I am a General Contractor. Starting my first business (and only soo Far) in November of 2011. After Going Back and Forth between Oil Field Drilling Fluids Warehousing, Construction, and Fast Food at Arby’s. I Decided to Try Going to College. When That didn’t Pan out I had no income and Didn’t know what to do and some Friends asked me to Help Remodel Their Home as a Contractor. So I thought Yeah. I’ve never had my own business before. Why not??? So Between them and another Friend that Started his own Construction Company hiring me as a Sub-Contractor I Jumped in….

After working my business and Leaving to work fast food because winters were too slow in Construction, I Finally made it through a whole year without having to work another job. In 2014 I Had things Going Fairly well So I Started Getting set up more Formal and Started taking on stairlifts. When I got a call one Day off of my google advertising I had Tried out Saying” would you be interested in installing Stairlifts in your area?” I’m like, “well, Sounds interesting, but I know nothing about it.” And he Said “That is OK, I’ll Train you.” Soo I Jumped in feet first as a side Gig around My Construction Company.

Fast Forward To 2018, Doing Construction was OK. But i Found I really enjoyed the Stairlifts. I Incorporated my Business into an LLC and Became a Full Fledged 100% Legal Member of the Small Business Entrepreneur world. With all the insurance and a Company Vehicle. Then between Dec. 2017 and Mar. 2018, I almost had to give it all up. Starting with The Motor Going on my work Van. Then Totaling My Replacement work Van, and Flatbed Trailer. I Thought I was Done For. Right after I Got Incorporated. So I Made a Decision. I’m Gonna Keep Pushing Through and Make It all work. Too much time and Effort to Just Give up. I was Invested. So I got back up. and Made it Thru 2 more Years. Till Covid Hit….

Much to my surprise I didn’t suffer much through Covid. It messed with me some But Being an Essential Business it was mostly Business as usual. Materials became an issue, Face masks, and eventually I even Got the Virus myself. With extra Funds From the SBA I was able to get through 2020 unscathed. January of 2021 Stairlifts opened back up for me after Radio silence for all of 2020. I was Bombarded with soo many installs that I had created a rift with my Friend. The Construction Contractor From Earlier who Had Become a Premiere Western Oklahoma Home Builder. With this Rift I Realized that my time with him was Coming to an end and in Oct. 2021 He told me He Could No longer Use my services. That Hit me Hard. His Houses were 80% of my income. So I Turned To the Stairlifts. Widened my Coverage area and Started Going To Wichita KS, and Dallas TX. With this expansion Came quite a bit of work and I was able to Get A pretty Good System Going. Texas 1 Week Kansas and Oklahoma the Next. Back and Forth.

I Don’t Mind all the Driving. I can mostly set my own schedule and Do the Lifts In order of where they are located based on Google Maps. Closest First Furthest away last and take it easy on my way back home. Best Part of the Travel is those 600 mile Tax Write offs. I Enjoy what I do. I Get to not only install new units but I service old ones. I have expanded my area once again into Houston and Central Texas. With that Being Said i spend a lot of Hours on the Highways. But I’m doing My best to Take Care of my Customers. I’m Glad to Be a representative for the Company I do work for. I’m Subcontracting For a Company whose Owners Were the original Owners of Ameriglide and Built it from the Ground up then Sold Ameriglide to some Canadians and started other Businesses. There are 3 generations Running these Companies and I am Glad I Have been able to Be part of Such a successful team. They are Close knit and at least in their home office in North Carolina I’m Sure they are like A Big family. I love Family. I love Helping People. I love Dealing with the Elderly, and Disabled. Get to have a lot of Good Conversation. some Laughs. and Get work Done Doing something that is Completely for Their Benefit. I thank my Previous Customers and all Future customers i get the opportunity to Help. These aren’t Just stairlifts these are a way to make your life better.

