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Original poster

Anyone advise about installation of a lift in the house?

22 replies

Rollerbird · 03/08/2020 08:42

My elderly mil is extending her house buying options by looking for a regular house with the possibility of installing a lift between ground and first floor instead of just considering bungalows.
Does anyone have experience of this?
Also any idea of potential prices and companies to avoid or recommend?

OP posts:

RemyHadley · 03/08/2020 08:53

Could she consider a stairlift instead? Lift installation is very expensive, maintenance costs a lot, and if they’re not well maintained they break down a lot.

Costs will vary a lot depending on the structure of the house chosen, size of lift needed, and prices in your area. Initial installation can be done for around £25k usually but she does need to budget for maintenance as well,

TeaAndStrumpets · 03/08/2020 10:23

Watching with interest! We are 70 soon and are about to have a house built. It seems sensible to future-proof our retirement home but I'd rather plan for a proper lift than a chairlift. One really good suggestion I've seen (mostly regarding selfbuild admittedly) is to leave room for installation of a lift later, e.g. a massive cupboard in the lower floor with space upstairs to go up if need be. You may never need it, but in the meantime it's handy, and you could keep a mobility scooter or your booze wine collection in there.

Another idea is have a dormer bungalow and accept the upstairs may not be accessible for ever. That's what we have now, and we only use the upstairs for guests.

flapjackfairy · 03/08/2020 10:53

We have a through floor lift for our disabled children. They are great because you can leave them upstairs when not in use or downstairs if using the room upstairs so they don't take loads of space. Terry lifts fitted ours. I think it was about 15 000 . Much cheaper than a lift with a shaft. Have a look online for their video of how it works. It took a couple of days to fit , maintenance is not cheap but you can take out a plan for service and repair to cover breakdowns .

ArriettyJones · 03/08/2020 11:01

Even with a stairlift, the truth is you put off errands that take you upstairs because the whole thing is so slow. There’s no “popping” upstairs or downstairs for something you’ve forgotten. Which is doubly difficult if your memory is poor.

You have to remember that when you develop mobility problems, absolutely everything becomes harder. Making a cup of tea, having a bath, getting dressed, fetching the post and so on. Workmen are a complete PITA.

You could not pay me any amount of money sufficient to persuade me into a house with a lift. It would be a hassle to use, and a hassle to maintain, and it still wouldn’t make all the rooms fully available to me the way they are in a flat or a bungalow.

It’s a shame there is no obvious way for your MIL to “try” a home with a lift. But they’re so uncommon it would be hard to find one to rent for a fortnight.

Is it her idea? Is this desperation speaking? Is she house hunting in a very narrow area?

okiedokieme · 03/08/2020 11:02

I don't know the installation costs now but our lift cost £22k at work 3 years ago and we pay £280 a year for maintenance/servicing (parts extra). It's the sort that is installed in homes

Original poster

Rollerbird · 03/08/2020 13:48

It is because she wants to move very near to us (we do live in a town) but not a lot of bungalows are coming up unfortunately.

OP posts:

Allthebubbles · 03/08/2020 14:19

We have a lift as my Dh is a wheelchair user and while it's brilliant for us as it means we can live in the area we wanted in a family sized house, (any large bungalows in our city tend to be up hills) it is a pita to maintain and it was/ is expensive. Also for it not to take up a disproportionately large amount of space in your house you need a larger property.
I think if it is for a single older person I would hang out for a bungalow or ground floor flat, I really wouldn't take on the costs/ hassle stress,

RemyHadley · 03/08/2020 15:19

A flat might be an easier option?

Original poster

Rollerbird · 03/08/2020 21:41

She has had a flat previously but wants a nice garden and 'kerb appeal'
I think we'll have to hold fire for a bungalow

OP posts:

Scoobandlaurs · 03/08/2020 21:48

A lift between floors has totally transformed my life following a nasty stroke two years ago and is so much more practical for a wheel chair than a stair lift. Dolphin lift s have provided a fantastic service and would fully recommend

Original poster

Rollerbird · 03/08/2020 22:10

@scoobandlaurs it's good to see a positive
I was beginning to doubt there were any!
Would you estimate the same sort of costs as previously mentioned?

