Stairlift or Home Elevator: How to Choose
Both solve the same problem, getting between floors safely, but they suit different people and different houses. The useful question is not which is better but which one will still work as needs change.
What a stairlift is
A stairlift is a chair, or sometimes a small platform, that travels along a rail fixed to the staircase. Straight staircases take a standard straight rail. Stairs with a turn or a landing need a rail made to measure, which takes longer and costs more. There is background on rails and carriage types in Wikipedia's article on stair lifts.
Where a stairlift fits well
- The user can walk short distances and can sit down and stand up safely, including at the top of the stairs.
- The staircase is wide enough that others can still pass when the chair is folded.
- You want something installed quickly, with little or no building work.
Where a home elevator is the better answer
- The user is in a wheelchair, or is likely to be.
- Transfers on and off a seat are difficult or unsafe.
- Groceries, laundry and luggage also need to move between floors.
- You are building new or already planning a major remodel.
The option people forget
Sometimes the right answer is neither. If a bedroom and a full bathroom can be arranged on the ground floor, the stairs stop mattering day to day. See changes that make single-level living work.
Think one stage ahead
Ask the person's doctor or an occupational therapist what is likely over the next few years. A stairlift bought for someone whose condition will soon require a wheelchair is money spent twice.
Home Elevator Phoenix AZ is an independent information site. It is not a contractor and is not connected to any elevator company. General information only, not medical, legal or financial advice. Sitemap