At last, the decision has been reluctantly made – the stairs have become too difficult to climb so you need to get a stairlift installed in the house. But now you haven’t a clue as to which stairlift you should select as there seems to be many options available. This quick guide will hopefully unravel the mystery of buying a stairlift and help you to make the right decision, both for you, your budget and your home.
Buying a Stairlift
Here are some of the main factors which you need to take into account when making the decision about buying a stairlift. Ultimately your purchase will depend on your home and the features you need in a stairlift. It’s a very personal decision so by all means seek advice from stairlift suppliers, friends and family members but you need to be happy with your decision as you are the person who will enjoy the benefits of a new stairlift in your home.
About your stairs
Some houses have a straight flight of stairs whereas others have landings with 90 degree corners and other staircases are even curved! There are basically lots of different types of staircases but there are different types of stairlifts to accommodate different designs of stairs. Look at the width of your staircase – perhaps it is very narrow so a more compact stairlift may be a better option. Alternatively there may be a low ceiling on part of the staircase which has to be considered too.
About you
Sorry to ask this but there are a few personal details that will need to be considered – your weight and height! The stairlift needs to be strong enough to transport you upstairs safely and comfortably. If you are very tall, you need to make sure that your legs aren’t bouncing off every step as you glide upstairs. Also consider if you would like to sit or stand on the stairlift.
Your budget
Like any home adaptation, there is a cost involved and you need to consider how you will pay for the stairlift. Some companies will expect it to be paid as one lump-sum while others will be happy to set up a direct debit so that you can spread the cost over a longer time period.
What type of company would you like to deal with?
A google search will bring up lots of different stairlift companies that will only be too glad to install a stairlift in your home. Would you prefer a large company with many branches across the UK or a smaller independent company?
In 2019 the consumer magazine Which? carried out research with 754 stairlift owners to find out their experience of buying a stairlift from a cross-section of suppliers. The independent companies came top in terms of customer satisfaction
Which companies should you talk to?
Just like any other major purchase, it’s a good idea to get three quotes so you can make a well informed decision. Different companies will sell different makes of stairlifts too. Each company will send someone to your home to discuss your requirements and to see the staircase. They should then provide you with a written quote.
Check with your friends and family to see if they can recommend any companies based on their experience. They may have had both good and bad experiences which it is important to know about. Also check the company’s customer reviews on Facebook and Google to see what other people have said about them.
Which questions should you ask of the stairlift companies?
Price is probably one of the first aspects to look at but there are other important factors to consider when buying a stairlift.
- How safe will this stairlift be? After all, you don’t want to fall off while you are coming downstairs!
- Are the stairlift controls easy to use? You may have limited grip or struggle to press buttons so will you be able to use it yourself. Will someone need to be with you when you are travelling on the stairlift? What happens if you find yourself stranded upstairs and the stairlift is downstairs?
- How is the stairlift powered? Does it need an electricity supply? Is there a battery? If so, how does it get charged up? What happens if there is a power failure?
- What about a warranty? Does the manufacturer give a 12 month warranty with the stairlift?
- Is there any servicing required? If so, how often should it happen and how much would it cost?
- Think about the emergency service that you will receive should you need it. For example, what happens if the stairlift breaks down on Christmas Eve? Would the company have anyone local to handle emergency repairs?
- Ask about the timescale from placing an order to having the stairlift installed. Can it be done next week or is there a three month delay?
- On the installation day, how long does it take and how messy will it be? Does the carpet need to be lifted or will the wallpaper be damaged?
Which “bells and whistles” would you like on your stairlift?
Just like buying a car, there are optional extras available which of course could add to the cost.
- Automatic footraiser – this means you won’t have to bend down to fold the footrest away when the stairlift isn’t in use.
- Swivel seat – as the name suggests, the seat swivels so you don’t have to sit on the seat sideways.
- Remote controls – they can even be adapted for left-handed and right-handed people.
- Lock – can the stairlift be locked when you aren’t using it? When the grandchildren come to visit, do you really want them to play on it?
If you know anyone with a stairlift in their home, ask if you can visit their home and try it out for yourself. You will probably have slightly different requirements to this person but it will help you to work out which features are most important to you.
Finally remember you will probably only purchase one stairlift in your lifetime so it is really important that you take your time in making the decision. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions of the companies you are researching and this will give you a really good idea of whether you want to business with them. After all, they will need to be at the end of the phone to help you with any questions as you get used to enjoying the extra freedom you get from your new stairlift.