Goes straight up — and leaves the staircase alone

Everyone else ranking for this is paid when you say yes. Here's when you shouldn't.

• There is room for a ramp. On a short rise with the space for a safe gradient, a ramp costs less, needs no power, no permit in many cases, and never breaks down. Rule it in or out before pricing a lift.
• There is nowhere to put a pad. The lift needs a level, load-bearing base with drainage. On a sloping, paved or congested approach, creating that base can cost more than the machine.
• The user can transfer to a seat and the flight is a normal staircase. A seated stair lift is much less expensive and much less intrusive. The platform is there to carry a wheelchair; if that is not the requirement, it is the wrong product.
• You actually need to reach several floors. Beyond a certain travel this stops being a porch lift and becomes an elevator project, with the enclosure, code and cost that implies. Better to have that conversation at the start.
• The upper landing has no room to get off. An outward-opening door or a narrow deck edge can make the lift unusable. Walk the manoeuvre on site before ordering.
• Nobody has established the permit position. These are code-governed installations and requirements vary. Find out first — retrofitting compliance is the expensive way to do it.

• What is the travel height, and what does that trigger in terms of guarding and code?

  The number that determines whether this is a simple porch lift or a much larger project.

• What base does it need, and is groundwork included in this quote?

  The pad is frequently the largest hidden cost and the longest part of the schedule.

• What permits and inspections apply, and will you handle them?

  Requirements vary by jurisdiction and building type. An installer who works locally will know without hesitating.

• Is the electrical supply in scope, and who does it?

  A dedicated, code-compliant and, outdoors, weatherproof supply is a licensed electrician's work and usually a separate quote.

• Show me where the wheelchair gets off at the top.

  Door swings and narrow decks are what make an otherwise sound design unusable. Walk it on site.

• What happens in a power failure — is there battery operation or manual lowering?

  Somebody in the household needs to know this before it is needed. Ask for it to be demonstrated at handover.

• What is the service schedule, and how fast can you attend a breakdown?

  When this lift stops, a level of the house or the entrance itself becomes unreachable. Response time is the key ongoing specification.

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