A Residential Lift is a type of platform lift or wheelchair lift which provides easy access to all levels of the home. This type of vertical platform lift (VPL) can be utilized inside or outside the house and provides convenient access without compromising architectural character.
When is a Residential Lift the Best Choice?
A Residential Lift is best-suited for applications up to 168” (14 feet) in height with a 750 pound capacity. These lifts are frequently selected for home applications to gain access to the main entrance when stairs cause an obstacle to accessibility. It also allows for travel between floors of the home and may provide an alternative to a residential elevator.
7 Questions to Consider When Choosing a Residential Lift
When determining if a Residential Lift is the best option for your project, consider the following:
- What is the main purpose of the lift? Are you planning to use the lift to transport people, groceries, laundry or other bulky loads?
- What height will the lift need to service? Determine the full extent of what travel the lift will need to provide. Will it be used for transport from the ground to the porch or between floors of the home?
- Who will be using the lift? How large will the platform need to be in order to accommodate all passengers and all wheelchairs or scooters? Consider both current needs and potential future requirements.
- What capacity will the lift need to carry? What is the approximate weight of any of the items that may need to be transported?
- What configuration will work best for your application? Both elevators and lifts allow for a variety of configurations including enter/exit same side, straight-through or 90 degree adjacent. Think about the best side to approach the lift and the best side to exit.
- What speed of travel do you require? Remember that Residential Lifts travel at only 20 to 40 percent of the speed of a residential elevator. Determine whether this has an impact on your decision.
- What cost restrictions are in place? Lifts provide a cost-competitive alternative to a standard home elevator and may be the solution if your goal is to keep costs as low as possible.
Move from Planning to Realization
Whether you are in the planning stages of your project or have questions before you proceed, reach out to a local home elevator and lift company for more information. These individuals are well-versed in national and local code requirements and can assist you in the planning and design of your Residential Lift. With their expertise, your project can be implemented with ease.
Great post. Will be a real help to people struggling with the decision to buy a lift.
My husband’s mobility isn’t great, so we have thought about installing a lift. I liked what you mentioned about getting the right configuration for it. We’ll make sure to talk through all of this before we decide for sure.