Space requirements · 29 lifts · 11 makers · checked 28 September 2026
Of the 16 through-floor lifts we checked, only five have a published size for the hole cut in your ceiling, and none of them are made by Stiltz, Lifton or Stannah. We read every maker’s own figures for footprint, hole size and ceiling height so you can check the space before anyone comes to survey.
The short answer
- Floor space: the smallest through-floor lift with published dimensions is 610 × 1,050 mm (about 0.64 m²). Most two-person models take about 0.8–0.9 m², and wheelchair models about 1.1–1.75 m². The smallest shaft lift is 840 × 880 mm.
- Ceiling height: plan for at least 2.2–2.4 m floor to ceiling on the top floor. Published minimums run from 2,225 mm to 2,700 mm.
- The hole: it is always a little larger than the lift, typically 30–115 mm more each way on the figures makers publish.
- Pit: none for through-floor and vacuum lifts. Shaft lifts need 37–100 mm, or a ramp instead.
Will a lift fit your space?
Enter the clear floor space you have and the floor-to-ceiling height on your top floor, in millimetres. The table below marks each lift.
We compare against the smallest size each maker lists and use whichever is larger, the lift or its floor hole. Either way round counts. For ceiling height we use the lowest published option, such as a short cab. “Ask” means the maker does not publish the figure. A survey is still the final word, because joists, pipes and door swing all matter.
| Outside size, mm (smallest) | Hole in the floor, mm | Pit | Floors · travel | Power | Source | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stiltz Duo+Through-floor | 1,047 × 810Same paragraph also says “around 0.55m²” | 0.85 | Not published | 2,370 upstairsStiltz-wide figure; cab can be made 150 mm shorter | Not published | 2 · up to 4.5 m | 13 A socket | – | measuring guide · Duo range |
| Stiltz Trio+Through-floor | 1,047 × 1,280Advertised as 1.25 m² | 1.34 | Not published | 2,370 upstairsStiltz-wide figure | Not published | 2 · up to 6 m | 13 A socket | – | measuring guide · Trio+ |
| Lifton DUOThrough-floor | 1,040 × 760 incl. railsSame page also says 1,047 × 810 | 0.79 | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2 · up to 4.5 m | 13 A socket | – | DUO page |
| Lifton TRIOThrough-floor | 1,040 × 1,378Same page also says 1,047 × 1,280 | 1.43 | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2 | 13 A socket | – | TRIO page |
| Stannah (Uplifts) S2Through-floor | 0.6 m² onlyNo width or depth published | – | Not published | Not publishedLift itself is 2,295 tall (compact model 2,145) | Not published | 2 | 13 A socket or fused spur | – | S2 page · FAQ |
| Stannah (Uplifts) S3Through-floor | Not published | – | Not published | Not publishedLift itself is 2,295 tall (compact model 2,145) | Not published | 2 | 13 A socket or fused spur | – | S3 page · FAQ |
| Terry HarmonyThrough-floor | 920 × 1,265Up to 1,055 × 1,465 (four sizes) | 1.16 | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2 · travel 2,060–3,600 | Dedicated 240 V supply | – | Harmony page |
| Terry Harmony FEThrough-floor | 910 × 914Up to 1,045 × 1,435 (four sizes) | 0.83 | Not published | Not publishedCabin is 2,160 tall | Not published | 2 · up to 3.6 m | Dedicated 240 V supply | – | Harmony FE page · brochure |
| Terry LifestyleThrough-floor | 733 × 1,142 | 0.84 | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2 · up to 3.6 m | Dedicated 240 V supply | – | Lifestyle page |
| Terry AffinityThrough-floor | Fits a 900 mm-wide enclosureNo single overall depth given | – | 970 × 750Same on both floors | 2,230 upstairs · 2,200 downstairsFloor must be 160–600 mm thick | Not published | 2 · up to 3.6 m | Dedicated supply to 13 A fused spur | – | specifying guide · Affinity page |
