In the United States, there are an estimated 900,000 elevators, each serving an average of 20,000 people per year. Collectively, U.S. elevators make 18 billion passenger trips per year and more than 10,000 residential elevators are being installed each year by residential elevator installation companies.
For homeowners considering a residential elevator, the installation process varies by elevator and can also vary by residential elevator installation company.
With a traditional lift elevator, a home will usually require some remodeling to put one in. There’s also a lot of time involved as a residential elevator installation company has to put in a separate mechanical room for elevator functions and other major renovations may have to take place. With the need for a residential elevator installation company, a construction company and other possible contractors needed for the job, there can be a heavy cost involved with installing a lift elevator at home.
If a residential elevator installation company is installing a vacuum elevator, there is no heavy machinery involved and they are self-contained. Installing one takes as little as two or three days and has a lower cost of maintenance to maintain.
You can read more about vacuum elevators here.
If you’re considering installing a home elevator as a DIY project, This Old House host Kevin O’Connor can show you in 11 steps:
- Pour concreate pad for the base of the elevator
- Hoist the tower section with a chain pull and level it in place
- Stabilize the tower by attaching the legs
- Hoist the second section of the tower on top of the first portion
- Combine the two sections
- Fill the hydraulic reservoir with transmission fluid
- Place the platform base on top of the legs
- Secure the platform
- Put the floor on top of the platform
- Secure panels on three sides of the platform
- Install an enclosure
Angie’s List gives a detailed lowdown on home elevator installation, offering types of residential elevators and what can expect as far as cost.
Residential lifts are also an option and if you consider installing residential lifts in your home, 101 mobility gives you an idea of what it will take to install residential lifts and the different types that are available.
If you’re considering hiring a residential elevator installation company or a company for elevators maintenance, it’s important to keep several performance factors in mind:
- Number of service calls per year
- Number of chargeable calls per year
- Typical cost of a service call
- Average number of TSSA directions
- Time to correct TSSA directions
- Average number of TSSA shut downs
- Number of inspections
- Elevator down time
If you’re considering installing an elevator in your home, Fixr can give you a general idea of what it might take and what it might cost to make it a reality.
