"Home safety assessment" is a phrase that gets used for a lot of different things, including sales visits from companies trying to upsell products. If your family is considering one, here is what a good assessment looks like and how to tell the difference.
What a good assessment covers
- The primary entry, porch, and any exterior stairs.
- Interior stairs, hallways, and thresholds.
- The bathroom or bathrooms the person actually uses.
- The bed-to-bathroom path, day and night.
- The kitchen: reach, footing, and stove-area safety.
- Lighting throughout the home.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm presence, placement, and age.
- Grab bar and handrail integrity, and where new ones would help most.
- Rug, threshold, and clutter risks in daily pathways.
What a good written plan includes
- A short, ordered list of priorities: do first, wait, skip.
- Plain-language explanations any family member can follow.
- Clear separation between safety-critical fixes and comfort improvements.
- A note on which items require licensed contractor work and which do not.
- An honest opinion on whether one visit is enough or whether ongoing support is warranted.
What a good assessor does not do
- Pressure the family to buy anything during the visit.
- Claim ADA compliance for a private home. ADA does not apply.
- Claim to perform structural inspections, code inspections, or medical evaluations.
- Recommend expensive modifications without explaining why they are the priority.
Questions worth asking before agreeing
- Are you CAPS-certified?
- How long is the visit, and what do we get in writing afterward?
- Do you also do the construction, or coordinate with independent contractors?
- What does it cost? Is there any obligation afterward?
- Can I share the written plan with a sibling or another advisor?
What a Coastal Access Living assessment looks like
Our complimentary Home Safety & Access Assessment runs 60 to 90 minutes in the actual home, is conducted by April personally, and produces a short written list of priorities. It is a $699 value and is offered at no cost for Walton County homes through our Founding 100 program. There is no obligation to become a member or hire us for any subsequent work.
If you want the walkthrough, you can request an assessment here.