| Companion CygnusThrough-floor | 642 × 1,025Up to 950 × 1,525 (three sizes) | 0.66 | 755 × 1,085Up to 1,062 × 1,585 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | – | Companion article |
| Companion AuroraThrough-floor | 642 × 1,025Identical to Cygnus in every published figure | 0.66 | 755 × 1,085Up to 1,062 × 1,585 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | – | Companion article |
| Companion StratusThrough-floor | 610 × 1,050Up to 918 × 1,505 (three sizes) | 0.64 | 722 × 1,065Up to 1,030 × 1,550 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | – | Companion article |
| Savaria LumaThrough-floor | 38 × 47 inAbout 965 × 1,194; no mm figure published | 1.15 | 1,186 × 956 | 2,400 upstairs (2,310 short cab)2,100 downstairs (2,005 short cab) | None | 2 · up to 4.2 m | Single phase, 5 A | – | UK site · planning guide · savaria.com |
| Wessex VM (open car)Through-floor | Not published1,655 long with the door open (VM30) | – | Minimum shaft 846 × 1,120Up to 1,156 × 1,725 | Not published | Not published | 2 | Not published | – | VM page |
| Wessex VE (enclosed)Through-floor | 920 × 905Up to 1,030 × 1,695; 1,665 long with door open | 0.83 | Not published | Not publishedCabin is 2,080 tall (3 m model) or 2,220 (3.5 m) | Not published | 2 · up to 3.5 m | Not published | – | VE page |
| PVE PVE30 vacuumVacuum | 750 diameter | 0.44 | 32 in (about 813) diameter | 2,700 upstairs (2,470 split unit)2,340 downstairs | None | 2–5 · up to 15 m | 220–240 V single phase | – | PVE30 · installation PDF |
| PVE PVE37 vacuumVacuum | 933 diameter | 0.68 | 39 in (about 991) diameter | 2,700 upstairs (2,470 split unit)2,340 downstairs | None | 2–5 · up to 15 m | 220–240 V single phase | – | PVE37 · installation PDF |
| PVE PVE52 vacuumVacuum | 1,316 diameterInstallation PDF says 1,339 | 1.36 | 54 11/16 in (about 1,389) diameter | 2,700 upstairs (2,470 split unit)2,340 downstairs | None | 2–5 · up to 15 m | 220–240 V single phase | – | PVE52 · installation PDF |
| Aritco HomeLift CompactShaft | 840 × 880Up to 1,340 × 880 (web page says 1,340 × 930) | 0.74 | 870 × 910Up to 1,370 × 910 | 2,248 top floor“Always” | 50 mm recess, or 50 mm ramp | 2–6 · up to 15 m | 230 V single phase | – | Compact page · datasheet · drawing |
| Aritco HomeLiftShaft | 966 × 880Up to 1,466 × 1,450 | 0.85 | Not published | 2,225 top floor (minimum) | 37 mm recess, or ramp | 2–6 · up to 15 m | 230 V single or 400 V three phase | – | HomeLift page |
| Aritco HomeLift AccessShaft | 1,300 × 1,160Up to 1,400 × 2,100 | 1.51 | 1,330 × 1,190Largest sizes up to 1,530 wide | 2,240 top floor (minimum) | 50 mm recess, or 50 mm ramp | 2–6 · up to 13 m | 230 V single or 400 V three phase | – | Access page · drawing |
| Cibes A4000Shaft | 960 × 882Up to 1,460 × 982 (technical brochure) | 0.85 | 1,000 × 993Up to 1,500 × 1,093 | 2,300 top floor | 50 mm, or none with ramp | Up to 6 · up to 15 m | 230 V 16 A, or three phase | – | A4000 spec · technical brochure |
| Cibes AirShaft | 960 × 882Up to 1,460 × 1,645 (technical brochure) | 0.85 | 1,000 × 993Up to 1,500 × 1,760 | 2,300 top floor | 50 mm, or none with ramp | Up to 6 · up to 15 m | 230 V 16 A, or three phase | – | Air spec · technical brochure |
| Cibes A5000Shaft | 1,160 × 1,265Up to 1,360 × 2,015 (technical brochure) | 1.47 | 1,200 × 1,380Up to 1,400 × 2,130 | 2,300 top floor | 50 mm, or none with ramp | Up to 6 · up to 15 m | 230 V 16 A, or three phase | – | A5000 spec · technical brochure |
