Frequently asked
How is this different from an occupational therapist assessment?
An OT assessment is a clinical tool. It evaluates functional limitations and recommends interventions, usually in response to a health event or insurance requirement. Facility is a planning tool. We evaluate your home against how you intend to live in it over time, and translate that into decisions your design team can actually act on. We work upstream, before a renovation, before a problem, before a crisis. We don't diagnose, we don't prescribe, and we're not a medical service. If you need a clinical assessment, an OT is the right call. If you're investing in your home and want to make sure it works for the next thirty years, that's what we do.
Is this only for people experiencing mobility issues?
No. Most of our clients have no current limitations. They're planning a significant renovation and don't want to redo it in ten years. They're buying a property and want to understand what it will cost to make it work long-term. They're building new and want decisions made once, correctly. Capability planning works best before you need it, the same way you plan a kitchen for how you actually cook rather than how you cooked at 30. If you're waiting until there's a problem, you've already missed the best window to act.
Do you sell the products you recommend?
We carry a curated selection of design-forward products you won't find in most Canadian showrooms, including pieces we source exclusively. But our assessment is independent of what we stock. We'll recommend the right product for your home regardless of whether we carry it. If it's better sourced elsewhere, we'll tell you where to get it. Our credibility with your design team depends on that independence, so we protect it.
How do you work alongside an architect or interior designer?
We fill a specific gap in the project team. Your architect controls space and structure. Your designer controls materials and specification. We assess capability, how the home performs for the people living in it across time. Those are different things and they rarely overlap. In practice, we work best when brought in early, before drawings are finalised, so our findings can inform decisions rather than require them to be revisited. We produce a report your team can work from directly. We don't redesign, we don't specify finishes, and we don't step on anyone's scope.
Can you assess a home that isn't being renovated?
Yes. A Capability Check on an existing home gives you a clear picture of where it performs well, where it has gaps, and what the cost and complexity of addressing those gaps would be. Some clients use this to decide whether to renovate or sell. Some use it to plan a renovation over several years rather than all at once. Some just want to know what they're working with. The report is yours to use however it's most useful.
We're not planning anything right now. Is there still value?
Probably, but it depends on your situation. If you're within five years of a significant renovation, assessment now means better decisions later, you'll know what to include while the walls are open rather than patching it afterward. If you have no renovation on the horizon, the more useful product is likely the Readiness Profile, which documents your home's current capability in a form you can revisit when plans change. We're happy to talk through which makes sense before you book anything.
Are you occupational therapists or regulated health professionals?
No. Facility is not a health service and our assessments are not clinical documents. We don't assess you, we assess your home. If your situation requires clinical evaluation, prescribed equipment, or government-funded support, an occupational therapist or home care coordinator is the right starting point and we're happy to point you toward the right resources.
Do you work outside Toronto?
Currently we work primarily in the Toronto area. If you're outside that range and interested in working together, get in touch, we're expanding and take on select projects further afield where the fit is right.