Our Story
I grew up with my brother in Loughton, Essex, in a house built in the 1920s. When my mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, my dad, then in his early 50s, took early retirement to become her main carer. As her condition progressed, her mobility gradually reduced until she became completely wheelchair-dependent.
We had some basic adaptations carried out to the family home – a ground-floor shower room, grab rails and ramps – which meant Mum could be moved around the house more easily. From an early age, I saw first-hand the difference the right adaptations could make to a disabled person and their family. Looking back, that probably influenced my decision to enter the construction industry, starting out as a carpentry apprentice.
Dad was a very active 75-year-old when Mum passed away. Without the responsibility of caring for her, Grandad Don, as we all called him, began to age quite quickly. This time we adapted the house for him, including a level-access shower and a ground-floor bedroom.
Those changes helped Dad remain living independently in his own home until he passed away at the age of 95. They gave him another 20 years in the home he knew, surrounded by his family and with his independence intact.
Those experiences are a big part of why I created John Ford Group. But Dad’s influence goes further than that. Grandad Don was someone who believed in helping people, doing the right thing and treating people properly. Those simple principles have shaped the ethos of John Ford Group and many of the values we still work by today.
Today, we help people and their families work out what they need from their home, understand the options available to them and navigate what can sometimes be a complicated adaptation process. That might involve occupational therapy, design, funding, specialist equipment, construction or bringing a number of different professionals together.
Sometimes the answer is relatively simple. Sometimes it involves completely rethinking a home. Our job is to help people find the right solution and, where required, manage that journey from the initial conversation through to delivery.
I know what it is to be a 10-year-old boy able to wheel his mother around the family home. I’ve also watched my own children enjoy visiting their grandad in that same home many years later.
That’s why, for us, adapting a home has never simply been about building work. It’s about what the right home can enable someone to do.
And, as Grandad Don would say, that’s all very worthy of a thumbs up.
We support deputies and solicitors by delivering professional, timely home adaptations that comply with legal standards, aiding client independence and safeguarding long term well being.
We collaborate with case managers to develop tailored adaptation solutions that support rehabilitation goals, enhance client safety, and facilitate smooth transitions to home environments.
Working closely with occupational therapists, we translate clinical recommendations into practical adaptations, ensuring functional, safe, and comfortable homes for clients.
Partnering with specialist architects, we integrate innovative design and construction expertise to deliver bespoke, compliant adaptations that meet complex client needs.
AREAS COVERED
John Ford Group is based in Chelmsford, Essex and provides house adaptions in domestic and commercial properties.
We work in Essex, but happy to travel further afield for the right project!
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