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Dear Friends,  Spring is here! I hope the blooming flowers and bright sunshine are greeting you well. As we move into April our big "venture" this month is our Accessible bathroom giveaway. The full story is below.
Jeremy Blosser
Project Manager
540-434-7927
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Universal Design
| |  As you read the title you might have said to yourself: What is Universal Design? Here are seven principles to guide your design process to make a home usable to everyone:
- Equitable Use: useful and appealing design for people with diverse abilities
- Flexible use: accommodate a wide range of individual, preferences, and abilities
- Low physical effort: ensure the design is easy to use comfortably and efficiently
- Simple and intuitive use: eliminate unnecessary complexity to make the design easy to understand regardless of users experience, literacy or language
- Tolerance for error: minimize the hazards and consequences of accidental or unintended use
- Perceptible Information: communicate all essential information through several sensory modes including pictorial, verbal, and tactical
- Size and space for approach and use: Provide adequate space and size for users to approach, see and reach regardless of body size, posture, or mobility
NC State University, The Center for Universal Design |
Why would we give away a bathroom?
| | Last year as 2010 was coming to a close Venture Builders felt like it was our turn to give back to the community. As we thought about how we could help the one thing that we kept coming back to was how? For one thing we are just a remodeler what can we do to give back? Then we thought maybe there is someone in our community that is struggling with their day-to-day routine in their bathroom. Maybe, just maybe, we could fix that for them. So the idea was born: let's give an accessible bathroom away to someone in need. So the search began.
 What was most interesting to me was that everyone that inquired or applied for this bathroom wasn't doing it for themselves. They were applying for their neighbor, friend, or family. This gave us great joy knowing that there are still people out there with a sense of community.
After much debate in our committee of four local business owners, we decided on Madison Brown as the recipient of our accessible bathroom give-away. On April 12th we will begin our bath remodel for this Harrisonburg resident. Madison had back surgery to repair ruptured discs many years ago. Nerve damage that occurred during his surgery has made his mobility more limited. On the same day we plan to start his remodel he is having another surgery on his neck in hopes to reduce the pain and improve his mobility. If all goes well, upon his return he will have a new accessible and functional bathroom.
The new remodel will alleviate the challenges in Madison's current bathroom. It is very small with only a tall tub for bathing. We plan to do away with the tub and install a 5-foot shower, install a new comfort-height toilet, and a new pedestal sink. We will also install new lighting, flooring, all new sheet rock, a fresh coat of paint, a medicine cabinet, towel bars and a grab bar.
You might be saying to yourself: that is an awful lot for one company to give. I do want to say that NONE of this would be possible without the support and dedication of our vendors and subcontractors.
May Supply Company, Live Wire Electric, A-Able Plumbing, Mongers, Eagle Carpet, XL Drywall, Shenandoah Paint, Dee Huffman Painting, and Mongers.
This giving is an example of the humanity and selflessness our community has exhibited.
Venture Builders has plans to continue this bathroom giveaway every year. We hope for the same support and dedication that we are seeing this year. If you know of anyone that may be in need of a more functional and accessible bathroom let me know. We are taking applications for 2012.
If you would like to join in and lend a hand on April 12th, feel free to give me a call! 209-4102
Thank you,
Jeremy Blosser
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"In Your Words"
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The new lift has given me my independence back. I can now come and go as I please from the house without any assistance. It has been wonderful!
Rhonda - Harrisonburg, VA
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Venture Builders Inc. is a family-owned business based in Harrisonburg, VA since 1988. We can help you transform your home into a beautiful living space. We specialize in baths and kitchens, but also work on additions, decks, and new construction.
540-434-7927
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