ADA Construction Issues—Designed Right, Built Wrong! - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

Recorded On: 10/11/2025

Have you ever had an ADA violation at construction even though you know you designed it right? Our presentation goes beyond design to discuss why and how things go awry during construction. The slideshow will provide field examples from ADA consultants with over 1,000 ADA plan reviews and inspections completed.

Learning objectives:

Be able to describe the allowable construction tolerances when the code requires a minimum or a maximum for accessibility.
Understand the importance of differentiating between accessibility requirements at the local, state, and federal levels.
Know that an owner must maintain compliance at all times and that many common maintenance practices could create violations.
For designers and owners providing construction administration services: Know several items to be on the lookout for at your next site visit to prevent ADA violations.

Andrea LaCour, RAS, ADAC, APAC-BE

Co-Founder and Accessibility Specialist

Contour Collective

With her background as a teacher and designer, Mrs. LaCour brings a unique perspective to accessibility consulting. Andrea is a nationally certified ADA Coordinator, Certified Accessibility Professional, and a Registered Accessibility Specialist. She has 15 years experience in accessibility consulting with an extensive project list of over 1,000 projects across the country. She has presented at dozens of conferences from State, to National, and including designers, policy makers, and accessibility advocates. Andrea was recently named as winner of Austin's Under 40 Awards in 2024 for Architecture, Construction, and Engineering.

Elaine Andersen, RAS, ADAC, ABAC-BE

Co-Founder and Accessibility Specialist

Contour Collective

As a designer and accessibility specialist, Mrs. Andersen has over 22 years of experience in managing projects from the design phase through final construction. Elaine is a national expert in accessibility, having worked coast to coast, from California to the Carolinas. Her design and consulting experience includes extensive knowledge of building codes, accessibility standards, and ordinances for both commercial and residential facilities. She has served as the expert on hundreds of projects and has inspected over 1,000 facilities for compliance. Elaine is also a sought-after presenter on accessibility, having presented over 100 times on the topic.