Accessibility & Role of a Home Elevator

(Traditional) Personal Home Elevators

Personal home elevators are most often installed when the house is built, or installed during major renovations. These can be sized easily to be wheelchair friendly for mobility users, as well as configured by house designers and builders, in order to achieve full accessibility from (outside) grade to all floors within the home.

Personal home elevators are easier to install in new builds, but given enough space and renovation budget, they can be added to existing homes. Various drive types are available, depending on budget and desired performance (i.e., hydraulic, electric counter-weight, electric winding drum, etc.). There are many ease-of-use features to assist users in mobility devices or those with reduced abilities, such as handrails and automatic door openers.

Wheelchair Home Lifts or Vertical Platform Lifts (VPL)

Vertical Platform Lifts (also called Wheelchair Lifts) are a cost effective, all-weather device that’s perfect for helping those with a handicap who use a mobility device (i.e., wheelchair, scooters, etc.) to enter their home. VPLs require minor modifications to the porch area to accept the lift and make the landing safe for wheelchair users, as well as other disabled users. These residential wheelchair lifts are most often positioned on the front or rear porch, or in some cases, in the garage to help conceal the lift from view.

Some VPL models can be used to travel between floors on a budget, if they’re installed within a hoistway. In most cases, Vertical Platform Lifts are less luxurious than a traditional home elevator, due to the crude open platform, constant pressure controls, as well as the models being slower and noisier than other personal home elevators. These are limited to 2 or 3 stops, which makes them better than a stairlift for accessibility, but also requires a greater total project cost.

Shaftless / Through-the-Floor Elevator / Home Lift

A shaftless wheelchair home elevator is an enclosed cabin that travels through an aperture between two floors. Its drive system can be either electric or hydrualic. This is the best solution for disabled users from a total project cost POV, because the renovation is rather minor compared to constructing a full hoistway (or shaftway) running from the basement to the 2nd or 3rd floors.

However, because the system is not enclosed with a hoistway, it can only serve two floors, which limits these wheelchair lifts for home as a solution to connect all landings, including grade. Standard models are great for moving 1-2 people, as well as those with walkers  or users with a handicap that causes reduced mobility. Larger models are more suitable as wheelchair lifts for home to assist those with severe disabilities.

Remote controls allow the homeowner to call or send elevator cab at the click of a button, which is great for moving items between floors or making the wheelchair home lift disappear before company arrives.

A shaftless home elevator, also known as a through the floor elevator, is a type of residential elevator that doesn’t require a traditional shaft or hoistway for installation. Instead, it uses a unique floor plug system that allows it to be installed in a smaller space like a hallway or spare bedroom. This makes it a great option for homes with limited space or for retrofitting an existing home without the need for major renovations. A shaftless home elevator has various footprints and an easy-to-use control system. Safety features for shaftless elevators include: Safety sensors, a telephone and constant pressure controls. Overall, a shaftless home elevator offers a cost-effective, space-saving solution for seniors looking to add an elevator to their home.

Inclined Platform Lift (IPL)

A “bolt-on” lifting device that can carry a disabled wheelchair user up and down an existing staircase on a level platform. The platform folds up when the lift is not in use, so the stairs remain open and passable for other people in the home.

These residential wheelchair lifts are rather expensive; especially if the stairway is not a straight run, which most are not.  Designs that curve are custom made and can be extremely expensive.  Most residential stairways are not wide enough to accommodate this device, which is why they’re usually found in public places that have a wider staircase and need to regularly accommodate those with a mobility handicap (i.e., professional offices, houses of worship, community centers, restaurants, etc.).

Stairlift

This is a chair that rides diagonally up a railing, which is attached to the stairway treads of a home. The most common solution for seniors that have trouble with stairs and those with mobility issues. However, these home lifts for the disabled are not ideal for someone that uses a wheelchair or mobility device, because of the transferring risks required at both landings; especially the stop of the stairs.

The one benefit of this system is that they are very affordable for straight stairways, although these types of stairways are much less commonly found in residential homes. Any stairway with a turn or bend will require a custom manufactured rail system, in order to the fit the stairway. In turn, this dramatically increases the cost.

How Much Does It Cost To Add An Elevator To Your Existing Home?

The cost of installing an elevator into an existing home depends on many contributing factors: the number of landings it serves, the type of elevator, desired options, whether it fits within the home structure (or is being added to the exterior), and the resulting design/construction costs.

The average cost of a wheelchair home elevator system in Canada is approx. $30,000-35,000 CAD. The average cost in the United States is somewhat similar ($25,000-$30,000 USD), taking into account the exchange rate. The general range will vary across North America, as pricing can also be affected by local provincial or state codes. It can also increase substantially once you take custom or luxury designs into account.

The cost of construction to accommodate a wheelchair home lift in an existing home can range anywhere from between $30,000 to $80,000, depending on the house in question, the location within the home, and the magnitude of the renovations needed.

Construction costs for adding a residential wheelchair lift into a new home build are drastically less than the cost of a renovation. Therefore, the total cost to add an elevator to an existing home would range between $60,000 to $115,000.

More affordable solutions for existing homes would include: Stairlifts, Vertical Platform Lifts (VPLs), Shaftless elevators, or Homelift models.

A stairlift for a basic straight stairway to assist disabled users can cost as little as $3,000 to $5,000, and it requires little to no modifications to the home. They bolt directly onto the stairway treads, and then they’re plugged into a standard electrical outlet. The price increases if the stairway is L-shaped, U-shaped, or curved in any way, because the rail system must be custom manufactured in order to fit. Prices for custom curved stairlifts for users with a handicap can range between $8,000-$18,000+.

