Your home should help you live the life you want, not trap you in rooms you can’t access. I’ve met too many people who gave up showering alone or cooking their own meals because their house wasn’t set up right. The frustration builds when you’re capable of doing things but your bathroom door is too narrow or your shower has a step you can’t manage. NDIS home modifications by Total Health Choice changes homes to match how people actually live, making daily tasks possible again without calling for help every time.
What Total Health Choice Does for NDIS Participants
Total Health Choice handles home modifications from start to finish. They work with your occupational therapist to understand what you need. Then they design the changes. Build them. Make sure everything works right. You don’t bounce between different companies trying to coordinate who does what.
Their team includes builders, occupational therapists, and accessibility experts. Everyone knows NDIS rules. They’ve done hundreds of these projects across Australia. Bathroom renovations, ramp installations, door widening, kitchen modifications. They know which changes make the biggest difference in people’s lives.
The company holds full registration with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This means they passed quality checks. They follow safety rules. They have insurance that protects you if problems happen. Registration isn’t required for all NDIS providers, but it shows they care about doing things properly.
How Their Process Actually Works
Everything starts with an assessment. An occupational therapist visits your home. They watch how you move around. Ask what’s hard for you. Measure your space. This visit takes 1 to 2 hours. The OT isn’t rushing. They want to understand your exact situation.
After the assessment, you get a detailed report. It explains what modifications would help. Why they matter. How much they’ll cost. This report goes to your NDIS planner for approval. Total Health Choice helps with the paperwork. They know what information NDIS wants to see.
Once approved, their builders visit your home. They confirm measurements. Explain the work process. Tell you how long it’ll take. My bathroom modification took 3 weeks from start to finish. They warned me I’d need another place to shower during that time. I stayed at my sister’s house. Good to know ahead instead of being surprised.
During construction, you get regular updates. The project manager checks in every few days. Answers questions. Fixes any issues that come up. After completion, the OT comes back to make sure everything works correctly. They watch you use the new modifications. Adjust anything that’s not quite right.
Types of Modifications They Specialise In
Bathrooms are their biggest focus. Walk-in showers with no step. Grab bars in the right spots. Shower seats. Lower sinks. Accessible toilets. They understand that bathrooms cause the most independence problems for people with disabilities. Getting these spaces right matters more than anything else.
Ramp building is another main service. Permanent concrete ramps for homes you own. Modular aluminum ramps for rentals. They calculate proper slopes. Make sure the surface isn’t slippery. Add handrails at the right height. I watched them build a ramp at my friend’s place. Took two days. Looks great. Works perfectly.
Door modifications happen constantly. Widening doorways so wheelchairs fit through. Removing thresholds that trip people up. Installing automatic door openers for people who can’t grip handles. These seem like small changes but they make huge differences in moving around your house.
Kitchen work includes lowering counters. Adding pull-out shelves. Installing touch faucets. Reorganising layouts so everything’s reachable. They think about how you actually cook. Where you need to prep food. How you access the fridge and stove. The design matches your movements.
What Makes Them Different From Other Providers
They employ their own builders instead of using subcontractors. This means better quality control. The people working in your house answer directly to Total Health Choice. They follow the same standards every time. I’ve heard too many stories about companies using random subcontractors who do sloppy work.
Their OTs stay involved throughout the project. Most companies do an assessment and disappear. Total Health Choice brings the OT back during and after construction. This catches problems early. I saw them adjust grab bar positions mid-project because the OT noticed the original plan wouldn’t work as well as a slightly different setup.
They handle all permits and council approvals. Some modifications need official permission. The paperwork is annoying. Total Health Choice deals with it. You don’t chase council workers or fill out complicated forms. They know which modifications need permits in different areas.
Their pricing stays fixed after you sign the contract. No surprise costs halfway through. No extra charges for things they “forgot” to include. The quote you get is what you pay. Australian Consumer Law requires this, but not everyone follows it. Total Health Choice puts everything in writing.
Timeline for Getting Work Done
Minor modifications like grab bars happen fast. From approval to installation takes 2 to 4 weeks typically. They keep materials in stock. Scheduling is flexible. I’ve known people who got grab bars installed within 10 days of NDIS approval.
Major bathroom renovations take longer. Plan for 8 to 12 weeks from assessment to completion. That includes time for NDIS approval, which they can’t control. The actual construction runs 2 to 4 weeks. Sounds like a lot but it’s faster than many providers who take 16 to 20 weeks for similar work.
Ramp installations depend on the type. Modular ramps go up in 1 to 3 days. Permanent concrete ramps need 1 to 2 weeks including time for concrete to cure properly. They give you exact timelines during the quote. No vague “a few weeks” answers.
Communication speeds things up too. They answer calls and emails within 24 hours. Make decisions quickly. Keep the project moving. Other companies I’ve dealt with took 3 to 5 days to respond to simple questions. That delays everything.
