Home Lift Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Home Lift for You

Whatever age or ability, maintaining independence and comfort in our personal space is essential for making home feel like home. For many, the thought of moving away from a cherished lifelong environment because of mobility restrictions is difficult and can be hard to come to terms with. 

However, with advancements in technology and home design, there are now solutions that can help you stay in the space you love without sacrificing accessibility or your well-being.

Whether you’re looking to future-proof your home or need a way to move between floors, a home lift could be the thing you’re looking for. In this guide, we’ll explore the different types of home lifts available, help you find the best fit for your needs, and answer any questions you may have. 

What is a home lift?

A home lift, also known as a domestic or residential lift or through-floor lift, is a type of lift designed for use in private homes to provide easy access between floors. Unlike traditional stair lifts, which carry single passengers on a mechanical chair along a wall-mounted rail up the stairs, home lifts move vertically between floors. They can also carry numerous people and even accommodate wheelchairs. 

While stair lifts can sometimes appear dated and feel cluttered around the stair area, home lifts are intended to be an extension of your existing home. They’re often designed in contemporary shapes and neutral colours to make a modern and versatile addition to your interiors, seamlessly blending into the living space while offering enhanced mobility and convenience.

Today, home lifts are quieter and smoother, making them a practical choice for improving the quality of life without compromising the ambience of your home.

What are the benefits of home lifts?

There are various mobility aid options on the market, but there are so many benefits to adding a home lift to your property:

• Maximises accessibility — Most importantly, home lifts allow those who may be unable or struggle to use the stairs to continue enjoying all corners of their home. They reduce mobility restrictions so that the home remains a place of comfort and people can continue to enjoy the environment they love.  
• Increasing independence — Home lifts provide a safe and efficient way to move between floors, reducing reliance on others for assistance.
• Removes barriers — Stairs can be challenging for people who struggle with mobility and data shows that an estimated 290,000 people in the UK are seriously injured from falling over the stairs each year. A home lift can take away some of the obstacles that stairs create. Home lift passengers don’t need to worry about losing grip on a handrail or tripping on a step.
• Adds value to a property — Thanks to their numerous benefits and modern appearance, home lifts can potentially increase a property’s market value.
• Future-proofs a home — Installing a home lift is a proactive step in planning for your future needs. It ensures that your home remains accessible without disruptive modifications as your mobility requirements change, offering peace of mind for both you and your loved ones.
• More affordable than a care home — Without home lifts, people may feel the need to move into a care home as their current environment doesn’t have the right adjustments to support their needs. With the average cost of residential care for a year estimated at over £60,000, purchasing and installing a home lift is a significantly more cost-effective solution.

Types of home lifts

Cabin lift

Cabin lifts transport passengers in a lift car that moves within a shaft frame. They tend to have a fully enclosed design within the moving car, offering a more conventional ‘elevator’ experience.  Think of it like a traditional public lift that you might see in a hotel or retail store. 

Platform lift

Platform lifts also have a shaft frame, but instead of an enclosed lift car, there’s a moving platform inside the shaft that transports passengers between floors. Platform lifts are designed to carry heavy loads for personal and industrial tasks, so they can be a particularly useful choice for wheelchair users.  

Through-floor lift

Through-floor lifts are an innovative solution for moving between floors without the need for a shaft or complex construction. A partially or fully enclosed lift car moves vertically through a specially designed aperture in the floor, making them look more elegant than cabin or platform lifts with their bulky shaft frames.

Here at Stiltz Home Lifts, all of our lifts use unique dual-rail technology for the cabin to travel along, so they don’t need to be fixed to a wall. Thanks to their self-supporting structure, no extra weight is placed on the home’s infrastructure, and our home lifts can be installed in a number of areas where other types may not fit.

Home elevator

Home elevators are what you might think of in shopping centres and multi-storey car parks, but on a smaller scale. These luxurious mobility aids, which look like small commercial lifts, are intended for personal use within a home. 

Featuring an enclosed lift car inside a shaft frame, they’re designed to provide maximum convenience and style.

Stiltz home lifts

At Stiltz Home Lifts, our unique design makes it an excellent choice for anyone struggling with mobility at home who wants a space-efficient, comfortable, and stylish option. 