| Cibes Cloud PlusShaft | Not published | – | 1,070 × 1,040Up to 1,570 × 1,640 | 2,400 top floor | 50 mm, or none with ramp | Up to 6 · up to 20 m | 16 A, single or three phase | – | Cloud Plus spec |
| Cibes C1 Pure (cabin)Shaft | Not published | – | 1,350 × 1,240 built shaft1,410 × 1,310 with Cibes’ ready-made shaft | 2,550 top floor | 100 mm (120 mm under tiles or laminate) | Up to 6 · up to 15 m | Three phase 16 A, or 32 A single phase | – | C1 Pure spec |
| SWIFT ProShaft | Not publishedSmallest floor 830 × 600 | – | 940 × 1,025Up to 1,510 × 1,525 | 2,275 top floor (minimum) | 50 mm recess, or on the floor | 2–6 · up to 15 m | 220 V single phase, 6 A | – | SWIFT Pro · SWIFT FAQ |
| SWIFT LiteShaft | Not publishedSmallest floor 830 × 600 | – | 940 × 1,025Up to 1,510 × 1,525 | 2,275 top floor (minimum) | 50 mm recess, or on the floor with a sill | 2–6 · up to 15 m | 220 V single phase, 6 A | – | SWIFT Lite |
All sizes in millimetres, width × depth, for the smallest size of each lift unless stated. The area column is our own arithmetic from the published width and depth (or diameter). Not published means we could not find the figure anywhere on the maker’s own websites or documents on 28 September 2026. It does not mean the lift lacks one. Where a maker publishes two different figures, both are shown. Every row links to the page the figures came from.
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Tell us your floor space and ceiling heights and we’ll pass them to installers whose lifts fit, so the quotes you get back are for lifts that go in your house. It’s free and there’s no obligation.
What the makers leave out
- Stiltz, Lifton and Stannah publish no hole size for any of their six lifts. Of the 16 through-floor lifts we checked, only five have a published hole size: Terry’s Affinity, Companion’s Cygnus, Aurora and Stratus, and the Savaria Luma. The hole is the biggest single piece of building work in a through-floor install.
- Only four of the 16 through-floor lifts have a published minimum ceiling height. Stiltz gives one figure for all its lifts (2,370 mm upstairs), and Terry’s Affinity and the Savaria Luma give their own. Every one of the 13 shaft and vacuum lifts publishes one.
- Stiltz’s own measuring guide contradicts itself in one paragraph. It says the Duo has “a footprint of around 0.55m²”, then gives the Duo+ as 1,047 mm wide and 810 mm deep. That is 0.85 m², more than half as big again. Stiltz does not say what the 0.55 m² measures.
- Lifton prints two different footprints for the same lift on the same page. The DUO page gives 1,040 × 760 mm “including the rails” and, further down, 1,047 × 810 mm. The TRIO page gives 1,040 × 1,378 mm and 1,047 × 1,280 mm.
- The hole is bigger than the lift. Companion’s holes are 113 mm wider and 60 mm deeper than the lift itself. Aritco’s drawings add 30 mm each way to the shaft. Planning to the lift’s footprint alone will come up short upstairs.
- The door needs room too. Wessex’s VE30 is 905 mm long, but 1,665 mm with its door open to the wall. Wessex is the only maker here that publishes the door-open length.
The five measurements to take before a survey
- Clear floor space on both floors. Measure width and depth where the lift would stand downstairs and where it would arrive upstairs. The upstairs spot is usually the harder one: it has to be clear of the top of the stairs, doors and radiators.
- Floor-to-ceiling height on the top floor. This is the figure most likely to rule a lift out. Measure from finished floor to the lowest point of the ceiling where the lift would sit. Sloping or beamed ceilings count at their lowest point.
