Even a few years ago, people used to think the home elevator is nothing but a fancy wish for the biggest mansions of extraordinarily rich people.
However, with the innovation of Hydraulic and Electric motors, technological advances made it possible to have the home lift in various price ranges that became affordable.
Whether you want to install a home elevator for the convenience of elderly people at your home or just to add a taste of luxury, be sure that you are making the right decision.
Since it is still not as popular as installing smart home devices, let us help you walk through the five factors you need to keep in mind before purchasing and adding a home lift to your dream house.
Space Needed for Installation
In order to install a home elevator, you must have enough space available in the house plan. For example, architects before the 1980s never built the space keeping a home elevator in their mind, and so the houses built at that time were not so spacious.
Although different states have distinct rules about floor space, the standard rule is to calculate an additional 5 square feet (for the surrounding lift shaft) with the lift’s floor space.
If your lift’s floor space is 18 square feet, you can think that 20 to 25 square feet of room space will be taken by the lift.
Before purchasing or making changes to your house plan, learn more about stair lifts, home elevators, or wheelchair lifts and decide which option is suitable for you, depending on your taste and demand.
Operation Mechanism
You can customize the design of an elevator, and the cost depends on it. However, before deciding on the style, you must know the mechanism. You'll find three types of popular drive mechanisms in the market. They are:
Inline Gear Elevators
Their speed is quite fast (40 feet/minute), and their weight capacity is around 1000 pounds. It requires a pit, not a machine room which lowers the cost. Additionally, they provide battery-operated lowering for emergency and digital position indicators.
Winding-drum Elevators:
A winding drum is present in the mechanism, which is operated by a motor with variable speed to choose. An aircraft cable attaches the car to the drum and provides a smooth move upwards or downwards. You can install it for a maximum of six stops while carrying 1000 pounds of body weight.
Hydraulic Elevators:
Using pressurized fluid to lift the car up and down is the mystery behind its smooth and quiet operations. However, the cost may rise as it needs a separate machine room and pit to install such an elevator at home.
Design and Cost of Home Elevator
You must consider the home elevator if you have been thinking of home improvement for a long time. The elevator comes in handy when someone falls sick, or you bring your parents to live with you, who usually move around in a wheelchair.
The design and cost of an elevator depends on the mechanism they use to operate. Here are a few home elevators for you to choose from:
1.Hydraulic
The lift operates using a piston-driven power force. The hydraulic piston creates air pressure to move the cab up or down. It costs around $20,000-$60,000 and is the most common one to have in homes.
Again, the vacuum elevator uses almost mechanism but is smaller in size and available in aesthetic designs for modern households.
2. Traction
You will have to install a motor at the roof to operate the lift with a rail system to lower and raise it. Usually, they cost less than hydraulics and low cost in maintenance that, ranges between $20,000-$60,000.
These elevators are available in sleek designs and shapes for small homes.
3. Glass/ Acrylic
If you are willing to cost a fortune but will not compromise with the classy look of your home, then these elevators are the perfect lifts for your home. The technology includes a winding drum device along with an aircraft cable made of steel to raise and lower the cab.
These elevators will cost you $40,000- $125,000.
Moreover, you have to keep in mind that the number of stops you add, the more you’ll have to spend on your elevator. For an additional stop, you’ll have to spend an extra $10-15,000. So, unless it’s an apartment building, keep the elevator for two or three stories only.
Construction and Installation Time:
The factors mentioned above, size, shape, style, number of stops, and mechanism, vary the time for installing an elevator. At the same time, most of the elevators are custom-made and need to go under construction after receiving the order.
Nevertheless, if your house doesn’t have available space left for a lift during construction, you’ll have to add extra time to prepare your house for the installation process, which may add an extra two weeks.
Therefore, the whole process may take 4 to 8 weeks to completely install the elevator and be ready to function.
Resale Value
Installing a home elevator will not only assist you in aging in your own house but also increase the value of your property when it comes to selling.
Since people have more options to invest and make money from various sources, they will not think twice when they will look for a house that has the most convenient way to move things around the house.
Furthermore, it will add more value for big families who are looking for a house to keep their old parents with them. Or they have a family member with limited ability to move.
Furthermore, if you are the one who is looking for a property with a home elevator, check if the elevator is working properly if one is already installed, as you want to avoid common pitfalls when it comes to buying a new house.
Conclusion
We hope that the five factors to consider when adding a home elevator have given you a solid idea of the needed space, design, budget, and time for construction.
Apart from the chic design and increasing the beauty of your interior, a home elevator can be your most dependable friend in your older age.
Instead of hiring a helping hand or nurse 24/7 or booking a nursing old age home, you can install the home elevator and help your parents, grandparents, or even yourself live in the comfort of your own house.