For my Future Goals. I’m hoping to Become a Dealer on a couple of the Brands I already know. I am already a Staying Home Corporation LLC. Dealer and am in the Process of Trying to Get Set up with Harmar. I am also trying to Get my Elevator Mechanic License So I can Install the SHC Home Elevators. Dumbwaiters, and Vertical Platform Lifts. Stairlifts are kinda considered In the Elevator family but are not as Big or have as many moving Parts. Stairlifts can Be installed by DIY or by a Handyman so a license Is Expected But not Required. But that is one of My Goals. My next goal is to Expand into other Electronics For making Homes more accessible. Smart Home Automation Products. I am actually very good with electronics. Come From a Family of Tech type people and it is just in my blood. I am starting with just The Smart, Battery Powered or plug into an outlet type Home automation Devices and will later expand into Hardwired But I’ll have to have a licensed Electrician on my payroll for that. Start small, work your way up. I am an Innovative and Inventive type person so I’m sure we will see some unique things come out.

Another of my Goals is to Set Up a Store Front Business where I can Have my Products Displayed and showcased, with a woodshop in the Back For The Aging In Place Projects. Aging In Place Certified is still a Goal as Well, Because Home Automation, General Construction and Handyman Services and Stairlifts and their related products are all Part of Aging in Place. Making Homes more livable and Comfortable For Elderly, and Disabled. ease of access9Functionality), Comfort, and Security being the Focus. Last But Not Least is Home Inspection Service. With my knowledge in Construction, I will be taking that Knowledge and Ensuring that People are living in safe and secure buildings that are up to Code and Fully Functional. But First is the Schooling. These are my Future Goals and I am Planning accordingly. One Thing at a time. one Step at a Time and Never Give Up.

Thank you for Reading and as always.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Alot of Times when a Person Gets to the point they Cant Get around like they normally would. Aspects of their home can become….well, a pain. it is important to Have Everything as Convenient and Easy to Access as Possible. First and Foremost is the Bathroom. This Room Has the Most Dangers and is usually so small that movement becomes limited. If there is no way to make the bathroom Bigger then you have to improvise. Residential homes Dont really have the Stipulations that the ADA likes businesses to have so you can Do what you can to accomodate yourself. Grab Bars are essential. and taking out Hardwood Floors that can easily create slipping is another option. Taller Toilets, with a bigger bowl. and Maybe a bench seat inside the shower. The Point is to make Everything as Safe and easy to use as Possible.

Next Is the Kitchen. I bring this up Because as you get older or limited on movement you may have problems Reaching things. Getting on your knees for the Lower Cabinets can be hard when you try getting back up. and reaching stuff in the upper cabinets can become a chore since you may not be able to climb on top of the counter like you used to. Soo, what do you Do. There are Hardware inserts that you can Purchase that allow you to pull shelves in the lower cabinets up. to waist height and pull things in upper cabinets down to chest height. But that Can Get Pricey. Next is the sink faucet. Having a taller faucet with a good spray nozzel helps tremendously and since i also do Home Automation. I would suggest investing in the hands free. on a limited budget you are limited to what you can get.

as far as Appliances Go there are not a lot of options For making life more convenient but I would Recommend changing the lighting to Smart bulbs and setting important smaller countertop appliances on smart switches so they can be activated by voice command. But that is not something Most People on Social Security or V.A. Benefits can afford. So instead I would at least try to save some money on the power bill with energy efficient Daylight Bulbs, and water softeners. if you can afford them.

Next are your entrys. Most People dont think about things like this till they are older but wheelchair Ramps, Handrails, and General Maintenance on your porches or decks can Save alot of Problems later down the Road. I would suggest Getting Rid of things that are Rotting like Deck Boards. There are no real specifics on the door or screen door unless you are wanting to bring a wheelchair in. But For Security it would be Good to Have a Ring Camera Doorbell and a alarm system Magnet For the Door. and possibly a Smart Handle for your Door Lock. Garages are normally less of a Concern but they can still use some level of security. The whole House Should Have Good smoke detectors but Quality and Type Matter. there are new Smart smoke alarms that will send alerts to your phone if something seems off. like smoke or Carbon Monoxide in the air and they will stop shouting at you when you wave your arm. Soo that is Pretty neat. Overall Your Home Automation setup should be tailored to fit you and your lifestyle.

