Buy Stair Lift

Buy stair lift or not buy stair lift – that is the question? The alternative could be renting one.

If you are definitely considering buying a new model there are obvious advantages to be gained. Firstly you know that you will get a good warranty from your supplier so that should give you peace of mind. Plus, in the unlikely event of something going wrong, at least if the lift is new then parts are not going to be a problem.

If you choose a brand new model you are going to have a choice of all the latest innovations.

Nowadays this type of installation is generally pretty much maintenance free. Of course, it always pays to have the lift checked now and again to forestall any possible future problems.

Stair lift’s are not a cheap item, there is no getting round the fact that you are looking at major cash outlay. The benefits though, I would say, far outweigh the expenditure. You cannot put a price on quality of life and this is what will be given to a disabled person if you were to buy stair lift for your home. Not only the disabled person is going to benefit, the people who generally have to lend a hand to get this person up the stairs or down will also feel the benefit.

There is the option, if funds are low, of looking at purchasing a pre-owned lift, however, I would not recommend thinking about buying second-hand if your staircase is curved. It would be almost impossible to find a pre-owned model that had exactly the right curve to suit your staircase.

You would definitely need to beware the supplier who said he could make the rails fit – this would indicate that some manipulation of the rails would take place and this could cause stress to the aluminum. This in turn could lead to a dangerous lift that could break down with disastrous results.

A straight lift however, could be safely bought pre-owned, as long as the length was adequate there shouldn’t be a problem. You might be able to get an extension of the rail made relatively cheaply if it didn’t reach far enough for your particular set of stairs.

One point to keep in mind also is that when you install a stair lift you could be adding as much as 10% to the overall value of your home. This fact might help you to get over the price-tag.

Obviously straight lifts are going to be cheaper than anything more complicated such as curved or even for a spiral staircase. Plus a straight lift can be fitted quite quickly with the minimum of fuss and bother to the household.

Another upside for the straight lift is that, should you no longer need it, you could sell it on and thus recoup some of your initial outlay.

Another possible solution to a tight budget would be to rent a lift rather than buy stair lift. Some manufacturers do offer this facility and if for instance, you only want the lift temporarily then renting makes a deal more sense than buying.

You might also find that your supplier could make arrangements for you to pay in instalments, or make you a loan to help you get the stair lift that you so obviously need. It is always worth asking what arrangements could be made if you know you are going to struggle to find the money. If you don’t ask – you don’t get!