Many people are unaware that a stair-lift can accommodate stairs which bend or turn. While straight run units are more common, as home designs change, custom curved stair lifts are raising in popularity. There are a variety of quality chair lifts on the market. The following post will outline some of the things to consider when choosing a stair-lift provider.
Custom built VS off the shelf
Our preference is to use a manufacturer that builds their stair lift exactly for your stairway. This ensures the tightest possible fit to minimize any obstruction on the stairs. This process requires a trained individual to measure your stairs using a special camera and a series of tiles. These pictures are uploaded into a program, and then site specific drawings are created. Once the drawing is approved the lift can go into production. This entire process usually take 4-8 weeks.
Alternatively some manufactures offer standard “off the shelf ” bends. It is our experience that when a track is not built specifically for your stairway you run the risk of wider turns or uneven spacing where the track winds around landings. It’s like if you went to the shoe store and needed a size 9 shoe but all the clerk could offer you was a size 8 or a 10. While the size 10 may work, it’s not the best possible fit. An advantage of “off the shelf” units is that they can typically be provided in under 4 weeks.
Both Custom and off the shelf curved stairlifts sell for approximately the same price.
Experience
It is important to know how long the company you choose to deal with has been selling and installing stair lifts. I personally have close to 18 years of experience specifically dedicated to accessibility lifts. Our technical support team has installed a multitude of curved and straight run lifts over the years. With all this experience we can ensure your lift is quoted to meet your needs, is measured correctly, and installed in a professional manner.
Detailed Quotations
Make sure you examine your quotation closely. Does it detail the path of your lift? Did the sales person provide a drawing or a sketch? If you accept a quotation from a vendor that is not detailed , you run the risk of having the device not function as you may of thought. For instance was the stair-lift meant to bend 180 degrees at the bottom landing to clear a hallway? Would you benefit from having the device over-run at the top landing and possibly park 90 degrees around a corner? It’s very important to have all the bends detailed to ensure you are making an “apple to apples” comparison.
For more information on stair lifts contact us or click here
For information on straight run stair lifts click here