Home Adaptations Made Simple at the Autumn DFG Champions Roadshow
- kirstiekalonji
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
We had a brilliant time at the Foundations roadshows, travelling to Southampton, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Sheffield and London to meet the people who make home adaptations happen every day.
The Foundations DFG Champion Roadshow events gave us time to talk, share ideas and learn from each other. Housing officers, occupational therapists, surveyors, installers and contractors came together with a common goal. We had constructive conversations about the Disabled Facilities Grant and what works well and where things can improve.
Below is a summary of what we covered in our presentation at this seasons events.
Who are we and what do we do?
We are a family run business based in Wigan, serving the adaptation and accessible housing market for 25 years. We make and supply the practical kit you need to make a home work for the person living in it. We hold around 3 million pounds worth of stock and lead on major frameworks, including PFH, Fusion 21 and Procure Plus.
How we make it work for you
We design and manufacture our own shower trays, floor formers, shower seats, half height screens and sanitary ware. But we don’t shoehorn clients into one brand. We bring you choice, by working with the leading manufacturers, such as Mira, Gerflor, Pressalit, Geberit, Closomat, Whale, Envirovent, Johnsons Tiles, Polyflor, Triton and more...
Trusted assessors and faster decisions
We have a team of surveyors and an occupational therapist on the team plus two trained assessors. Trusted assessor training saves OT time and speeds up straightforward cases. We’re pushing forward trusted assessor training because it keeps the expert resource focused on the complex cases and helps get people through the system faster.
Can we offer you better for less?
Recently we worked with Advanced Building and Maintenance Services on a supply and fit costing exercise. The standard level access wet room conversion came to £6,595, while our Invisible Creations future proofed alternative - with stylish wall panelling and interchangeable sanitaryware - was £300 less. It offers the same functionality, looks better, is less disruptive for the end user and reduces the chance of refusal due to clinical looking bathrooms.
Making bathrooms and homes future proof
There’s no reason inclusive design should look clinical. Grab rails can be functional and attractive. Toilet heights can be swapped without ripping the floor up. Wall panelling offers a 25 year warranty and can be fitted over existing tiles to save time and labour. These are the practical retrofit moves that make homes accessible now and save money in the long run.
Why this matters for local authorities
Budgets are tight, backlogs are building, and DFG funding is under pressure. That means you must make every pound count. Prioritisation, collaboration and flexibility are not just buzz words. They are how you stretch budgets and get the health and social care gains you need - from focused assessments that prevent hospital admissions or speed discharge to the use of trusted assessors for straightforward work. To add, working with partners and suppliers who can supply nationwide and offer a full service can ensure a job doesn’t stall.
Quick solutions for tricky spaces
Not every house can take a full wet room. For properties that are awkward or where cost cannot be justified, we now offer the TRU Cubicle, a watertight, cost effective wash pod that can be installed in two hours. It’s bespoke to the space you have and built to be reused. We’re starting a recycling service – so we can collect, sanitise and store the wash cubicles for reuse. It’s a practical option when you need a fast solution that still respects dignity and independence.
Clearing waiting lists and working smarter
We have worked with local authorities to clear DFG backlogs by combining surveying capacity, trusted assessor models and supply chain reliability. When we survey a property we keep the records of products and we’ll point you straight to what is installed. That reduces guesswork and rework and speeds up follow up work.
What about solutions beyond the bathroom?
Adapted kitchens can be expensive, so we offer a bespoke design service from survey to CAD proposals and 3D visuals. We get OT input at the survey stage and design around budget and practicality. We use preassembled 18mm melamine units built to be robust and last. If a something isn’t possible, we’ll suggest practical alternatives that keep functionality and meet the budget.
Working together for better housing
With years of experience in social housing – we know that the system will not fix itself. Waiting lists damage lives and cost the health service. We need better housing policy, faster DFG processing and more proactive home adaptations. At the same time... we look for reasons to say yes.
If you missed us at the autumn roadshows, you can get in touch any time to talk through solutions, case examples or project challenges. We’re also planning to be part of the next Foundations Champions Roadshows in Spring 2026, so it’d be great to see you there.