Home Elevators: Cost of Residential Elevators

Nowadays, having a home elevator or a residential elevator installed is a trend. It is not an extravagant expenditure. It adds to your mobility by making every floor of your home easily accessible to you. Home elevators are useful for the disabled, who have restricted mobility. In addition to using them to transport you between floors, you can use them to carry bulky things such as grocery, laundry and things that are difficult to move to another floor using stairs.

The cost of an elevator in residential home installation will vary depending on whether you are installing it in a house that is under construction or an existing residence. In the former case, the architect of the house can change or amend the plan of the home to accommodate the installation. In the latter case, a contractor will have to visit your home to determine the extent and the cost of the construction required in installing an elevator. This is costlier than installing an elevator in the house under construction.

Cost of Residential Elevators

Selecting a home elevator, is like choosing a vehicle for family use. The price of the elevator is influenced by its size, carrying capacity, safety features, number of floors it will serve and the additional accessories you want installed in it. How an elevator is installed and operated also influences the cost of residential elevators. The luxury residential elevators can make your home stylish and add value to your house. Different types of residential elevators are available in the market. Approximate cost of a residential home elevator is in the range of $7,800-$40,000. Listed below are the type of elevators that are preferred by consumers:

• Elevators on Tracks: In the case of these elevators, tracks are fixed to a load bearing wall. And the elevator cab uses these tracks to travel between two floors. The floors of the house have a rectangular space for movement of the cab. When the cab is on the ground floor, the hatch on top of the cab covers the opening in the floor. Because of tracks, constructing a shaft for these elevators is unnecessary. It reduces the cost of installation and space is saved too. These elevators can carry up to 227 kg of weight, with 2 or 3 stops, to a height of 16 feet. These residential elevators cost in the range of $7,000-$10,000.
• Elevators Enclosed in Shaft: These elevators can carry up to 340 kg of weight, to a height of 23 feet, with 2 or 3 stops. A shaft is constructed in which the elevator operates. This type of residential elevator prices are in the range of $13,000-$18,000. The shaft increases the cost of installation and consumes valuable space. Heavy-duty elevators of this type can carry up to 635 kg of weight, to the height of 50 feet, at 30 feet per minute, with 4-6 stops.
• Vacuum Elevators: These type of elevators need no shaft, pit or engine room. They can be installed in the house, without making any structural changes in the floor. They incorporate vacuum technology and can carry 200 kg, to the height of 30-35 feet, with 2-3 stops. These elevators can move at a speed of 25-30 feet per minute. The unique feature of these elevators is that they can be dismantled and erected at another place easily. Vacuum home elevators cost more than the other types of residential elevators.
• Stair Lifts: Climbing stairs can be a difficult task for senior citizens; stair lifts can help them to travel between floors. A stair lift runs on a track, which is installed on the wall, along the staircase. It has a comfortable seat. It can be controlled using manual or remote controls. A stair lift can operate using AC or DC current, as well as using a battery backup. Stair lifts are available in the range starting from $1,200-$2,500. If they are customized, then the cost of installation would be higher.

It is estimated that home elevators occupy only 25% of space that stairs occupy. It is a time-tested and trusted device to have in your home. Home elevators are provided with an emergency telephone, battery back-up, automatic controls, handrails, emergency lighting and emergency stop buttons. The application of advanced technology to enhance its safety features and ensure its trouble-free use, has resulted in a product that even a child can use safely. Residential lifts and elevators do offer valuable services to its users!