Elevated homes are the norm along the Southwest Florida coast. Living space sits a full story above the ground, and the only way up is a long flight of stairs. When those stairs become a problem, there are three ways to solve it. Here is how to tell which one fits.
Start with two questions
Does a wheelchair or scooter need to make the trip? If so, a stairlift is out. You need a platform lift or an elevator.
Which levels need to be reached? Getting from the driveway to the front door is one problem. Getting between floors inside the house is another. Some homes need both solved.
Stairlift
A stairlift carries one seated person along a rail fixed to the stair treads. It suits someone who can walk a little, sit down and stand up, but finds the stairs tiring or unsafe.
- Lowest cost of the three and usually installed in a day.
- Works on straight or curved stairs, indoors or out.
- Runs on batteries, so it keeps working in a power cut.
- Does not carry a wheelchair, groceries or luggage.
For an elevated home, an outdoor stairlift on the exterior stairs is a common and economical answer. See our stairlift cost and funding guide for what affects the price and which programs may help.
Vertical platform lift
A platform lift raises a wheelchair or scooter, with the person in it, straight up from the ground to a porch or entry landing. It does the job of a ramp in a few square feet.
- Made for wheelchair access over a single rise.
- Installs beside the stairs on a concrete pad, with a gate at the top.
- Costs less than an elevator and needs less construction.
- Open to the weather unless enclosed, so it needs regular service near salt water.
If the main difficulty is getting into the house, and the living space inside is all on one level, a platform lift is often all that is needed.
Home elevator
An elevator has an enclosed cab and serves two, three or four levels from inside the house. It is the complete solution: it carries a wheelchair and a companion, the shopping, the suitcases and anyone who would simply prefer not to climb.
- Serves the garage level and every floor above it.
- Protected from the weather.
- Highest cost and the most construction, particularly in a retrofit.
- Adds lasting value to a multi-level coastal home.
Our cost guide gives the typical range and explains what moves it.
A quick comparison
- Walks, but stairs are hard: stairlift.
- Uses a wheelchair, house is one level inside: platform lift at the entry.
- Uses a wheelchair, bedrooms are upstairs: elevator.
- Planning ahead in a three-level home: elevator, or at least frame the space for one.
Think about storms
Whatever you choose, part of it will sit at ground level in a flood zone. Ask how the equipment should be parked and shut down before a hurricane, and what can be mounted higher. Our storm damage page covers preparation and what to do afterwards.
Get it looked at
The right answer depends on the house as much as the person. Modern Lifts will visit, look at the stairs, the entry and the structure, and tell you which options work and what each would cost. The visit is free. Request one here or call 239.499.4749.