OP posts:

Elieza · 03/08/2020 22:19

If you bought a regular house with a downstairs bathroom perhaps she could use the dining room (or an extension) as a bedroom and just live downstairs. Budget allowing for the purchase of what could be a Kroger house than she needs to get a reasonable sized footprint downstairs of course.

I like the air powered lift dick and angel have in escape to the chateau.

OrangeSamphire · 03/08/2020 22:21

We have a through-floor lift for my son. He is a wheelchair user. It was supplied and fitted by Pollock Lifts.

Cost was c£10k including installation. Costs are affected by how much structural work has to be done to accommodate the lift, so I’d be taking a lift engineer to see any properties she might want to buy before committing.

The lift is so easy to use and has never broken down. Gets serviced once a year for minimal cost.

Allthebubbles · 04/08/2020 08:00

I'm not saying our lift isn't positive, for us it is amazing but there is an element of stress/cost involved and I think ideally living alone and getting older I'd try to minimise that.

ArriettyJones · 04/08/2020 11:26

@Allthebubbles

I'm not saying our lift isn't positive, for us it is amazing but there is an element of stress/cost involved and I think ideally living alone and getting older I'd try to minimise that.

Yes, I think there’s a huge difference between what you would choose as a FT carer or having a FT carer, from what a mobility-impaired person living alone with minimal care would ideally choose. Not just because of the hassle of the installation, but because of how you use the lift and the space.

Spickle · 04/08/2020 14:08

Interesting thread.

DH and I are currently healthy but hoping to retire in the next few years and have been looking at suitable bungalows for the future. We also have been looking at houses with a view to installing a lift/stairlift if we needed to when we're less able (due to lack of many bungalows). This is where the phrase "forever home" is ambiguous. Our current home is our forever home, except that if we can no longer manage the stairs, we may need to consider that our current home will no longer be forever.

There are some very valid points raised here.

bigbluebus · 04/08/2020 14:27

We used to have one supplied and fitted by Terry lifts. We had it for 14 years until it was (sadly) no longer needed at which point we ripped it out (literally). We installed it at the same time as we had a 2 storey extension built so the builder was able to work with the lift company to prepare the joists etc correctly. It needed servicing every 6 months and broke down a couple of times (on one occasion we waited 4 days for parts before it could be fixed which was a nightmare). It didn't work if there was a powercut either - although it had manual lowering so you didn't get stuck between floors. Unless you need it for a wheelchair user who needs a wheelchair both upstairs and downstairs then I would be tempted to stick to a stair lift.

victorhodg · 06/08/2021 16:02

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SandlakeRd · 06/08/2021 17:25

Your MIL can ask adult social care for an assessment and may be eligible for some support towards the cost of adaptations via a Disabled Facilities Grant depending on her finances. At the very least the OT can provide advice and guidance

Usticaocko · 22/11/2022 23:18

Depending on the style, yes. It has been a desire of mine for at least five years to have a counterweight, chain-driven system. The motor wear is nonexistent, and there are no cables to stretch. Given that I had 2 young children, choosing keypad locks was simple. To prevent humans or animals from sticking anything outside the lift while it is in operation, the doorway will probably include an inner sliding door that slides in accordion. My device contains a sensor as well that detects protrusions and stops. The lift maintenance contractor offers to send a service technician out once a year.

ShodAndShadySenators · 08/08/2025 13:26

Don't you need specialist insurance cover for a lift too as well as a maintenance contract?

In her position I would hold out for a suitable bungalow if it's possible to wait.

flapjackfairy · 08/08/2025 21:01

ShodAndShadySenators · 08/08/2025 13:26

Don't you need specialist insurance cover for a lift too as well as a maintenance contract?

In her position I would hold out for a suitable bungalow if it's possible to wait.

No.you don't need specialist insurance. Not for a throughfloor lift. We have 2 lifts. One inside and one outside. they are a lifesaver.

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