McKittrick Homes, an expert in building Universal Design homes, has won a Platinum Achievement Award from the National Association of Home Builders for their aging in place homes. Universal Design homes incorporate features like wide hallways and doors, lever handles, and first floor bedrooms and laundry rooms that make the homes accessible and comfortable for seniors or those with physical limitations. A McKittrick Universal Design home owner says their home looks and feels like any other new home but is safer and more livable with fewer constraints. Winning this award positions McKittrick Homes as a leader in the growing seniors housing market.

1. • As seen in New Homes Journal
cKittrick Homes, the area’s expert in building • Multi-level kitchen counters and removable
Universal Design homes, has been recognized by cabinet fronts.
the National Association of Home Builders’ • Elevators.
(NAHB) Best of Seniors Housing Awards
• First-floor master bedrooms, baths and laundry rooms.
Program with their Platinum Achievement Award for
Aging In Place homes. • Adjusted appliance heights, controls, openings, and
many more.
The Best of Seniors Housing Awards Program, instituted
in 1992 by the NAHB Seniors Housing Council, celebrates “What we really love about Randy McKittrick’s
the best and most successful seniors projects as well as Universal Design home, is how it doesn’t appear to be any
recognizing visionary projects still “on the boards”. The different than any other typical new home,” says Judy and
program showcases the finest projects from active Jerry Bateman, owners of a McKittrick home since
adult communities and senior apartments to CCRCs and October of last year. “Our home is simply a beautifully
assisted living communities. built, very livable new home.”
A distinguished panel of experienced architects, According to Randy McKittrick, building the ideal
marketing experts and other industry professionals judge home is the result of thoughtful planning, constant
projects in 108 categories of seniors housing design communication and a loyal commitment to the home-
and marketing. Platinum, Gold and Silver awards are owner. McKittrick is a third-generation home builder and
March 2005
presented, as well as special awards for innovation. is steadfast in his belief that providing quality and
performance is a responsibility shared by everyone
McKittrick Homes specializes in building Universal
involved in the building of each new home. This
Design homes that concentrate on the designing of
philosophy holds true for the beautiful, traditional custom
products and spaces to make them usable by all people to
homes McKittrick is also known for.
the greatest extent possible. There are many features of
Universal Design that can be incorporated into a home as “By customizing a home with Universal Design
it is being built that will eliminate the need for making features, all members of the household will benefit from a
adaptations at a future time. These accommodations safer home that imposes fewer constraints on daily
make daily life considerably easier for many seniors and/or activities,” explains McKittrick. “Many of us are faced with
physically challenged people. the challenge of caring for an elderly family member.
Universal Design allows a family to live together in
Universal Design provides many thoughtful, stylish
preferred places, instead of facing the emotional and
solutions to help people comfortably stay in their homes,
economic cost of moving or institutionalizing a family
such as:
member. Households can ‘age in place’ over their lifecycle
• Lever handles on doors allowing for one-handed without incurring significant remodeling expenses.”
operation.
Winning this Platinum Award has allowed McKittrick
• Lever handles on faucets and no-step shower entries Homes to position their products among the finest on
for safe, easy use. the market today. The seniors housing market is the new
• No-step porches and ramps. thoroughbred of the housing industry. It’s rapid growth is
• Wider hallways and doorways for easy maneuvering. fueled by the millions of baby boomers who are entering
the hot, active adult market. Their influx has forced the
• Stratiegic placement of
industry to design and develop new products and services
wall outlets and
for the 55+ consumer as well as revamp their marketing
light switches.
strategies.
For more information about Universal Design or other
McKittrick Homes, call 913-402-1961, or visit
www.mckittrickhomes.com. Many Universal
Design features are showcased in McKittrick
Homes’ award winning model home located in
St. James Court at 11108 West 132nd Place in
Overland Park.

2. Quality Homes Built With Good Sense To Last A Lifetime,
McKittrick Homes Is Universal Design In Kansas City
T he process of building a new home demands
that a myriad of decisions be made before and
during construction. Once the home is completed,
forced to move to another home or going to a care
facility. We strive to build the home the homeowner
really wants, not a home based on a preconceived
designs in plumbing are prevalent.