Quality Standards They Follow
All work meets Australian building codes. This protects you legally and safety-wise. If you ever sell your house, buyers know the modifications were done properly. Insurance companies care about this too. Modifications not meeting code can cause coverage problems.
Grab bars get installed into wall studs, not just drywall. They test weight capacity. Standard is 120kg minimum. Total Health Choice installs bars rated for 200kg. Better safe than sorry. I’ve seen cheap installations where grab bars pulled out of walls. That’s dangerous and expensive to fix.
Ramps follow exact slope ratios. The standard is 1:14, meaning 1 unit of rise for every 14 units of length. This ensures safe wheelchair use. They don’t cut corners with steeper ramps to save money. Proper slope or they don’t build it.
Waterproofing in bathrooms follows strict protocols. They use certified waterproofers. Multiple layers of protection. This prevents leaks that damage your house. Water damage from poor bathroom work costs thousands to repair later.
Cost Structure and What’s Included
Quotes break down every cost. Labour. Materials. Permits. Waste removal. You see exactly where your money goes. Compare this to quotes that just say “total: $20,000” with no details. Transparent pricing helps you make informed decisions.
They work within NDIS pricing guidelines. This means their rates match what NDIS considers reasonable. Some providers charge way above NDIS rates, forcing you to pay the difference. Total Health Choice stays within NDIS limits so you’re not stuck with out-of-pocket costs.
Payment schedules are fair. Typically 30 percent deposit to start. 40 percent when they’re halfway done. Final 30 percent on completion. This protects both sides. You’re not paying everything upfront. They’re not waiting until the end for all their money.
Hidden fees don’t exist. The quote includes rubbish removal. Site cleanup. Touch-up painting around modifications. Everything needed to complete the job properly. I asked specifically about potential extras. They confirmed the quote covered everything unless I change my mind and want different work.
Support After Installation Finishes
They offer 12-month workmanship warranty. If something they installed has problems, they fix it free. This covers labour, not materials wearing out from normal use. But 12 months is better than the 6-month standard many builders offer.
Follow-up visits happen at 1 month and 6 months after completion. The OT checks how you’re using the modifications. Makes small adjustments if needed. Grab bar height might need tweaking. Shower seat position might work better slightly different. These visits catch issues before they become problems.
You get a direct contact number for questions. Not a general office line where you wait forever. An actual person who knows your project. I called once about a grab bar that felt loose. Someone came out the next day. Turned out it was fine, just my imagination. But they took it seriously.
Maintenance advice comes included. They explain how to clean special surfaces. When to check grab bar bolts. How often to inspect ramps for damage. Taking care of modifications makes them last longer. Proper maintenance prevents expensive repairs.
Working with Renters and Landlords
They understand rental situations. Many modifications need landlord approval. Total Health Choice has template letters you can give your landlord. These explain what’s being done and why. Most landlords agree once they understand these changes help you and don’t damage the property.
Removable options exist for renters. Temporary ramps that don’t require permanent installation. Grab bars that can be taken down and walls patched afterward. Door threshold ramps that aren’t fixed to the floor. You can take these with you when you move.
When you move out, they can remove certain modifications and restore the space. This service costs extra but saves you from losing your deposit or upsetting your landlord. Grab bar holes get filled and painted. Looks like nothing was ever there.
Who Benefits Most from Their Services
People with mobility issues make up most of their clients. Wheelchair users. People using walkers. Anyone who struggles with stairs or standard bathroom setups. Their experience with these modifications shows in the final results.
Elderly NDIS participants appreciate their patience. Older folks sometimes need more time to explain their needs. Total Health Choice doesn’t rush anyone. They listen carefully. Make sure they understand before moving forward.
Families with disabled children use their services often. Kids grow fast. Modifications need to work now and in five years. Total Health Choice thinks ahead. They build things that adjust or adapt as kids get bigger.
People living alone benefit from their comprehensive service. When you don’t have family to help coordinate contractors and paperwork, having one company handle everything reduces stress. You deal with one point of contact instead of juggling multiple people.
Getting Started with Your Modification Project
Contact them through their website or phone. Tell them your situation. What’s not working in your home. What you wish you could do independently. They’ll set up an assessment with an OT. This first step costs nothing if you’re an NDIS participant with relevant funding.
Have your NDIS plan ready to discuss. Know what funding you have available. The company helps figure out if your current plan covers what you need. If not, they guide you through requesting additional funding from NDIS.
Ask about similar projects they’ve done. They’re happy to show photos and explain past work. This helps you visualise what’s possible in your space. I looked at 20 different bathroom photos before deciding on my design.
Get everything in writing before agreeing. The assessment report. The quote. The timeline. The warranty terms. Having documents protects everyone. You know exactly what you’re getting. They know exactly what they’re building.