Build by Krueger has been building accessible homes in Colorado for over five years. Through Homes For Our Troops we built multiple truly accessible homes for veterans that go beyond ADA standards. This includes wider doorways and hallways, automatic door openers, roll under counters, stove tops, and sinks. Something we’re seeing many new remodels decide to add to their project are the zero entry showers, and bathtubs. We sat down with two recipients of a Homes For Our Troops home on the podcast and chatted about how accessible homes and the important impact they have to healthy lives.
We’ve On this episode of Built By Insights, Matt Krueger sits down with Adam and Amanda Popp. They are recipients of a custom‑built accessible home through Homes For Our Troops (HFOT). This home is designed to their daily life safer and provide an ease in their home for decades to come as their family grows and Adam ages in place. Built By Krueger had the honor to be selected as a builder and we worked with Homes For Our Troops to put together The Popps’ house and three other Homes For Our Troops Homes through the Colorado Front Range.
Adam Popp shared his path from United States Air Force EOD specialist to para‑athlete and coach. In this final installment, Adam and Amanda focus on a different kind of transformation.
"I'm physically pretty fit now and still having challenges with in my own home right now. And it's only going to get worse as I age. Like this disability I have is not going away. I have it for life and it's only going to get more difficult as time goes on, as I age. So being able to age in place in a home like this and literally having our family be in this home for the rest of my life, removing these challenges and being able to chase my kids around without the fear of falling downstairs and hurting myself in my own home is just, you know, like, what more can you ask for to be able to live daily in a place where you feel comfortable and safe and happy."
Quick Facts About Adam Popp
- Service: 12 years, USAF EOD
- Deployments: Baghdad, Iraq (2004-2005); Afghanistan (2007)
- Injury: Improvised Explosive Device detonation in Afghanistan, December 7, 2007
- Recovery: ~1.5 years of intensive surgeries and rehab.
- Return to Running: Began with a running prosthetic on April 15, 2015
- Athletic Achivements: Ten-time Guinness World Record Holder as a para‑athlete, First above-knee amputee to complete a 100-mile ultramarathon within 30 hours. Also he’s won the 2024 Boston Marathon’s Para Elite division (T61/63)
- Family: Amanda, one young son, and a daughter on the way at time of recording.
- Home: Recipient of an HFOT accessible home, designed for independence and aging in place
- Coaching: Adam is a Sport and Performance Coach in Colorado with Couch to 100.
What Homes For Our Troops Does
Homes For Our Troops partners with top custom builders to construct accessible, mortgage‑free homes that are then given to & tailored to veterans’ needs. In the episode, we talk about how HFOT focuses on quality, details, and a complete family experience, then hands over the keys. The organization is donor‑funded and community‑driven, which keeps the mission focused on supporting veterans.
Note from the episode: HFOT began in 2004 and was approaching its 400th home. The team continuously incorporates veteran feedback to improve accessibility, safety, and comfort.
"What I love about the organization is they reached out and they could hire any builder, but they're pretty specific. They want the best builders around to be building these homes for them. I mean, it's all, you know, it's a big foundation. It's a 501(c)(3) all their money is donated. So I think it was really intriguing to me that they were like, we want [Built By Krueger]."
Pictured Above: Custom Built Homes For Our Troops Accessible Home for another project.
Why an Accessible Home Matters
After Adam’s injury, everyday home features became daily hazards. The risk is not theoretical. Falls on stairs happen. Carrying a child while navigating a tight landing can turn into an emergency.
"After my injury, I've lived in a lot of, places with stairs or other like hazards. Most people wouldn't see that as, a challenge, right? But every day I'm waking up and having to carry my 2 year old son down the stairs and hoping I don't fall like I have done several times on my own. Luckily, never with him. But even as a pretty fit person and pretty decent mobility, it's still a challenge that I see every day."
HFOT’s approach prioritizes safety, mobility, and adaptability. The home is built to match the family’s life now, with pathways to stay safe and independent decades from now.
Inside the HFOT Home: Key Features That Change Daily Life
No Stairs, Single‑Level Living
Adam does not use a wheelchair day to day, but he uses crutches regularly and expects mobility needs to evolve. A no‑stair design reduces fall risk, simplifies carrying children and gear, and prepares for future wheelchair use.
Wide Pathways and Doors
Clearances and turning radiuses are planned for wheelchair accessibility. Daily movement through bedrooms, hallways, and bathrooms becomes frictionless rather than fatiguing.
Hands‑Free Access
Automated or hands‑free door functions help when carrying children or balancing on crutches, reducing the chance of a misstep at thresholds.
Safe Room / Tornado Shelter
An integrated safe space offers both severe weather protection and a secure, quiet room for those who benefit from a calm, enclosed environment.
Backup Power
A generator keeps critical items running, including charging prosthetics, which cannot be left to chance during an outage.
Flat Lot and Exterior Access
Site selection and grading matter. HFOT’s process looks for a parcel that supports single‑level construction and flat approaches so outdoor spaces are usable.
High‑Quality Materials and Sponsors
The homes include donated products from national partners who meet HFOT’s durability and accessibility standards. The focus is long‑term performance.
How the Popp Family Connected With HFOT
Adam first heard about HFOT from a hospital friend around 2013 or 2014. Years later, a conversation at the Boston Marathon with an HFOT team member prompted him to apply. He went through interviews and was accepted.
Homes For Our Troops uses determination from the The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to select veterans eligible for Homes For Our Troops.
Then came the hardest part: finding the right lot. HFOT looks for a location that fits the family’s goals and the technical needs for accessibility. That took time, but the result was worth it. The property, neighborhood, and community support aligned with the family’s vision in Lafayette, Colorado.
Building With Purpose
At Built By Krueger, we could not be more aligned with HFOT’s mission. The work is meticulous and nonstandard by design. Floor heights, thresholds, door widths, circulation paths, cabinetry, controls, and systems are all planned to remove friction and risk. It is custom in the true sense of the word.
At Built By Krueger we are proud to be able to support a great cause that incorporates aspects of our mission of building with purpose.
Lessons for Accessible Custom Homes
- A flat lot matters. It allows for more flexibility in outdoor use. Also keeping everything single storied allows for easier maintenance.
- Plan for future mobility. We see this in some builds we make now, about the importance of future accessibility for aging in place. Plan for crutches and wheelchairs tomorrow.
- Safety is cumulative. No stairs, wider doors, hands‑free entries, all can add up to fewer risks and more energy for life.
- Power continuity matters. Backup power for prosthetics and medical devices is essential.
- Build for the family also. Accessible homes can be the family hosting place, that can allow a place for kids, and community to grow around.
How to Support and Learn More
- Learn more about Homes For our Troops and how to support their mission: Homes For Our Troops
- Follow Adam: (learn about his coaching, records, and upcoming events)
- Contact us about Accessible Builds Or Remodels
