Helping Kacy Find Her Forever Accessible Home

Collage of images showcasing the accessible forever home secured for Kacy and her family by Steven Docker Associates. The two-storey yellow house in Wrexham features a red door, solar panels, a landscaped garden, and tailored adaptations to meet Kacy's accessibility and care needs.

Helping Kacy Find Her Forever Accessible Home

Tuesday 21st January 2025

In this case study, we’re exploring the work we carried out for our client, Kacy, and her family. Specifically, how our team of accessible housing specialists helped them in securing their forever home. Kacy is a young girl who, due to clinical negligence at birth, requires an accessible home that meets her complex needs.

With the support of our specialist team, Steven Docker Associates (SDA) supported Kacy and her family throughout the process of locating and purchasing a suitable home in Wrexham, North Wales.

From the initial consultations to presenting the success of our previous projects that are similar, our team guided the family through every part of the process. This included ensuring that the property could be adapted to meet Kacy’s specific requirements, ensuring it provides a comfortable, long-term solution for her care.

Steven Docker Associates - Property Finding Specialists

At Steven Docker Associates, creating a beautiful, barrier-free ‘forever’ home involves more than just the expertise of our design and project management team. Many of our clients start their SDA journey with our specialist property-finding team. This service is designed to help them locate, negotiate, and secure the purchase or rental of a home, no matter how specific or unique their requirements may be.

While this process can be emotionally demanding under normal circumstances, it becomes especially complex following a life-changing injury or illness. This is especially true when trying to find a suitable property that meets both accessibility and personal needs. This is where our team of experienced property-finding specialists comes in, as they truly understand the unique challenges a property search presents.

Often, clients require temporary rented accommodation that can be adapted. This is because they are either searching for a new property, modifying their current one, or the litigation is still ongoing.

How Steven Docker Associates Supported Kacy

Following a case of clinical negligence at birth, Kacy and her family were referred to Steven Docker Associates by a Property and Affairs Deputy. As Kacy’s Deputy and Case Manager had both previously worked alongside SDA, they fully understood the benefits of our specialist property-finding service and were confident we could find the family a suitable home.

Once instructed, a member of our Property Finding Team, Anise Lea, conducted an initial video consultation with Kacy’s mum, deputy and case manager. The family needed a home with ample space to accommodate Kacy’s wheelchair, or a property with the potential for extension and adaptation, as well as accommodation for Kacy’s carer.

We showed Kacy and her family some of our previous property purchases and adaptation projects, helping them visualise what could be achieved as well as explaining how the process works. In some cases, seeing other finished properties inspires ideas and alternative solutions for clients.

Understanding Kacy’s Needs

Kacy and her family wanted to stay in Wrexham, close to her school and family. The new property also needed:

  • A carer’s bedroom with en-suite
  • A ground-floor suite for Kacy
  • A living room/office
  • A therapy room
  • Bedrooms for Kacy’s mum and siblings.
  • Storage for mobility and rehabilitation equipment
  • To be fully wheelchair accessible.

While a bungalow would have been ideal, Kacy’s loved ones and expert witness were open to a two-storey detached house, provided her needs could be catered for on the ground floor. It was also important that our specialists considered Kacy’s love for nature, meaning a property with a suitable garden was essential.

The Search

Once our team had a comprehensive understanding of the family’s needs, we created a shortlist of suitable properties in and around the Wrexham area that matched the family’s brief. Kacy’s mother played an active role throughout the process, helping her understand the advantages and limitations of each property option from the outset. This open and collaborative approach ensured expectations were managed and the search remained efficient.

However, it also meant that we were able to provide a personal approach to the process. Ensuring we had a complete understanding of not only the family but what they are looking for in their next home. Initially, Kacy’s mum was drawn to larger properties, including a manor house, which would have been very costly to purchase, convert, and maintain.

We highlighted the advantages of considering smaller properties with potential for extension, allowing for a more bespoke design. Our in-house architectural team advised on planning permission and the feasibility of adaptations for each property, providing professional guidance at every stage.

Supporting Kacy’s Family with Challenging Property Decisions

At one point during the search, Kacy’s mum reconsidered her decision to remain in the Wrexham area. At SDA we understand that a search for a forever home can be overwhelming, particularly when you are searching for a child living with disabilities. It is also common for families that we work with to second-guess where they want to settle.

Some clients are excited by the prospect of a new home, while others may feel apprehensive. Our role as specialists in this field is to guide them through these challenges with care and expertise. After thoughtful discussions with our team, the Deputy, Case Manager and Kacy’s family ultimately decided to continue with the search in Wrexham.

Achieving a Successful Property Search for Kacy and Her Family

We found a property on the outskirts of Wrexham that had the potential to provide the family with everything they were looking for. After viewing the house, our architectural team completed a measured survey and prepared multiple scheme proposals illustrating how the property could be adapted to meet Kacy’s and her family’s needs. We also prepared detailed budget costings allowing the Deputy team to assess the affordability of the purchase and adaptations.

Following approval of the costs, our team successfully negotiated a purchase price £50,000 below the asking price (subject to planning permission). Planning was granted, and we were pleased to hand the project over to our Design and Project Management colleagues.

The emotions and negotiation in Kacy’s search for her beautiful home are typical of so many of our client projects. While we’re experienced in the complexities of finding a suitable property for clients with life-changing injuries or illnesses, we recognise that each situation is unique.

Our clients are often navigating litigation, rehabilitation, as well as significant lifestyle changes. We work closely with families, deputies, and case managers to provide a bespoke service. At Steven Docker Associates, our team of property finders, architects, and expert witnesses collaborates to ensure that every client’s vision of independence becomes a reality, on time, on budget, and with confidence.

 

Achieving a Successful Property Search for Kacy and Her Family

We found a property on the outskirts of Wrexham that had the potential to provide the family with everything they were looking for. After viewing the house, our architectural team completed a measured survey and prepared multiple scheme proposals illustrating how the property could be adapted to meet Kacy’s and her family’s needs. We also prepared detailed budget costings allowing the Deputy team to assess the affordability of the purchase and adaptations.

Following approval of the costs, our team successfully negotiated a purchase price £50,000 below the asking price (subject to planning permission). Planning was granted, and we were pleased to hand the project over to our Design and Project Management colleagues.

The emotions and negotiation in Kacy’s search for her beautiful home are typical of so many of our client projects. While we’re experienced in the complexities of finding a suitable property for clients with life-changing injuries or illnesses, we recognise that each situation is unique.

Our clients are often navigating litigation, rehabilitation, as well as significant lifestyle changes. We work closely with families, deputies, and case managers to provide a bespoke service. At Steven Docker Associates, our team of property finders, architects, and expert witnesses collaborates to ensure that every client’s vision of independence becomes a reality, on time, on budget, and with confidence.