Tips for Buying Home Elevators for New and Remodeled Buildings

When you purchase an accessibility device for a home, your prime concern should be to get a safe, reliable, durable and economical solution. Going by some important considerations when buying home elevators for new and remodeled buildings can help you choose the right solution.

Buying Residential Elevators – Key Considerations

• Drive system: Popular elevator drive systems include roped-hydraulic, winding drum, counter-weighted chain drive system, and gearless. Each has its advantages and suits different types of settings. You should choose the type that suits your needs, space constraints, and budget. Gearless models are environment-friendly and save your space as well as energy costs.

• Floor space: How much floor space can you spare for your elevator? This should determine choice. Elevators with hydraulic drives need a machine room, while chain drive and gearless systems do not. A device that requires a machine room would take up more space than one that does not. If your elevator has to accommodate a wheelchair, a 3' x 4' car would take up an area of about 5' x 5', and also allow enough space for a machine room. Pitless models are a great choice for existing buildings with space constraints.

• Cost: Price varies from model to model and depends on features as well as options chosen. Installation cost is also a point to consider. If you are building a new home and plan on installing an elevator in the future, it would not cost you much to add a hoistway in the construction stage. This can be easily converted into an elevator shaft later. For an existing home, you have to think of the space constraint as well as the structural modifications that would be needed to set up your elevator. Too many structural changes would raise cost.

• Safety: All home elevators should come with standard safety features. They also have to be installed to meet building and safety codes in your state. Make sure that your elevator supplier can install the device to fulfill these conditions and arrange for inspections to ensure compliance.

• Custom options: Premium quality home elevators feature several customization options so that they can be made to blend with home décor. This is especially useful when you are setting up the equipment in an existing home. Various options are available for car sizes, interior panels, flooring, fixtures, key switches, and more.

• Efficient customer-oriented service: Leading elevator suppliers offer quality accessibility equipment from premium brands such as ThyssenKrupp Access, Federal Elevator, Savaria, and more. Make sure your dealer offers professional installation, timely maintenance and repair, and on-call emergency service. Look for proper warranty and maintenance contracts. All this is necessary to keep your device in top working condition. It’s also useful to partner with a dealer that takes care of mandatory inspections and tests for residential elevators.

Whether you are remodeling or building new, going by these tips for buying home elevators can help you find the right accessibility solution.