Home lift. Can anyone recommend a lift firm? Does anyone use one? Are they better than stair lifts?

Daniel_2021 · September 2021

Hi,
I'm a new wheelchair user so as such we've adapted the dining room into a bedroom (we have a standard semi-detached with no downstairs loo). Now whilst there is nothing wrong with my current en suite (commode and catheters) it would be nice to return the space to its original purpose.
We've had a look locally for bungalows, they are way over our budget plus need lots doing to them. I'm not sure if this is a Liverpool only issue or across the country?
It helps to narrow our options so currently i'm pricing up a lift, i'd prefer this option over a stair lift for the simple reason I can hide it, i'm still having major issues accepting so many changes.
Can anyone recommend either a national lift firm or one based in Liverpool? Also, is there anyone on here that currently uses a lift? What are they like? Are you glad you chose it over a stair lift and if so why?
Sorry for so many questions.
Thanks in advance,
Daniel

poppy123456 · September 2021

HI,

I don't have any recommendations for you. I do have a few years experience of a through lift though. I used to have one in my house a few years ago and lived there for 3 years. Yes, they are good but they're also bad.

Firstly, they're very big so you need an awful lot of space in 2 rooms to accommodate one. Although they are kept upstairs, which is sort of a good thing and i get that yes you can "hide" them away from people that visit but you will have visible things downstairs that will be very noticable to others. For example, the controls on the wall, the ceiling where the lift comes down from, oh and not forgetting the noise they make, which is very loud so if you have neighbours they will definitely hear it. I got stuck in my lift a few times and i was alone when it happened, i can't tell you how scared i was. I had to ring my daughter who came home from college to get me out but i was stuck for almost an hour each time.

I had no option to have mine because it was already in the house when i moved in. I'm not saying i wasn't grateful, i really was. If i had a choice i wouldn't choose one myself. I would choose a stair lift any day because they take up less space and they're much quieter.

Hope this helps.

Tori_Scope · September 2021

I hope that poppy123456's post has given you some insight @Daniel_2021

I hope others with some experience of home lifts will see your post, too.

We've had a look locally for bungalows, they are way over our budget plus need lots doing to them. I'm not sure if this is a Liverpool only issue or across the country?

In regards to this, I believe this is a widespread issue unfortunately. They also get snapped up very quickly.

Daniel_2021 · September 2021

@poppy123456 Hi Poppy, thanks for this. The noise issue is important, we have a cocker spaniel that loves to bark, especially at loud things! I can see the neighbours loving that!
I'm looking at stairlifts too I was just more swayed towards a lift for some reason. Thanks again

poppy123456 · September 2021

You're welcome. The noise isn't just when the lift is going up and down, it's also when the lift starts and stops and i can only describe it as a thud or a bang.

Having a dog would worry me too because for example... if your dog was downstairs and you are upstairs, the lift is coming down with you in it and your dog decides to leave something on the floor right under where the lift is. The sensors would detect that something was there and stop for safety reasons. This means that if the lift isn't directly on the floor the door will not open so you will be stuck until someone moves what's in the way. The same when you're going back upstairs, if something was on top of that lift the sensors would eventually detect it and stop, so again you would be stuck.

I don't want to scare you here but there's a lot of things to consider. You have to weigh the good with the bad and for me the bad far out weighed the good.

Have you considered a downstairs toilet?

Reg · September 2021

Hello , whether you opt for a lift or stairlift please check out the insurance costs and their life expectancy so you know what you will be letting yourself in for.

My parents have a stair lift that has caused them no end of grief as the stair case has a bend in it and the chair keeps stopping at the bend - it normally takes the repair guys at a national company 12 plus hours to come out despite the very hefty annual insurance fee.

I was in a house and I opted to put a downstairs loo in as that was a lot cheaper option than a lift or stair lift . I eventually moved to a bungalow because I was still falling up or down the stairs . The bungalow is minuscule ( size of a big caravan ) but has given me far more freedom and the cost of buying and renovating is offset by no lift or staircase purchase or hefty annual insurance for a lift or stair lift.

Do weigh up the costs as I know my parents regret not checking out maintenance costs and insurance before they committed

Home lift. Can anyone recommend a lift firm? Does anyone use one? Are they better than stair lifts?

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