The deciding question: the wheelchair
A stairlift carries a seated passenger along the line of the staircase. It suits someone who can transfer from a wheelchair onto the seat and leave the chair behind. A platform lift instead travels vertically between floors and carries the wheelchair itself — with its user and a mobility scooter — on the level. Where the chair must travel too, only a platform lift will do.
Cost and space
- Stairlift — lower upfront cost; fixes to the staircase; keeps the stairs usable for others only when folded.
- Platform / through-floor lift — a higher initial cost but needs only a 150mm pit and a small footprint in a corner or beside the stair, leaving the staircase completely clear.
Longevity and resale
A home lift is generally the more capable and longer-lasting solution, copes with changing needs over time, and tends to add more to a property than a stairlift. For a home being adapted around a wheelchair, or for the long term, it is usually the wiser investment.
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