Everyone has their own taste, Colors, Styles. Home designs and Compatible devices Like Cell Phones, Tablets, Smart Speakers. and even your Microsoft or apple Computers. Fit Bits. and many other electronic devices. Each Product Bundle you order should be specifically Designed to fit you and your Home. There will be a basic Bundle for the Basic Products for each style Like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Linux, and even Tesla is coming out with new products. Staying up to date on the Technology is ideal For making life simpler. I know that is Hard to Believe……it is about making Life Easier for you and Those that might be Helping you in your inner Circle. Technology Can Play a part and is scary or intimidating to alot of the older community but Having an open mind and being willing to try even a basic setup can help you make Life Easier.

There are safety Programs Put into the Devices that protect you and your Family from even People that are trying to watch you or get your information. There are Safeguards. so if you are afraid of someone hacking into your cameras or listening in on your conversations there are safeguards that only have to be Turned on when installing the devices. I am able to help with that.

That is what I’m all about. Helping People. Email me to discuss your needs and I’ll try to find a Bundle to Fit you. These products Can be Costly But I will Come install them and Teach you how to use them once installed. Lets see what works for you.

rqcllc2018@gmail.com

Ok. So as I said in my last blog post on Aging in Place. It is a service to help aid people for their own independent living. Now I would like to get to specifics on what this service provides. First and foremost. It provides accessibility solutions for your stairs. Personally, I am a chairlift/stairlift installer. I provide installation and service for brands such as Ameriglide, Harmar, and SHC(staying home corporation) stairlifts. I do new installations. Uninstalls. And service calls for these lifts. As with anybody that provides a service or product. They have their own favorites. And can tell you the pros and cons for each product. Which is what this specific blog is going to do.

So we will start with Ameriglide. Good company. Sturdy lifts. They have their prized lift that I’ve installed and repaired numerous times. The Ameriglide Horizon Model. This is a good machine. When it works. Problem is the charging ports are also the emergency stops for going up and down the rail. They have limit switches that tell it to stop but if it is going too fast down the rail it can go past the stopper and the gear that drives it. This Gear Being plastic, can break off teeth. And won’t function correctly (makes a popping sound going up or down the rail). Though as long as it is doing normal work at normal speeds it works fine. Other issue with this lift is the wiring tends to come lose from the harnesses. And ground it out causing it to throw the wonderful final limit code. And if you are thorough you will spend hours looking for 1 loose wire in the highly electronic stairlift. Fun fun. But It is a Good machine For the Most Part.

Next is the SHC Legacy II stairlift. This machine is a good machine. Way better than the Horizon but not the best. This one is the generic stairlift that just gets the job done. But for Bigger people I would suggest the next size up for their weight. The Rubex is the big boy of the SHC brand. Both the legacy and Rubex are very good machines. But with the legacy. My problem is the rail. You see. On the bottom of the lift is a wire charger. And the rail is kinda in the C shape in design. So for the charger wire to be close enough to the copper charging strip on the rail the wire may have to be bent some or the top plate on the rail has Allen’s on the side that you can tighten to close the Gap in the C rail bringing the copper charger closer to the wire. But other than the charging issue. This is a good machine. When I first started installing these they had a wire in a plastic chain that would catch on the gear under the unit. But they have changed that design flaw and put in a small wire that can run under the rail. So the legacy I give a B+ the Rubex has a solid A. But the Rubex nearly requires 2 strong guys to carry the motor up the stairs for install. Other than that. The Rubex is a great machine. It is the ox of the stairlifts I have installed. All muscle. And weighs a ton.

