Q:
What is often the most dreaded part of the TAS
compliance process?
A:
The final inspection.
Otten Consulting Group's overriding goal has always been to
provide our clients with proactive support. By working
together, we believe the number of costly TAS violations can
be dramatically reduced or eliminated, which is good for
everyone! For example, our FREE Preliminary
Review Service has been an overwhelming success because it
identifies potential violations early in the design process,
giving the design team time to make necessary changes before
issuing plans for construction.
Similarly, our Special Inspection
Service can identify problems at strategic times
during construction. No matter who is at fault, waiting
until the official TAS inspection to find out about violations
(which usually occurs after substantial completion) can cause
unnecessary expenses and could delay completion of your
project.
Many violations
can easily be avoided by conducting an interim inspection.
Even if the violation couldn't have been avoided completely,
it is much easier to fix the problem while subs are on site
and finishes have not been installed. At Reliant
Stadium, Houston's new NFL football venue, inspections
were conducted throughout construction to ensure that all TAS
violations were identified and corrected expeditiously.
The stadium's design team (HOK Sport, Hermes Reed
Architects and Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam), with the help of
Otten Consulting Group (the Registered Accessibility
Specialists) and local consultant Henry Hermis, were able to
identify and correct TAS violations while the project was
ongoing. The result is a venue that will open as one of the
most accessible and compliant in the nation.
Special Inspections make sense! Although they are not free,
the few hundred dollars spent on a special inspection can save
you many thousands. Just think: the cost of tearing out and
repositioning just one water closet, one doorway, one drinking
fountain... can easily justify the cost of a special
inspection.
| So before your project is too far underway,
schedule a special inspection and gain the peace of mind
that comes from knowing your project will be compliant
when it is finished! |
|
More Information
For
more information, contact an Accessibility Specialist at Otten
Consulting Group. In Houston call (713) 975-1029, in McAllen
(956) 683- 9232, or toll-free in the US (800) 776-4ADA
(4232).
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About Otten Consulting Group, Inc.
OCG is a firm
of Registered Accessibility Specialists for the Texas
Department of Licensing and Regulation, authorized to
review/approve plans and inspect facilities for compliance
with the Texas Accessibility Standards. The firm has provided
accessible design consultation for more than 3000 facilities
in 22 states since 1991, and has offices in Houston (TX),
McAllen (TX), and affiliates in Portland, Oregon and Inverness, Florida.
Company Website: StateReview.com
The email is not intended to provide legal or other
professional advise. For legal advice, contact an attorney.
For advice about a specific application of the Texas
Accessibility Standards, contact Otten Consulting Group at
(800) 776-4ADA.
