How Difficult Is It for a Building to Install a Ramp?

July 28, 2015 — My mother wants to visit us in our new apartment but she's in a wheelchair and there are some steps up to the front door. How hard would it be for the building to install a ramp, even a temporary one?

This is a big, big deal. Whether it is a permanent ramp or a temporary one, they must comply with certain specifications.

Any purchase of a temporary or "de-mountable" ramp must comply with the American National Standards Institute code 117.1-2009 for requirements on dimensions, slope, and clearances. A structural engineer must approve the ramp's structural adequacy or come with fabricator shop drawings bearing a New York State-licensed engineer seal. It must be noncombustible (recommended for compliance with fire codes for the means of egress and the [handicapped] accessible route). Whether it is temporary or permanent, it must adhere to maximum encroachment onto existing public way per the rules. Filing of the documents and acceptance by the Department of Buildings is recommended to memorialize the installation and use of public way. The insurance company should be notified to include the ramp in the protection offered by the building's liability policy.

The hiring of the professionals and the purchase of the ramp will cost thousands of dollars depending on the configuration of the building. There are buildings that, because of their physical structure, cannot accommodate a ramp. If it is possible to add a ramp to the building and the building agrees to go forward with either a permanent or temporary one, the process is lengthy and you should not plan on your mother visiting for some time.

Gerard J. Picaso is president of the Gerard J. Picaso Division at Halstead Management.