Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Finding the Best Elevator for Home

Do you have a grandparent living with you who finds it difficult to go up and down the stairs multiple times a day? Do you live with a mate or a partner with special needs who cannot use stairs? In such cases, installing an elevator in a multi-story home is an excellent way to help such members of your house and add value to the house at the same time!

For people with special needs, like our elders or maybe pregnant members of our family, climbing up and down the stairs is a daunting task. Installing an elevator to take load off their feet and it is a superb way to show how much you care. Here are some tips to help you find the best elevator for your home!

Types of Elevators

Broadly speaking, there are three different types of elevators that you can install in your home for your convenience.
  • Hydraulic – it needs a separate machine room for operation.
  • Traction elevator – it works by using a counter weight. No need for a machine room to operate the elevator.
  • Pneumatic elevator – it works by using a 37-inch polycarbonate tube.
Depending on what will suit your home best, how much space you have and the requirement for elevator, you should choose the appropriate technology. The hydraulic elevator uses pistons to operate while pneumatic one works with the help of air pressure.

Different elevators require different installation methods. A hydraulic elevator, for example, is huge. Its installation might require you to remodel the entire house. With other elevators, this is not the case. They only require some basic remodeling and no excavations.

Distance and the Number of Floors

Each house has its different requirement for an elevator. An apartment building would require an elevator that can travel more stories as compared to a small two-storey house. An elevator should be chosen depending on the distance that needs to be traveled and the numbers of floors, which need to be covered. For example, hydraulic elevators are an excellent choice for taller buildings.

Travel Load

Before selecting an elevator for your home, you need to determine how many maximum numbers of people do you want the elevator to be able to carry? Moreover, you also need to consider other weight additions such as a wheelchair or any other mobility device that the passengers would be using. Usually, the elevators suited to carry small loads are smaller in size too. This might make the installation of an elevator convenient in a small house. However, if the weight requirements were higher, a small elevator would be of no use.

You’re Budget

Your budget is one of the most important factors to consider while looking for the best elevator for your home. You may end up deciding on a certain elevator, keeping in mind your requirements, but it might not fit your budget. Therefore, before making the final decision, ask a few contractors for quotes on the materials, the elevator itself and installation costs. After comparing all options, choose the one that fits best under your budget.

Long Term Care

If you are installing a component as huge as an elevator in your house, it usually means you are planning to stay for the long haul. This, in turn, means that you also need to consider the long-term maintenance requirements of the installed elevator. Capital expenses are huge but they are one off. What drains the resources is the regular maintenance cost. Find out beforehand how much it would cost to maintain the elevator. A big elevator with a lot of parts is at more risk of malfunction than the one with fewer components. Moreover, a complicated setup will require maintenance services from specialists, which will add to the total cost of maintenance.

The Final Touches

After you are done considering all your mobility requirements and your cost options, think about the visual touch the elevator will give to your house. Will it look too huge in your compact house? Will it ruin the existing décor? Can you conceal some of the components of the elevator behind walls?


Elevators require a significant investment. While they are very useful, if elected improperly, they can be more of a nuisance than of help. Consider all factors and weigh all your options before deciding on the best elevator for your home.

Finding elevators for home? then click here Prestige Lifting Services would help you to choose the right elevator systems for your home.