Curved Stair Lifts
Published by Stephen on July 6, 2008Stair lifts are a type of mobility aid that is used to carry a single individual to the top or bottom the stairs. The majority of lifts use a chair, which is connected to a metal track. The track is in turn secured to the steps or to the wall and the chair is sent up and down the track. Purchasing and installing a stair lift for a straight staircase can be done quickly and for a rather low cost, but if you don’t have a straight staircase, this process is not so straight forward.
Curved Staircases
There is no uniform standard that is used when constructing a curved staircase and so, the degree of the curve depends on the design of the house and the builder.
Since there is no standard, an in home estimate will be required. They will also need to measure the stairs for you because the stair lift will have to be custom made to the specification of your stairs.
Often it takes around six to eight weeks for the unit to be constructed and then it must be installed by the stair lift company. They tend to be much more expensive than a straight stair lift and depending on the company, they can cost well over $15,000.
If you have a curved staircase, it is a good idea to get several estimates. By doing a little bit of shopping around, you can save a good amount of money, but remember the company will have to come to your home to provide you with an accurate cost of the curved lift.
Typically a curved stair lift does not have much resale value, because it will only work with an identical staircase that has the same degree curve.
‘L’ Shaped Staircases
Many people have an ‘L’ shaped staircase in their home. An ‘L’ shaped staircase is basically two straight staircases that have been put together and generally, as do curved staircases, allows for a slightly wider set of steps.
If you have a staircase that is shaped like an ‘L’ and has a landing in between, then it might be possible to install two traditional straight lifts as opposed to installing a single curved stair lift.
Going this route will save a lot of money and will allow you to be up and running in only a few days. However, when you reach the landing you will have to switch stair lifts if you go this route.
Alternatives to a Double Installation
There are also several curved stair lifts available that are designed specifically for an “L” shaped staircase. These models can be used on staircases with landings and those without.These types of stair lifts are less expensive than a custom built curved stair lift, but usually still cost more than a double installation would. The advantage is that these can be installed rather quickly, but they will only work with certain types of “L” shaped staircases.
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Comments:
My mother has a curves set of stairs. We would require a lift from the basement garage to to the first level. In the middle of the stairs is a landing where the front door opens up. Would we need to get to lifts, one from the garage to the landing, and one from the landing to the living level of her house. My question is do they make some type of folding track that folds up when not in use. This way we can use the front door. Please let me know.
Jeff, that is an excellent question and I shot you an email, with some more info.
One option would be to go with a Bruno Stair Lift that has the ‘Flip-up’ folding rail option. These types of stair lifts are designed so that the bottom or top portion of the track can be folded down, to save room. This way, you can fold the track out of the way and use the door. To my knowledge, Bruno is the only stair lift manufacturer offering this feature right now.
Bruno also makes a number of stair lifts for staircases with 90 degree bends or landings, which can be used on an ‘L’ shaped staircase. it is a good idea to compare prices, because a Bruno stair lift is often less expensive than a double stair lift installation and is much more practical.
My husband requires a stair lift due to mobility issues related to MS and a brain tumor. We have a split level home with five stairs and then a 180 degree turn to the last 8 stairs. Would this require 2 separate lifts to be installed? This is the first time I’ve gone online to research lifts, so any info. you could provide would be appreciated. Thank you!
my friend has a split level home with a straight stair from the lower level to the front door and then a stair from the front door landing to the upstairs. the problem is that their is a 180 degree turn at the front door landing before you can go upstairs. what would you recommend, two separate lifts or some type of curved lift with a 180 degree turn at the door landing, or something else.
Stephen and Karleen, I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I hope it is not too late to offer you some advice on what type of stair lift will work best with your stairs.
When you have a bend in your staircase, often a two stair lift installation is the cheapest route. However, it requires that there is a landing where the bend occurs. This is because there must be enough room to install both stair lifts, as well as providing a safe place for the user to transfer from one stair lift to the other.
The same is true of a 180 degree bend or a 90 degree bend, if you want to install two stair lifts.
The two stair lift installation can be much less expensive, but it can be a hassle having to switch stair lifts each time you use the staircase, instead of doing it all in one shot.
So, while a two stair lift will probably work on your stairs, I would recommend exploring some of the other options available first, which are designed to work with these types of staircases.
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