Last but certainly not least is the Harmar Rave II. And the upgrade version for heavy weight contenders the Pinnacle. Overall the rave and pinnacle are basically the same unit. The Pinnacle has a bigger stronger motor but goes on the same rail but comes with a bigger seat and extra hardware for strength. Both are amazing units. Super easy to install. Fun to assemble and rarely have I had any problems with these units. But with any unit there can Be Problems. I have had multiple Call backs on my installs because the Finger limit switches under the Machine stop working and the Motor has to Be replaced. This is Due to Harmar not being able to get the parts from manufacturers they used to get before covid and shipping problems soo they had to go with a more Off Brand set of Parts. Causing this Costly array of Service calls and Return Trips. (Thanks COVID19) and with any Battery Powered Products you should Be aware of your Temperature variations when ordering a stairlift. The Rave, Horizon and several others are Battery powered with charging ports. When the Temperature Drops below Freezing the Batteries Don’t have Cold Cranking Amps so they will not put out enough power to move your unit. If you think there is a likelihood of Low temperatures I would suggest Going with a Wired unit instead, like a Rubex. Putting them in your uninsulated Garage or Barn Can still reach below Freezing temperatures in the winter months for most places that have cold weather. Just something to discuss with your salesman.

The Rave and Pinnacle get my A+ rating even with this issue. They cost a little more than the Horizon but the higher price is worth it. With stairlifts. Generally. You get what you pay for. And with the rave and pinnacle you definitely get your money’s worth.

The Rave Has 3 Variations to its Design. There is the Basic Rave II unit that is “all the Rave” today. Works as a basic unit. and There is the Pinnacle. Supporting up to 600lbs and Takes up more space on the stairs due to its larger seat design. But it is relatively the same as the Rave II just More Beefed up. Then There is the Helix. This is a fun one. Takes several months for measuring, ordering, Building the Rail. Delivery and Finally, install. Looking at 3 months generally speaking. This is because of the Curved rail having to be measured with precise Technological System and Built and tested taken apart and delivered to you, the Customer. It is a similar machine in many aspects to the Rave II but it is way different. This unit is on Rollers and rolls up the rail with a gear on the machine and a Gear rack as part of the Rail. The rail Is designed with safety in mind and so It extends quite a bit past the first step and ends with the footrest level with the top landing. i really enjoy this unit and Harmar Has a special Team devoted to Just the Curved Rail Helix Style, But For one of these you can easily spend $12,000. ouch. but it is worth it in the end. Riding up and down the rail almost feeling like you are floating on air.

So to sum up everything. I provide installation and service to 3 different brands. 5 different styles and I’m wanting to add savaria and Bruno lifts to my stairlift choices and will be doing review blogs on them as well when I do. But for now you have my ratings from a service tech and installer. B for the horizon. B+ for the legacy. A for the Rubex. And A+ for the Rave II and pinnacle. So when you decide to purchase a stairlift. You have a little knowledge now on which ones are good better and best. Until next time. See ya!!!

What is Aging in Place? It is the concept of opening the Door to Independent Living. Age people get older, sick, develop disabilities. Life can get Hard, people end up needing extra care and help doing things they used to do on their own. There are many options available. Home health and hospice. Nursing homes or assisted living centers for the elderly. But Aging in Place is simply an option to keep people from having to move in with a family member. An assisted living center. Or sell their family home and downsize if you don’t have to.

I grew up living a meager lifestyle. And it was a real treat when we could go spend time with my grandparents. They had a big 2 story house with a full attic and full basement. It felt like a mansion to me growing up. When I was a teenager my grandpa got sick. His feet started swelling up and rotting. Smelled bad too. My grandma had to take care of him. Family got the lift chair. Hospital beds. The works to help my grandma take care of him. But after my grandpa died. That big house became a big burden for my grandma. She couldn’t climb the stairs anymore and every day happenings became difficult projects. She ended up auctioning off the house and everything else. Now she lives in a small 2 bed rented apartment with her cat.

You see? My grandma could have possibly kept her home if she would’ve been able to make the whole house Aging in Place sufficient. Adding handrails on the walls and showers. Around the toilets. Pull down shelving for upper cabinets. Pull up shelving for lower cabinets. Wider doorways for her rolator or wheelchairs. Stairlifts for the stairs. And an electronic voice system installed throughout the home for turning off lights. T.v. and other regularly used devices. Keeping a home as HOME.

That is what Rhodes Quality Construction LLC does for our customers. With our Aging in Place service. Always doing quality work to keep you Living Independent. Go to Http//:RQCconstruction.us for photos and more information.