How it works
From curious
to confident.
No showroom. No sales pressure. No manufacturer agreements shaping what gets recommended. Here’s exactly how the process works — from your first question to a chair that fits.
Step 1 — Explore freely, ask questions
Start anywhere. Browse the guides, read the comparisons, or just send an email with your situation. There’s no intake form, no account to create, and no obligation. Most people come in knowing roughly what they need but unclear on the tradeoffs — that’s exactly what this resource is for.
Use the Ask Daryl form on any guide page, or email daryl@wheelchair.direct directly. You’ll get a real answer — not a bot response, not a sales pitch, not a referral to a showroom. If the answer to your question is “that chair isn’t worth the money,” that’s what you’ll hear.
You don’t need a referral or a prescription to start. Anyone can reach out. If insurance or Medicare is part of the picture later, we’ll figure out what documentation is needed at that point.
Step 2 — Book an evaluation ($200, credited toward your purchase)
When you’re ready to get serious, the evaluation is where the real work happens. The $200 fee reserves your time and is credited in full toward your purchase — so if you order a chair, you pay $200 less. If you decide not to order, you keep a detailed, independent assessment of your needs that you can use however you like.
The evaluation is done virtually, over video call, on your schedule. We cover:
- Your daily life — where you go, what surfaces you navigate, how much you transfer, how active you are.
- Your body — seated measurements, postural needs, arm strength, any skin integrity considerations.
- Your environment — home layout, vehicle, whether the chair needs to fold, weight limits for transport.
- Your budget and timeline — what’s realistic, what’s worth the cost difference, what can wait.
By the end, you’ll have a specific recommendation — not a range of options to pick from blindly, but a clear answer: this chair, this configuration, here’s why. If there’s a meaningful tradeoff worth knowing, you’ll know it.
The evaluation is independent. I don’t have distribution agreements or volume targets with any manufacturer. The recommendation is never shaped by what earns more — it’s shaped by what fits your life.
Step 3 — Order directly, at better prices
Once you’re ready to order, I configure and place the order directly on your behalf. Because I don’t publish prices publicly, I’m not bound by Minimum Advertised Price agreements — the contractual rules that force retailers like Spinlife or 1800Wheelchair to charge more than they’d like to online. That means you get the chair at a price most storefronts legally can’t advertise.
You don’t need to manage the configuration process yourself. Custom wheelchairs have dozens of spec options — frame color, upholstery, wheel size, caster type, armrest style, footrest length, and more. I handle all of that based on your evaluation, and confirm the full spec sheet with you before anything is ordered.
- Typical lead times are 4–8 weeks depending on the manufacturer and model.
- You’ll receive tracking information when the chair ships.
- I’m reachable during the wait if anything changes or you have questions.
Step 4 — Delivery and setup
The chair ships directly to you. Once delivery is confirmed, we schedule a virtual setup call — included with every order — to walk through unboxing, initial configuration, and any adjustments you can make yourself. Footrest height, back angle, wheel camber locks, anti-tip adjustment: most of these are user-serviceable with the right guidance, and doing them correctly from the start matters.
If something doesn’t feel right in the first few weeks — positioning, fit, a part that needs adjustment — reach out. That conversation is part of the service, not an extra charge.
Common questions
Do I have to do an evaluation to order?
No. If you already know exactly what you want and have a quote from another vendor, I can match or beat that price and place the order without an evaluation. See how the price-match process works. That said, if you haven’t been properly measured for the chair, I can’t be responsible for whether the fit is right — and a poorly fitted wheelchair has real consequences. If there’s any doubt, the $200 evaluation is worth it.
Can I use insurance or Medicare?
The short answer is: it depends on the chair. Medicare and most insurance plans have specific coverage rules for power wheelchairs and complex rehab technology. Manual ultralight chairs are less commonly covered unless there’s documented clinical necessity. If insurance coverage is part of what you’re figuring out, bring that up early — it shapes the process significantly.
What if I have a therapist already?
Great — I work alongside therapists, not instead of them. If your PT or OT is handling the clinical documentation, I can focus entirely on equipment selection, sourcing, and ordering. If you don’t have a therapist but need one for insurance purposes, I can point you toward the right kind of specialist.
What brands do you work with?
Any of them. Quickie, TiLite, Ki Mobility, Colours, Permobil, Quantum, Motion Composites — I have no preferred vendor. The manufacturer is chosen based on which chair is right for you, not on who offers the best deal to me.
Ready to start?
Book an evaluation, or just ask a question.
The evaluation is $200, credited in full toward your purchase. Or if you’d rather start with a question, email daryl@wheelchair.direct and you’ll hear back within one business day.