OT: Anybody know what it costs to put an elevator into a house?

[Epaminondas]

We are thinking about building a "Universal Access" house.

I.e., "handicap accessible."

Why?

Well - we have had three relatives who ended up in wheelchairs - two of whom did not have homes that they could navigate easily.

And another couple who both got fairly weak in their eighties and had trouble getting around their home.

My mother speaks of friends who cannot visit her because her house is inaccessible - not just the entryway, but because her downstairs bathroom could not fit a wheelchair even in its wildest bathroom dreams.

So her once able-bodied / now-handicapped friends can no longer visit.

'Tis a pity.


People we know tend to get into their final house in their forties or fifties, never considering such matters.

Then have trouble (or have friends who have trouble) getting around twenty-forty years later - when they are too set in their ways to do anything about it.

So the thought is - why not make the next house one that we can grow old in as gracefully as possible and enjoy together and with friends and family for as long as possible?

I suspect that the best time to do this is when you do not yet need to.


The major Universal Access option seems to be to have a one-floor house - but that can take up a lot of land.

The other option seems to be to build or buy a two-story house with an elevator or with the ability to put one in.  But then there is the matter of cost.

Anybody know anything about costs / manufacturers of home elevators, etc.?


Thank you,

Epaminondas

[D76]

The first three are in the U.S. I stuck in the last one from the U.K. because it was the only one I could find that includes a price.

On the British site, Dolphin Mobility, a floating window drops down that says Stannah, which is the second company in the U.S. list.
Home Elevator of Texas, Stannah, Acorn Stairlifts.

The Dolphin Mobility stairlift price is £1,399, or $2,569.19 U.S., according to this.  That might include the U.K. value-added tax. though a VAT site says equipment for the disabled isn't taxed.

[pendragon]

Perhaps of interest...

Elevator Comparison Chart

[sandbox]

A friend just looked into having one installed. The vacuum tube type 450 lb. which wouldn't accommodate a chair was around $7,000

http://www.daytonaelevator.com/Pneumatic%2...Main%20Page.htm

A 700 lb. cable type from Otis was about $15,000 neither were the cheapest, he's a picky guy.

http://www.otis.com/products/detail/0,1355...72_RES1,00.html

[Epaminondas]

Thanks for the links - we've learned a lot!

It looks like residential elevators are a real growth area with the aging of the baby boomers.  Lotsa different players, new technologies - and prices coming down significantly.

Which also means that if you buy a residential elevator before you need it, not only may you be overpaying but your manufacturer may be out of business by the time you do need it.  No spare parts, etc. "So sorry."  Unless you are talking a company like Otis.

Also, if you wait until you need one, taxes and insurance issues may be different than if you buy one before you have a significant disability.  I do not know the details - I expect that the residential elevator companies will be well aware of these issues, however.

Our current plan looks like if we go multi-story we should plan on building a house with generous stacked closets with enough slab clearance and roof clearance above and below the closets to later put in an elevator.  Then keep abreast of developments once every few years  - both on the internet and with local elevator installers.  Then if we ever need one, we can move relatively swiftly - and we will know the time issues involved.

The three (well, maybe five) people I know personally who have needed this sort of thing all had a gradual development with either degenerative neurologic disease or frailty of aging.  So a few months lead time will probably be available if it is ever needed.

As long as house entrances and bathrooms are all accessible, this will allow for an alternative to a one-story universal access house.  

But a one-story house is still in the running - fewer bathrooms needed and no need for stairs and elevator spaces can save significant floor area in a  house  (remember - accessible bathrooms take up a LOT of room),   Depending on land prices it might make more sense to buy one-story or multi-story.  We'll see.

We'll talk to the accessibility experts and the elevator experts before doing anything rash.


Thanks, All -

Epaminondas
___________________________________

http://www.stackyourclosets.com/

[jcarter]

If you have a really old house, you wont be able to do it easily.
Our mother was in her 80s and stairs were not what she wanted to deal with any more.
So the solution that my brother came to, was to have a small addition to the house built. He had friends in the building business, so it was not too expensive, and it was 30 years ago!
Just a small addition to the old house, on one floor, nice little kitchen and one bath, bedroom and one small guest room/storage area.
I am not sure what something like that would cost now, but it sure worked our well for our elderly mother.
The rest of his family had the big house, and she had this lovely little 'addition' that was small, brightly lit, (that is important, light for older folks), and just perfect.
Jane

[krissel]

Consider in your debate the problems with a two story building w/elevator in case of power outage (need for a generator) and in case of fire. The ease of mind might make the extra expense of a single floor home or addition worthwhile.

[jepinto]

E-Don't know where you live, but here, in coastal Florida EVERYTHING (well...95%) must be elevated, in some cases, as much as 19 feet above grade.

Sweet'ums helped his business partner build a new home, and "33 steps up and 33 steps down, 10 times a day".

Planning now with the closet idea is one GREAT idea!    Get the space and wiring in place, it's easier to build than remodel and cheaper too.

A client recently remodeled, and a portion of the porch became a freight elevator.  Not necessarily pretty, but utile.  No interior modifications, therefore less expensive.  And groceries big screen TVs, futons, etc. are a lot easier to haul

[Highmac]

Google turned up this Georgia state site with info and links about making homes "visitable" - advice on making all homes welcoming to all visitors, whatever their ability.  Haven't had time to study it in depth, but looks like it might have the info you're looking for.

[sandbox]

Hey E, a friend installed one in her Inn http://www.innspa.net/ a few years ago, a retrofit for 3 stories cost about 60 grand from otis. Commercial lifts require regulated weight capacities and the retrofit most likely took the lions share of cost.

When you get the stats I would be interested in the conclusion.