McKittrick Homes’ expertise in building Universal
how comfortable and user-friendly the home is to notion of what someone else thinks they should Design homes is not only appreciated and enjoyed
the homeowner is ultimately determined by those have.” by homeowners such as the Batemans, it has
decisions. recently been recognized with the “Platinum
In October of last year, Jerry and Judy Bateman Achievement Award” for Aging In Place homes by
moved into their Universal Design home in St. the National Association of Home Builders’
Andrews Court. Jerry has lived with MS for 20- Seniors Housing Council. The NAHB Seniors
years and loves how the new home that Randy Housing Awards program celebrates the best and
McKittrick built for them allows him to live much most successful seniors’ projects and recognizes
more independently. Because of wider hallways, visionary projects still on the boards. This
front entry ramp, elevator, specially designed national recognition of McKittrick Homes comes
appliances and many other features, Jerry is able as no surprise to the Batemans.
to easily move around the
house on his scooter while “You won’t find a more sincere
performing routine daily and caring person than
chores such as laundry and Randy,” says Judy Bateman.
cooking. “We educated him on what
Jerry Bateman enjoys the elevator because he our specific needs were and he
can now manuver around the house with ease. “We considered retirement built our home to those
living,” Jerry said. “But I exacting details. We had a
Not surprisingly, many new home buyers’ initial decided I wanted a new home great building experience with
decisions involve the basic floor plan and general where I could maintain my Randy. If something needed
aesthetics of the home; ranch or multi-story, independence. We looked in fixing or adjusted, he immediately
walk-out or daylight, colors, treatments, finishes, a 100 mile radius of Kansas saw that it was taken care of.”
etc. But as a large segment of the population City, and Randy is the only
builder who could offer us a McKittrick Homes believes
inches towards retirement age, more consideration that the successful completion
must be given to making decisions based on home with Universal Design.
The instant we looked at his of any new home begins with
definite and predictable future needs and lifestyle listening to the wants and
changes. model home, we knew it was
the solution to our needs.” needs of their customers.
This forward thinking is the driving force behind “Only then can we deliver
the concept of Universal Design, the art of The concept of Universal well-designed living environ-
designing products and spaces to make them Design concentrates on spe- ments that create comfortable
usable by all people to the greatest extent possible. cific “zones” in residential Jerry and Judy Bateman lifestyles with remarkable
There are many features of Universal Design that homes. The “Whole House doing the dishes value,” says Randy McKittrick.
can be incorporated into a home as it is being built Zone” incorporates such items as strategically “Expanding customer satisfaction comes from
that will eliminate the need for making placed switches, wall outlets and window sills as years of progressive and responsible building.
adaptations at a future time. These accommoda- well as adjustable rods in the Knowing the right vendors, utilizing the best
tions make daily life considerably easier for many closets. The “Entry and Transition Zone” is where materials and offering consistent follow-through
people, including seniors and/or physically low thresholds, door widths and handles, ramps, drives our company. Build It Right. Build It To Last.”
challenged people. hallway widths, wheelchair turning space and
other items are taken into consideration. For more information about Universal
In the Kansas City Metro area, Randy McKittrick The “Kitchen Zone” deals with Design and McKittrick Homes,
of McKittrick Homes, is the torch bearer for appliances, counters and call 913-402-1961, or visit
Universal Design. McKittrick, a third generation cabinets, and the www.mckittrickhomes.com.
home builder, operates from the steadfast belief “Bathroom
that building the ideal home is a direct result of Zone” is
thoughtful planning, constant communication where
and loyal commitment to the homeowner. special
“Customizing a home with Universal Design
features makes a home safer and easier to live in
regardless of age or physical challenges,” explains
McKittrick. “Universal Design affords individuals
the opportunity to ‘age in place’ rather than being
AS SEEN IN NEW HOMES JOURNAL • MARCH 2005