Wheelchair ramp costs

Length is the main cost driver, and length is set by rise, not by preference. At the ADA's 1:12 maximum running slope, every additional inch of rise adds a foot of ramp — and at $100–$250 per linear foot installed, that inch costs real money. This is why two homes on the same street can get quotes that differ by thousands: one has three steps, the other has seven.

Material matters less than most people expect. HomeGuide's per-linear-foot installed figures: wood $100–$250, aluminum $130–$225, composite $150–$200, steel $200–$250, concrete $200–$250. Wood has the widest range because a cheap wood ramp and a properly built one are very different objects. Aluminum's advantage is speed and removability, not headline price.

The line items that go missing from quotes: handrails at $20–$50 per linear foot, non-slip surfacing at $5–$20 per foot, permits at $50–$300 where required, and annual maintenance at $50–$300. On a 24-foot ramp, handrails on both sides alone can add close to a thousand dollars — and ADA geometry requires them on both sides once the rise exceeds 6 inches, so they are not optional in any ramp built to that benchmark.

If the need is short-term, rent rather than build. HomeGuide reports ramp rentals at $20–$60+ per week or $80–$200+ per month. For a post-surgery recovery measured in weeks, renting a modular or portable ramp is almost always the right financial answer, and it avoids a permanent structure nobody needs in six months.

How to choose

Price per foot, then check the length

A quote that looks cheap per foot but assumes an unsafe slope isn't cheap. Confirm the ramp length matches the measured rise at 1:12.

Make handrails and surfacing line items

At $20–$50 per linear foot for handrails and $5–$20 per foot for non-slip surfacing, these belong on the quote, not in a change order.

Ask about landings explicitly

Level landings at top and bottom, and 60-by-60-inch clear landings at direction changes, add both footprint and cost. A quote without them will grow.

Rent for temporary needs

At $80–$200+ per month, renting beats building for anything under roughly a year, and a modular system can be removed and resold later.

Compare a modular kit against a wood build

Modular at $1,500–$4,000 versus permanent construction at $2,000–$5,500 is often close enough that removability and resale value decide it.