Imagine you're going to buy some land to build a house for you and your family to call home. You're going to have a list of things that your new home must have before you start building.
- a garden for the dog
- a garage for the car
- 3-4 rooms, 2 bathrooms
- a large living room
- an open concept kitchen
Before construction can start though, you'll need to have a plan, permits, approvals, hire a firm to do the construction and the finishes, then more checks to make sure everything is up to standard and it's safe for you to move in.
All this has a price. You see the estimate. It's a lot. You decide to take some shortcuts to bring the final price goes down.
- You can skip planning or forego permits and city approvals.
- Buy cheaper construction materials.
- Skip final checks and don't take out building insurance.
You've saved a lot of money.
Until you find out that you are not allowed to build without a permit and approvals, the walls are not sturdy because of the lower quality materials you bought and without insurance, you've pretty much sealed your fate in case of a fire.
So now you have to pay quite a lot more than if you did it right in the first place.
Just like building a house, accessibility requires proper planning, adhering to standards and employing the right expertise. Cutting corners might seem like you're lowering the price you have to pay, but it leads to far greater costs down the line.
Retrofitting costs, lost business opportunities, potential lawsuits and damage to your brand's reputation can quickly pile up and drive your costs through the roof. On the other hand, paying the price for accessibility from the start expands your customer base and fosters a positive brand reputation.
The upfront price of accessibility will seem daunting. But it outweighs the risks and potential consequences of non-compliance.
Accessibility has a price. Not being accessible has a cost. Either way, you will pay, but the amounts won't be the same. Far from it. Good accessibility is expensive. Poor accessibility will cost you a fortune.