Home Lifts

Home lifts can be a practical and stylish addition to your home and are becoming more popular after being featured on TV home improvement shows such as DIY SOS.  Home Lifts are a small elevator that takes you between floors, adding a touch of luxury and future-proofing your home, to make life easier.  So how do they work and which model should you choose?

Hi, my name is Coral, and together with my husband Colin, we own 1^st Choice Stairlifts.  Between us we have over 55 years of lift experience, so let us be your guide.

Having a lift installed makes a massive difference and makes travelling between the floors of your home much safer.  So here are the answers to the most asked questions we hear about having one fitted.

1. Why have a Home lift instead of a stairlift?

A Home lift may be more suitable if you are a wheelchair user or may become one if you have a  progressive condition, like MS for example, and you need a future-proofed longer term solution.  You may be living in a multi-generational family home or as a couple where a solution is needed for multi-use.  Because these models have increased weight capacity, they can help bariatric clients too.  These models can cost significantly more than a stairlift, but can be a future-proofed stylish addition to your home, that keeps the stairs clear and can be neatly positioned in a room in your home.

2. Which Home lift is best?

There are different Home lifts to suit specific needs.  Models that are not fully enclosed carry a person seated in a wheelchair or on a fold down seat – so one user seated and no standing.  Fully enclosed models with full height sides and doors will carry up to two people, standing or a wheelchair user and their carer. 

For larger homes and public buildings we have a commercially rated small elevator that can be fitted in a purpose built shaft or stylish glass enclosure.  These lifts do not require a separate control room but do need a small pit to recess the platform into for level access entry.  They can stop on multiple floors and can take multiple users.

All models have different size platforms and are fully customisable in multiple colour choice finishes to suit your décor.

Our expert team will be please to discuss the options with you to find the best solution for your requirements and give you an idea of cost.

3. How are Home lifts installed and how long do they take to fit?

We survey your home and identify a suitable area, normally a downstairs living area to an upstairs bedroom.  For the lift to go through the floor, building works must be done and we co-ordinate and project manage every part of this for you.

A hole is cut in the ceiling and the floor above and joists are reinforced to support the lift and structure. Pipework or electrics may need to be rerouted if they are in the ceiling void.  A dedicated electrical socket is needed nearby to power the lift.  We clean up as we go so everything will be left neat and tidy for you and there won’t be any clearing up for you to do.  Typical installations take around 4 days including the building works and lift installation.  Once installed we vacuum, clean and sanitise the area and product and give you a thorough demonstration and test drive to make sure you can use it safely and confidently.

4. How long do I need to wait to have one fitted?

From order to installation is normally around 8 weeks depending on the product and platform size required and building works.  We project manage the complete job including co-ordinating all trades to get the job done quickly and efficiently so you don’t need to worry about a thing.

5. What are the buying options?

Normally these models come as new only.  Prices vary depending on the model and platform size required and also what building works need to be done, so please call us to discuss your needs and we can give you an idea of cost.  Normally our products are tax deductible so you won’t pay VAT if you have a qualifying condition.

6. What about maintenance and servicing?

We put the care into Aftercare so you have total peace of mind when you buy from us.  When you need us just call.  Our local engineers are on call for emergency repairs 24/7, 365 days a year.  All models come with warranties that can be extended if you wish.  You should have your lift serviced and safety checked twice a year.

So we hope we’ve answered your questions, but if you have more please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team who will be pleased to help.

To see which model would be best for your home call us to book a Survey where we can evaluate your situation and chat through all the options with you to provide a no-obligation quotation.  There are no high pressure sales so you are in the safest of hands with our experts.

You can also visit our showroom by appointment at our offices in Calne, Wiltshire to try our models out for yourself.

Having a lift fitted can be life changing, so make that call to us today on 0800 019 22 10.