work closely with many other parties - from housing associations and local councils to voluntary organisations, health boards and commercial corporations - and provide technical advice on all aspects of access and independent living and working for people with disabilities. We are also ideally placed to explore funding channels with partners and develop suitable packages where possible.

Who are we?
Margaret Blackwood Technical Consultants is the technical subsidiary of Margaret Blackwood Housing Association, which has been designing and building houses and providing care and support for people with disabilities throughout Scotland since 1972. With the scope of our technical activities continuing to expand, we maintain close links with the Association's residents and tenants. They, along with our other clients, provide a unique source of practical feedback on housing and specialist equipment design and detailing. All profits return to the Association to be reinvested in housing and support services for people with physical disabilities living with their families and within mixed communities.