One of the concerns of living in a multistory home is the potential danger and inconvenience of going up and down the stairs. Getting a home elevator can be an excellent idea if one of the family members suffers from physical limitations due to age, surgery, or injury. One of the immediate considerations of this idea is the cost.
The cost of a residential elevator varies according to its type, your home size, and construction. Check out http://www.nationwideliftsoftx.com/ for different home elevator options.
Here are the costs when installing a residential elevator.
Elevator Types
There are four types of residential elevators, depending on the power system used for each – chain-driven, cable-driven, pneumatic, and hydraulic elevators.
- Chain-Driven Home Elevator
This type of home elevator is powered by a chain that is wound around a drum.
The chain does not need replacement and costs less to maintain. A pressing issue of this elevator is its noise, which can be bothersome for some people.
Chain-driven elevators don’t need a machine room, saving you space in your home. This reduced space makes it more practical to include in a retrofit.
The chain-driven elevator usually costs $20,000 to $50,000.
- Cable-Driven Home Elevator
Another type of home elevator is the cable-driven elevator, which is similar to the first type of lift except that it uses a cable instead of a chain. This kind is commonly used in commercial buildings – the ones built with glass or metal shafts.
For cable-driven elevators to function, it needs a pit and machine room aside from the shaft itself. This kind of elevator is considered more costly to maintain than the chain-driven one because its cables need replacement every five years. Choosing this type of elevator is most practical when it’s part of the construction of a new house.
Cable-driven elevators usually cost around $15,000 to $30,000, depending on its style.
- Pneumatic Home Elevator
The pneumatic residential elevator is powered by a vacuum system placed inside a tube, which controls its movements.
This kind of elevator comes in a futuristic design that would make it an interesting feature of a home. It doesn’t call for a machine room or pit, making it simple enough to be added into your home or built with new construction.
This kind of elevator usually costs around $35,000 to $50,000.
- Hydraulic Home Elevator
The hydraulic home elevator is driven by a piston that moves inside a cylinder, which connects to a system that pumps fluid to control its movements.
This kind of elevator eliminates the need for a machine room as its power system is located inside the elevator shaft itself. The hydraulic elevator requires a hole underneath its elevator shaft. Because of this, this kind of lift is simple enough to be added to an existing home.
The hydraulic home elevator costs around $20,000 to $50,000.
Home Size
A lot of the current elevators available for residential use are called two-stop elevators. This means that they’re used in two-story homes. If your home needs access in more than two floors, you may require a three- or four-stop elevator. This affects the total cost by around $10,000 for every level.
Construction: New or Retrofit
- New
The simplest way to build an elevator is to integrate it into the construction of a new home. If this is the case, the elevator shaft can be attached anywhere, allowing you more choices for its concealment, size, and decorative features. When planning to include a home elevator in the construction of your home, the cable-driven elevator would be a better choice, which would cost around $20,000.
- Retrofit
It’s possible to add an elevator into an existing home, and this is called retrofitting. However, retrofitting depends on the amount of space you have at home.
Hydraulic lifts require more space for the construction of its shaft. On top of this, you will also need space for its machine room. Retrofitting a hydraulic lift into your home will cost at least $45,000.
The cost can be even higher if further construction is needed to conceal and fit the elevator and can reach up to $100,000.
Pneumatic residential lifts require less space but are not easily concealed in the home. They can be retrofitted for around $35,000, making it the most inexpensive choice.
Final Thoughts
A home elevator is a complicated type of machinery that can add value and improved accessibility to your home. When considering the benefits it provides, a home elevator can be amazingly affordable. Consult a home elevator expert who can help evaluate your needs and home to determine the kind of lift that best fits you. The costs of home elevators can vary widely, so ensure that you discuss all the options before ultimately making a decision.
