National Association of the Remodeling Industry President Earns UDCP Certification

National Association of the Remodeling Industry President Andy Apter, CKBR, UDCP, owner of Apter Remodeling/Craftsman in Maryland, has earned Universal Design Certified Professional designation. The certification validates that residential remodelers are skilled specialists trained to assess and meet a client’s universal design needs.

Apter has more than 40 years of residential remodeling experience. He recently undertook additional measures to learn more about universal design to better serve his clients. After participating in NARI’s UDCP preparatory course, he passed the exam to earn his UDCP certification.

Apter says everything he learned during the UDCP certification process has greatly benefited his remodeling business.

“I’m better equipped to help clients create spaces that are accessible, functional, and safe for people of all ages and abilities,” Apter says. “I can sit down with the homeowners and know what questions to ask so they can make informed decisions. I can anticipate design solutions to convert the home for future needs and offer varying options that will fit their unique situations.”

Apter added as more people decide to stay in their homes as they age, the UDCP program gives a big-picture overview of how to apply universal design in residential remodeling, from construction techniques to plumbing and electrical systems, to the differences between model building codes and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

“For example, we can design the kitchen placing appliances in different elevations so they’re reachable or the homeowner doesn’t have to crouch down to use them,” Apter says. “Or we may need to find bathroom vanity bases that can be converted to add extra space underneath for a person’s knees or a wheelchair.”

Learn more about the NARI UDCP program at nari.org/universal.