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Buying a Stairlift – Where to start, cost and considerations

Buying a Stairlift can be a daunting and time-consuming business. You just have to type Stairlift into Google to find that there are masses of companies just like us.

A stairlift can be a great investment as it allows you the freedom of mobility in your own home.

When buying a stairlift there are a few factors that you may wish to consider:

Straight or Curved

A straight stairlift will run from the bottom to the top of a single flight of stairs.  If there are any additional steps at the top of the landing, then these may have to be walked up by the lift user or some of our customers choose to put in a second lift if the staircase allows.  Alternatively, if there is a fan of 3 steps then a platform can be installed to provide a false landing.

Staircase examples by lift name:

Straight

Curved

Platform

Dual

Length of time that you need the lift                              

You may want a lift installed to help with everyday mobility around your home, to help as you recover from an accident or you may have been instructed to have a lift installed to allow you to return home from hospital. It may be that you have an elderly parent or that you have a terminal illness. Our job is to keep you mobile in your own home. Whether you need a lift for the long, medium or short term then we have a price point to suit you. Don’t spend thousands of pounds on a lift that you only need for the short term. Don’t spend money on something that you may not need!

Will your home accommodate a Stairlift?

When you call us, we will ask you several easy questions to assess your suitability for a straight stairlift. Questions like how many steps your staircase has to how wide is your staircase, are there any obstacles at the top or bottom of the staircase (such as radiators or doors etc). From this short telephone survey, we will be able to assess whether we can provide you with a straight stairlift.

If it’s a curved stairlift that you want, we may need to send one of our engineers to your home to complete a no obligation short survey (normally takes around 15-20 minutes)

Cost

As mentioned above, don’t spend money on something that you may not need!

Straight Stair Lifts are much cheaper because unlike a curved lift they don’t have to be made specifically for your home. Straight Stairlifts can be moved from one house to another and rails altered to fit your staircase. Therefore, we are able to offer a range of refurbished straight Stairlifts at different prices dependent on their age. Refurbished straight stairlifts are a great cost-effective way of getting a product into your home on a budget and start from only £1.37 per day* (based on 9 years and over lift at £499 over a 12-month period)

Stairlift rental is also an option too. There will be a one off payment followed by a low weekly payment.

In comparison a curved stairlift needs to be made specifically for the staircase that you have. Because the rail is curved, and the cost of the lift is higher then the curved lift is not as easily transferred between properties and that is why we only offer them as a new option and not refurbished.

All our lifts are Vat exempt.     

Are there any extras/Hidden costs to getting a stairlift?

No, there are no hidden prices however there are some factors to consider that may alter the price before you go ahead. Here they are upfront:

  • Extended Rail – Each lift comes supplied with a rail of up to 4.5M. This is enough for a typical straight staircase. For any staircase longer than 4.5m then an additional rail section would be required at a cost of £80.00
  • Would the rail at the bottom of your stairs impede access to a doorway and therefore be a trip hazard? Typically, we need 12 inches clearance at the bottom of the stairs to fit the rail. If the rail will impede a doorway then we will have to supply a rail with a lift up hinge. The cost of a hinged rail is £100 on a refurbished stairlift and £200 on a new stairlift.
  • Access – Can we get the rail into your home in one piece? If not, then a split rail would be required at a cost of £40 extra
  • Stair construction – Most stairs are wooden however there are a small amount that are made of concrete. Concrete stairs have to be pre-drilled and incur an additional charge of £50.