Straight versus curved stair lifts

Whether your stairs are straight up and down or have a curve or two in them will make a big difference to the stair lift that you will install. Not only will the design change, but the price will change rather dramatically, too !

Straight stair lift

If your staircase is straight-up, meaning it doesn’t curve anywhere along the way up, installing a straight stair lift should be a breeze. Straight stair lifts are generally cheaper than other types of stair lifts, like the customized curved stair lifts. Because of the increase of demand for straight stair lifts, the market’s competitiveness has also increased by leaps and bounds. This is good news for consumers who would like one of these handy devices installed in their homes. A straight stair lift is not only useful for ill, old or disabled people, it can be useful for families who would just like to make life a little more convenient and easier.

Today, the cost of a straight stair lift is much cheaper than before and they are often packed with more features too. An average straight stair lift can cost between $3,000 and $4,000. But it all depends on the type, make, model and brand of the straight stair lift that you’re looking at. A good model can cost up to about $20,000. The price of the stair lift should include installation by the provider.

After the provider comes in for an inspection and once the relevant permits and licenses and grants have been obtained, ensure that your home is suitable for a straight stair lift installation. For instance, you will need a power outlet near the stairs and there are no potential obstructions to the free usage of the lift. If there are, you might need to make some slight modifications to your home or customize the stair lift…customization, remember, affects the price of the stair lift.

Curved stair lift

For a home with a curved staircase, installing a straight stair lift is not possible – neither is it possible to combine straight stair lifts or hoist part of the stair lift in the air to make it work over your curved staircase. In this case, you will have to get a customized curved stair lift installed in your home. Although the curved stair lift takes longer to design and install, it is worth it. Since the curved stair lift is customized, the cost is, needless to say, higher than the conventional types of stair lifts.

The most important thing to consider when ordering and designing your curved stair lift is the quality. There is to be no compromise, absolutely none at all, on the safety and reliability of the stair lift. You don’t want to make it unsafe or difficult for the user of the stair lift to use the stair lift because they already have difficulty negotiating the stairways…and now, the stair lift as well? On top of being reliable and safe, the curved stair lift would have to be comfortable. The ride up and down the stairway should be smooth and not jerky. If the curved stair lift is jerky, it might cause unwanted accidents