Does It Make Sense to Install a Home Elevator in an Older House?



Freedom Green Home ElevatorIt may be easier to install an elevator in a home that is being constructed because the elevator can be incorporated into the floor plan, but elevators can also be installed in existing homes. They are designed to retrofit units and come in pieces that can brought into the house through a standard door.


Most elevators have floor areas that range from 12 to 15 square feet, so they take up little more room than a good size closet and can fit comfortably in an older house.



There are two major types of elevators, cable and hydraulic, and both can be installed in older homes. With a cable elevator, cables are mounted in the basement or attic. The elevator car rides on a guide rail and is moved up and down with cables. A hydraulic elevator features a pump that is kept away from the elevator and provides a quieter and smoother ride.

There are a number of reasons why installing an elevator in your older home makes sense. It will allow you to stay in your home longer. If all the bedrooms are on the second floor of your home, installing an elevator will provide easy access for older homeowners who have problems climbing stairs.

A second reason to install an elevator in your older home is that is takes up less space than a second stairway. Homeowners sometimes require another stairway to access areas of the second floor, and an elevator takes up less space than a second stairway. It can be worked into the house design.

Elevators are also small and quiet, so they provide streamlined transportation in your old home. They are operated by a hydraulic piston or cable and pulley with an electric motor and may notrequire a machine room. The cabs vary in size and can be large enough for two adults and two children or an adult in a wheelchair.

The other benefit of elevators in older homes is that they can be designed to match the décor of your home, including the door, which can match the other doors in your home.

An elevator in your home will cost $20,000 to $25,000 but can increase the value of an older home, so you can recover the cost of the elevator, and then some, at resale. An elevator will take up only a small amount of space in an older house. If the elevator is medically necessary, you may be able to take advantage of tax benefits.


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The most important benefit of installing an elevator in your older home is that you'll be able to stay there. You can stay in the home where you raised your family and the home you've grown to love.

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There is simply no other company that can offer you all of this.

If you are looking for a customized quote or just want to ask a question, get in touch with Nationwide Lifts today to start talking to a Home Elevator expert.