The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law that protects access for people with disabilities. In addition to its antidiscrimination requirements, it sets standards for features like parking lots, bathrooms and building entrances. Some states have also passed accessibility legislation on top of the federal standards, which can make compliance more complex.
Property owners who fail to meet these requirements may face costly lawsuits. In California, the stakes are even higher because the Unruh Civil Rights Act, also known as Civil Code Section 51, allows Californians to recover monetary damages for civil rights violations.
ADA compliance is essential for any construction project in California. It creates a welcoming, accessible environment for everyone while helping you avoid expensive legal issues.
What’s the Difference Between the ADA and California’s Title 24?
The ADA is a federal law that guarantees equal access for those with disabilities. Meanwhile, Title 24, part of the California Building Standards Code, is a state‑specific set of accessibility requirements for buildings.
Title 24 often includes stricter construction standards than the ADA, which you should review before starting any new project. You can learn more through the California Commission on Disability Access or work with a qualified contractor who can help you meet all required accessibility guidelines.
If your project falls short of these rules, you risk expensive fines and class‑action lawsuits. In extreme cases, you may need to rebuild portions of the structure, which can cost thousands or millions of dollars.
How to Be ADA-Compliant in Construction Projects in California
ADA compliance construction in California takes time and effort. It requires a thorough understanding of grade, budgeting guidelines and the needs of people who live with disabilities.
While the complete list of standards is too extensive for this article, we can still focus on the foundational elements of ADA in construction.
- Evaluate existing slabs and gradients: During preconstruction, you can use advanced 3D laser scanning to identify irregularities in your slabs and gradients. These can create uneven and unusable surfaces for those with disabilities and lead to compliance failures if you don’t catch and fix them early.
- Upgrade travel paths during renovations: Updating a primary function area, such as a lobby or break room, also affects the surrounding areas. That’s why the ADA requires upgrading entrances, restrooms and travel routes when renovating. If you don’t, your building may fail to meet updated compliance standards.
- Consider the 20% rule: If you must upgrade travel paths during a renovation, bear in mind that these expenses should make up no more than 20% of the adjusted construction costs. This cap can significantly impact your plans and budget.
- Partner with a certified access specialist: A CASp provides a higher level of scrutiny than your typical plan checker. They use their training to identify and resolve accessibility concerns before they become an issue later. They can even give you “qualified defendant” status in a lawsuit.
- Partner with an ADA-compliant construction contractor: Working with a contractor who understands the ADA and Title 24 can make your project more accessible to everyone and shield you from fines and other compliance issues. An informed construction contractor will also finish their project correctly the first time, saving you time and money in the long run.
Common ADA Construction Violations in California
Property owners and construction contractors who are unaware of the ADA can unintentionally violate it. Here are five of the most typical violations in California.
- Inaccessible parking: According to the 2024 CCDA Annual Report, parking violations are the most common ADA violation. Narrow dimensions and striping issues have impeded access and comfort for thousands of people with disabilities, while causing legal headaches for businesses.
- Impassible paths of travel: Many buildings lack ramps and elevators or have halls and doorways that are too narrow for wheelchairs to pass through. Either way, these issues limit who can use your building and directly contradict the ADA.
- Steep parking gradients: According to the ADA’s parking guidelines, spaces must not exceed a 2.08% slope in any direction. Those that go over this limit violate the ADA, as steeper gradients cause unstable footing and make wheelchairs harder to control.
- Crowded floor space in bathrooms: Wall finishes like ceramic tile and thick drywall reduce the available floor space and make it harder to use the toilets and sinks in public restrooms, which runs counter to the ADA. If you renovate your bathroom, be sure to preserve or expand the floor space for those who need it.
- Heavy doors: Interior doors and gates that require more than 5 pounds of force to open can be challenging for older adults and people with disabilities, impeding their ability to maneuver around the building and evacuate quickly in an emergency.
How to Select a Qualified ADA Compliance Contractor
An ADA-compliant contractor can benefit any construction project, saving money and time while ensuring your building meets everyone’s needs. Look for these criteria to separate the best ADA-compliant construction in California from their competitors.
- Unified responsibility: The design-build construction method puts the architect and construction crew under the same roof. This proximity simplifies communication and thus decreases your compliance risk. It can even lower up-front expenses.
- Thorough documentation: The best construction contractors take regular pictures to document the framing and rough-in stages. Then, they use software like Procore to keep you informed and prepare for compliance assessments.
- Local regulatory expertise: Most importantly, your contractor must hold a state license and have experience in California’s regulatory environment so you can be confident they understand the ADA and state-specific regulations like Title 24. If they don’t, they can put you at risk.
Partner With Alta Construction for ADA-Compliant Construction
Alta Construction’s licensed team takes state and federal compliance seriously. We’re well‑versed in the regulatory complexities that accompany each project. We also excel at integrating emerging technologies into our process and use the latest software to make collaboration seamless. To learn more, fill out our contact form or call us at 951-279-2762.