VPLs provide greater utility for disabled users with reduced mobility, but cost more than a stairlift. The device itself would range between $20,000-$25,000, so it’s still a sizeable discount compared to a traditional elevator. However, like the wheelchair home elevator system, it requires the same level of construction. This makes the total cost to add a VPL in an existing home is approx. $50,000 to $100,000.

Homelifts are the goldilocks solution for people with reduced mobility, who need a solution for an existing home.  The homelift device costs between $30,000 and $35,000, so it’s similar to a full residential elevator. Yet the construction costs are much lower, because it addresses the aperture required between the two landings it serves. Adding this scope to the total project, it costs around $40,000-$45,000 to add a wheelchair homelift to your existing home.

What Are the Dimensions of Those Options?

The unfortunate truth is elevator and lift solutions that provide the greatest benefit to people who struggle with stairs, or require a mobility device because of a handicap, often require the most space within a home. Two exceptions to this are the homelift, a shaftless personal elevator, and stairlifts.

A stairlift doesn’t have a large footprint, per se. The rail that holds the chair only protrudes 6 inches into the stairway. However, the chair’s armrest and footrest, if not folded properly, can take up more than 26 inches of the stairway, which could be significant in older homes with narrow stairways.

Furthermore, depending on the layout of the upper or lower landing, the rail and/or chair could also pose as a tripping hazard to the rider or other occupants within the home.

There are two sizes of homelifts: one with a small footprint of 44 inches square for seniors or individuals that have trouble with stairs, and a larger model of 44 inches by 63 inches. The larger version can accommodate a rider, as well as their wheelchair or mobility scooter. Both require enough room in front of the entrance for a 32-inch door to swing open.

A residential wheelchair elevator is designed and manufactured to fit a specific hoistway’s size and travel distance. Given that, preliminary size planning ahead of time can ensure someone with mobility issues receives a cab size that matches their specific needs.

As an industry rule of thumb, homebuilders and architects use 5ft by 5ft (inside dimensions) as a hoistway footprint. This allows most elevator manufactures to build a reasonably sized 15 square/foot elevator cab. For those with a severe mobility or disability, a larger or longer cab may be required to address the need for an attendant.

Accessibility Features and Options Available

Like the vehicles we drive, its often the add-on features and options that users truly value beyond the standard offering. For people with reduced mobility that rely on wheelchair home lifts and elevators to help them travel between floors within their home, optional features can make a significant difference to their quality of life.

Stairlifts offer some key options that address specific physical impairments. For those who lack the strength or flexibility to stand from a chair, they can order a perched-seat unit; more akin to resting on a bar stool than sitting in a chair.

A power or manual hinged rail helps prevent a tripping hazard at the bottom landing if the standard rail protrudes into a passageway. Reduced dexterity comes with aging, and stairlifts offer easy to use toggle controls that can be operated with the entire hand or wrist, instead just using one’s fingers.

Homelifts by Cambridge Elevating equip their model with side handrails as standard, which helps riders steady themselves during travel. Other standard features include: remote call/send controls (ideal when using the device to transport goods), a telephone connected to an outside line in case of emergency, bright LED lighting for improved visibility, and a no-step entry to a non-slip floor for secure footing. Other optional features include a fold-up seat to avoid standing during travel, and a power door operator to help those using a walker or wheelchair.

Wheelchair home elevators offer the most convenient floor to floor travel for those who require mobility assistance. By the nature of their design, wheelchair lifts for homes offer level floor access when entering/exiting the cab, thus eliminating any tripping hazard for more senior riders, and providing additional safety for wheelchair or scooter users.

Lifts require continuous push controls, where wheelchair elevators offer one-touch operation as standard; a significant benefit for seniors with reduced dexterity or hand strength. The last important option is automatic door and gate operators. Without this feature, it’s next to impossible to close the door behind you without assistance, after you’ve rolled a wheelchair completely into the elevator cab.

Design Styles, Options, and Customization 

Location is very important for residential wheelchair lifts. It’s best to install them near rooms in the home that require persistent restocking (i.e., kitchens, wine cellars, etc.). If wheelchair lifts for home are being installed for the purpose of aging in place, it’s best to position them near the master bedroom.

Cab configurations help a vertical hallway fit any design. If an inline entrance design doesn’t work with the home’s layout, elevator cabs can be made to have thru access and/or 90 deg openings instead.

Smart incorporation of a wheelchair home elevator must include the elevator stopping at grade (garage, unless home is built with zero step entrances), in addition to all other floors within the home.

Homeowners can connect their wheelchair elevator to their home via integration software. For example, when the homeowner arrives home in their vehicle, the elevator automatically gets called to the garage stop. When the elevator descends to a dark basement, relevant lights are then automatically triggered to turn on.

Stairlifts are not a good look in your forever home. They look exactly like what they are – a bolt-on band-aid device that only solves a portion of accessibility issues.

Reasons To Add A Residential Wheelchair Lift To Your Home:

1. It enables homeowners to enjoy their home through all the stages of adulthood, as well as continue to age in their own space at home.
2. A home elevator functions as a vertical hallway, which makes it easier to move big, bulky items safely between floors. In turn, this drastically reduces the potential for stairway falls.
3. It allows homeowners to continue enjoying every area of their home, regardless of any challenges disabled users face with stairs. This includes basements or multi-level homes that have multiple staircases.

In addition to providing utility while owning the home, having a home elevator has proven to increase the resale value of your house. This is because it appeals to a wider audience versus comparable listings that don’t include these beneficial features.

The relative affordability of this luxury amenity is greater now than any time in history. Technology and competition have kept prices largely the same for 20-30 years. However, home prices in major urban centers have never been higher, so it’s only a matter of time before the cost of wheelchair lifts for home start to follow the same trend.