Choosing a stairlift – buying considerations

Buying a stairlift is a big decision and a big investment, so the choice needs to be made with care, consideration and an eye on the future.

There are many different stairlifts available and, although they all do the same thing, there are subtle but often important differences between manufacturers and their models.

The two big considerations that you need to evaluate are

• What kind of stairlift will work best in your home, and
• What are your future needs, health and mobility requirements over the forth coming years.

Types of stairlift

There are two basic types of stair lift, a straight stairlift and a curved stairlift. The type that you require will be determined by the geometry of your staircase.

• If your home has a single continuous and uninterrupted flight of stairs, then you require a straight lift.
• If your home has a stair that turns, either through having a curved staircase, or by using landings or half landings, then your will require a curved stairlift.

Not surprisingly a straight stairlift is cheaper to buy and quicker to fit, however most homes will have a landing and this means that they will require a curved stair lift.

More choices

Once you have determined which type of system your home requires, you can look at some of the other stairlift features and make your selection. Considerations to take account of can include any or all of the following.

• When it comes to the operation of the stairlift, some manufacturers produce a chair that runs on rails that connect to the back of the chair, whilst others produce a system that has the chair resting (on its base) upon the rail. These are just different ways of achieving the same result and need not have any bearing on your choice of stairlift.
• Most standard chair lifts will carry an individual (and their possessions) up to a weight of about 250 pounds (18 stone or 120 kg). However if you are heavier than this you will need to make sure that the chairlift that you select can cater for your weight.
• An important choice in determining the specification for your stair lift is the seat. Seats can vary in price quite considerably and the levels of comfort and appearance can be customised based upon personal preference. Nearly all seats will have a padded seat-base, a footrest and armrests, however the extent of the padding, the covering material (e.g. leather) and the overall appearance of the seat can impact significantly on the price. Comfortable seating is important, but it is also worthwhile bearing in mind that over the course of a day you will only spend a matter of minutes sat in your stairlift.
• Two further seating considerations are, special seats for certain disabilities and seats that make it easier to alight into or from a wheelchair. You may even require your seating area to be suitable to carry additional items like sticks. All of these "ease of use" and potential extra convenience considerations need to be part of your seating area selection criteria.

What next

Once you have an idea of the type of chair lift you are interested in you can start to explore options. As you have already discovered, the internet is an excellent source for both information and finding a supplier, so look at some different makes and models and get a feel for how these stair lifts look and the way one would work in your home.

Once you feel you are comfortable with the thought of having a stairlift in your home, make contact with a couple of stair lift companies. At this point they will want to send a representative to your house, both to tell you about their product and to survey your stairs and any landings. This will enable them to determine the feasibility, cost and installation requirement for fitting the lift into your home. At this meeting you should make sure that you

• Ask all of the questions that are important to you.
• Do not feel pressured or intimidated by the salesperson.
• Get a formal quotation for the work.
• Have a family member or friend to present at the meeting with you. They can make sure that it is a "two against one meeting" in your favour and they may pick up on something, or come up with a question that you might have missed.
• Find out if they have a showroom or demonstration stairlift that you can try out and check out their warranty terms.
• Do not buy or commit to anything.

If you arrange to see at least two different companies you will get a choice, both in terms of products and of price. You will also be able to see if the specifications, fitting details and warranties match up and you will then be in a position to make a direct product and company comparison. Doing this places you in a position of knowledge and control, all of which will help you to buy the most suitable stairlift for your use and property.

Back to Stairlift main page

Back to the Home Page