Universal Design - More than just a Grab Bar

Annemarie Diaz, Development and Engagement • July 14, 2022

TRS is proud to have staff certification in Universal Design by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)! 


NARI’s UDCP program recognizes professionals who have demonstrated a dedication to assisting clients with making their home safer and more accessible, while employing the latest design trends. This prestigious certification is reserved for professionals who have demonstrated tenure in the industry, satisfied continuing education requirements, and abide by the NARI Code of Ethics and the NARI Standards of Practice. Achieving certification requires that professionals demonstrate expertise in the areas of Universal Design Fundamentals, Client Needs Assessments, Design, Construction Techniques, Electrical Systems and Assistive Technology, Plumbing Systems, and Exterior Universal Design Considerations. 


There are a lot of terms in the industry that pertain to building and remodeling homes and commercial buildings to improve access. Universal Design (closely related to but broader than Aging in Place) is a design perspective that focuses on ensuring residential environments and products can be used by all members of the family, regardless of their age, size, or physical abilities, throughout each person’s life span. 


More and more of our clients have growing families with children being born, young people added through blended families, and older parents moving in with their adult children. Many of today’s households contain members of widely varying ages, sizes and abilities, a Universal Design approach helps us to think through how spaces will be and can be used by all members of the household. Having a staff member certified in Universal Design helps us to be able to educate our teams and clients on options which can make homes safer and more accessible for everyone.


The core principles of Universal Design include equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, ensuring information is perceptible, minimizing hazards, ease of physical effort, and thinking through size and space from a lens of accessibility. 


Contact us to learn more about how the concepts of Universal Design can be used to optimize functionality without compromising beauty in your new home build or remodel!


See more on Universal Design Certification at the NARI (National Association of Remodeling Industry) website

The TRS Build Process: From Design to Completion

By Annemarie Diaz • April 8, 2025
At TRS Build , we believe having good processes in place is essential to support efficient and smooth project delivery, from initial project development through design and construction. That is why we take great pride in our Design-Build process, ensuring every project we take on in Austin , Georgetown , and surrounding areas is completed with the utmost care and attention to detail. From the initial design consultation to the final walk-through, our goal is to provide a seamless and rewarding experience for our clients while delivering outstanding results. If you’re considering a home remodel , home addition , or custom home in Austin , understanding the process can help you feel confident in your decision to move ahead with a home remodel or construction. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the step-by-step process of working with TRS Build from design to completion, giving you insight into what makes our approach unique and why it’s trusted by homeowners throughout the Austin area.

Stability and Durability Start with a Solid Foundation: The TRS Build Approach

By Annemarie Diaz • March 10, 2025
The home foundation - one of the unsung heroes of new construction! It lacks the natural beauty of a hardwood ceiling, the refined finish of fine tile, the sparkle of a new quartz counter. It has its brief but fabulous moment as the star of the show when first breaking ground, then is soon covered by beautiful things that will carry all of the attention and applause. A good foundation's raison d'etre is to be forgotten below the beauty and never thought of again. But as builders we know, that massive block of cement (or collection of piers and beams) is one of the most crucial components of a new home or home addition, and deserves consideration as well for a major home remodel. When embarking on any home project, a key player in the final product that cannot be overlooked is the foundation. At TRS Build , we understand that a strong foundation is, literally ... the cornerstone of every successful new build and home addition. Whether you’re adding a room to your home, undertaking a complete remodel, or building from the ground up, the foundation ensures the long-term stability and durability of your entire project. In this blog post, we’ll explain why stability and durability begin with a solid foundation, and how we make sure the foundation of every TRS Build project is done right.

Why is it important to hire a NARI contractor?

By Annemarie Diaz, UDCP • February 3, 2025
My husband (who is also my business partner, apparently we truly can’t get enough of each other!) frequently says that we will become like the five people we spend the most time with, that we are shaped by the environment we choose to immerse ourselves in, and more importantly, the people in that environment. I think the same is true of our companies. That is why at TRS Build we choose to surround ourselves with fellow members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) . I was reminded of that this month during our Austin NARI Builder and Developer Roundtable meeting where I had the opportunity to engage with like-minded business owners, exchange ideas on what is working best to deliver to our clients, employees, and tradespeople, and I could personally share from our SERVICE value focus and the importance of trust and remaining trustworthy to our clients and team. We choose to spend time with other NARI members because they run reputable businesses, provide amazing results, and like ourselves, invest in knowing other reputable contractors and finding opportunities for us to learn from one another. Each of our companies is different in our value proposition and project focus, but we are all the same in our drive to raise the bar on customer experience and affirm the trust we have established over years or even decades of delivering to homeowners in and around Austin.