Here’s an overview of our available home lift ranges:

The Stiltz Trio Home Lift range is our slightly larger option for carrying up to three passengers or wheelchair users. It’s thoughtfully designed with wider entry and exit points and a ramp for seamless access.

Trio lifts are also available as a single-door model or with two doors on both sides of the lift.

Discover the Trio Home Lift range

Key considerations to choose the best home lift for you

1. Size 

The size of a home lift is a crucial factor as it determines where the lift can be installed and how it fits within your home’s existing layout. A smaller lift is ideal for properties with limited space, while a larger model can carry wheelchairs and more passengers at the expense of having a slightly larger footprint. 

2. Capacity

Different-sized lifts have varying capacities, and the capacity that’s best for your home depends on how many people will be using it. A lift with a higher capacity is more versatile as it can be useful for travelling with more people, wheelchairs, or heavier loads. If you don’t need a larger home lift capacity, a more compact and smaller model may be more suitable.  

Our Stiltz Duo Home Lifts have a maximum capacity of 170kg, while our Trio range can carry up to 250kg.

3. Design

Old home lifts were often bulky and dated in appearance, creating a stark contrast to existing, modern interiors. Thankfully, today’s options range from minimalist designs to luxurious, customisable models with various finishes and features. 

Having the option to select the appearance of your home lift can elevate the look of your home, blending seamlessly with your décor. However, custom designs and additional features can add to the base cost of the lift, so it’s important to balance functionality with style.

4. Location

The location of a lift can impact the type of model you choose, as some have significant structural requirements. Popular locations for home lifts are usually hallways, living rooms, bedrooms, and garages, so understanding what installation is possible in these areas is essential. 

Stiltz Home Lifts are unique in that they have a self-supporting structure and won’t put extra strain on your home, offering more flexibility in where you can place it. Certain models also come with a dual entry and exit point, further increasing the location possibilities within your home.

5. Power

Some home lifts plug into a standard power outlet, but others may need additional electrical work or power supplies, which can make installation more complex and raise the cost. 

Stiltz home lifts plug straight into the standard 13 amp power sockets that we have in the UK, just like any other electrical appliance, making them straightforward to run.

6. Price

Home lifts can vary significantly in cost, especially when selecting the type, size, and any extra features. While it can seem like a significant upfront expense, a home list is a long-term investment that can be more cost-effective than alternative options and allows people to remain in the home they love. 

Understanding the full cost of a home lift, including running expenses and servicing, should be factored into your decision to give you an accurate idea of the overall price. Here at Stiltz Home Lifts, our through-floor lifts are available from £16,950. 

Plus, don’t forget to explore any financing and funding options that may be available. 

In the UK, you may be eligible for the Disabled Facilities Grant offered by your local authority. This grant is provided to those who are disabled and need to make changes to their home, giving them funding to improve their property. You can learn more about the Disabled Facilities Grant on the government website here.

Learn more about ways that you can fund your home lift here.

7. Installation

As home lifts do require some installation work to be fitted in a property, it’s also important to consider what work is required. The size and operation of the home lift can affect the installation process, so we always recommend thorough research into what changes might need to be made to fit a home lift.

Thanks to their dual-rail design, installation for Stiltz lifts tends to be quicker and less invasive than that of other home lift models. You can learn more about the full process by contacting our friendly team today.

Frequently asked questions

What is the smallest home lift available?

Our Duo home lift range has one of the smallest footprints of any home lift on the market. It covers just 0.55m² in surface area, requiring minimal space for installation and everyday use.

Despite their compact size, our Duo home lifts have plenty of space for two passengers to travel between floors simultaneously.

Which is the best home lift for my needs?

Choosing the best home lift depends on several factors, including your specific mobility needs, the layout and space available in your home, and your budget. 

If you’re mainly looking to future-proof your property and are looking for a home lift that can transport one or two people between floors, our Duo home lifts are a brilliant option. However, if you need a mobility aid that’s wheelchair-friendly and you have more space available, the Trio home lift range could be the best fit for you. 

Find your perfect home lift today

Contact our friendly team at Stiltz Home Lifts to explore the best home lift option for you. Start making the most of the home you love with a two or three-person through-floor lift today.

Or, visit our blog for the latest news and home lift advice.