Where Can I Install a Home Lift in my House?

A home lift can be installed for a huge number of reasons – the main ones being for disabled/less able access, for moving bulky/heavy items between floors, and for futureproofing. Many customers ask us “where can I install a lift in my house?”, which Gartec always say “almost anywhere!”. Whatever the reason you want a home lift, even though they will fit almost anywhere, you will still need to pick a good spot.

With a range of lift sizes, there is an option that will fit in any home – the smallest takes up approximately the space of a wardrobe or small cupboard.

Read through the sections below to make sure you find the perfect spot for your lift – and if you need any help, the Gartec team are always happy to visit you and give advice.

Installing a Lift in my House: Landings

Consider where the lift will appear on each floor. If you have a lift going into a bathroom, it could be a bit of a surprise for anyone is using it!

You will only need a hole through the floor at each landing, with the largest possible hole required for a Home Lift being 1505x1730mm, and the smallest being 910x870mm – with a huge range in between. Just make sure if you need a particular size of lift you can fit it in your preferred area.

Above the Lift

Gartec home lifts do not have machinery above them, and don’t require a fixing point at the top, so you will need to leave just the height of the door, frame and upper panels – approximately 2.5m up from the floor.

Below the Lift

The lift can be installed in 2 ways. If you would like the lift to sit flush with the floor, a pit of just 50mm is required. Alternatively, a 50mm ramp can be installed so the floor will just have attachment points in it.

The lowest floor level needs to be able to support the lift, so cannot be a mezzanine or floating floor – though if you have specific requirements then we can often work around them.

Installing a Lift in my House: Door Space

Make sure that on each floor there will be room for the lift door to open and for someone to step out.

If the user has a wheelchair then the space outside the doors will need to be larger – on commercial projects, a turning circle of 1500mm is recommended so take this into consideration.

Installing a Lift in my House: Attachment Points

Gartec home lifts don’t need a dramatic fixing or large support. As we supply the shaft with the lift, all we really need is floor fixing points, and a bracket at a higher level. If you would like the lift in a stairwell, we can support it on the staircase.

Of course, if you would like the lift tucked away or against a wall, we will use the wall as a support point.

Installing a Lift in my House: Aesthetics

Don’t forget to think about where you would like the lift to be – is there an empty corner you want to jazz up? Perhaps there is a spare cupboard that you could fit it into? Or, maybe you want to make it a feature and put it in the middle of the room!

Also consider the colour schemes you would like – remember the flooring of the lift stays the same regardless of which floor you are on, though you can colour and wrap the lift on each floor if you want it to match your décor perfectly.