- Floor-to-ceiling height downstairs. Fewer makers publish this, but Terry (2,200 mm for the Affinity), Savaria (2,100 mm for the Luma) and PVE (2,340 mm) all do.
- Room for the door or gate to open. A lift’s footprint is its closed size. Wessex, the one maker that publishes the door-open length, shows it can add over 750 mm to the depth.
- The floor itself. Note which way the joists run and whether pipes or cables cross the spot. Terry says the Affinity needs a floor between 160 and 600 mm thick. Many through-floor lifts are fed from a socket or a fused spur, so note where the nearest one is too.
Then compare your numbers with the table, and ask any installer to confirm the hole size and top-floor headroom in writing before you sign. Our installation guide covers what happens on the day, and installation costs covers what the building work adds to the price.
How the space differs by type of lift
Through-floor lifts
A car on rails that passes through a hole cut in the ceiling, with a panel that seals the hole when the lift is downstairs. They need no pit and no shaft, and they serve two floors. The footprint is small, but most makers publish neither the hole nor the headroom they need. More on through-floor lifts.
Shaft and platform lifts
A lift supplied inside its own enclosure, from Aritco, Cibes or SWIFT. They take more floor space than the smallest through-floor lifts, but they can serve up to six floors, and every one we checked publishes its hole size or its headroom, usually both. They sit on the floor with a ramp or in a 37–100 mm recess.
Vacuum lifts
A clear tube with no rails, pit or shaft. The PVE30 is the smallest footprint in the table at 750 mm across, but vacuum lifts need the most headroom: 2,700 mm on the top floor with the standard head unit, or 2,470 mm with the split unit. More on vacuum lifts.
Questions people ask about space
How much space does a home lift need?
The smallest published through-floor lift, Companion’s Stratus Compact, measures 610 × 1,050 mm, about 0.64 m². Most two-person through-floor lifts take about 0.8 to 0.9 m², and wheelchair sizes about 1.1 to 1.75 m². Shaft and platform lifts start at 840 × 880 mm (Aritco HomeLift Compact). You also need a hole cut in the ceiling slightly larger than the lift, and enough height on the top floor.
What ceiling height do you need for a home lift?
Where makers publish a minimum, the top-floor figure runs from 2,225 mm (Aritco HomeLift) to 2,700 mm (PVE vacuum lifts with the standard head unit). Stiltz says its lifts typically need 2,370 mm upstairs, with a cab 150 mm shorter available. Terry’s Affinity needs 2,230 mm upstairs and 2,200 mm downstairs. Lifton, Stannah, Wessex and Companion publish no minimum, and Terry publishes one only for the Affinity.
How big is the hole for a through-floor lift?
Only five of the 16 through-floor lifts we checked have a published hole size. Terry’s Affinity needs 970 × 750 mm. Companion’s Stratus Compact needs 722 × 1,065 mm and its Cygnus Compact 755 × 1,085 mm. The Savaria Luma needs 1,186 × 956 mm. Stiltz, Lifton and Stannah do not publish the size of the hole, so get it in writing at survey.
What is the smallest home lift in the UK?
On published figures, the smallest footprint is the PVE30 vacuum lift, a 750 mm diameter tube (about 0.44 m²). The smallest through-floor lift with published width and depth is Companion’s Stratus Compact at 610 × 1,050 mm. Stiltz advertises its Duo at around 0.55 m², but the same Stiltz guide gives the Duo+ as 1,047 × 810 mm, which is 0.85 m².
Does a home lift need a pit?
Through-floor and vacuum lifts stand on the existing floor: Savaria and PVE both say no pit is needed. Shaft and platform lifts usually sit in a shallow recess or on the floor with a ramp. Aritco specifies 37 or 50 mm, Cibes and SWIFT 50 mm, and the Cibes C1 Pure cabin lift 100 mm (120 mm under tiles or laminate).
Do you need a lift shaft for a home lift?
Usually not. Through-floor lifts travel through a hole in the ceiling on their own rails, and vacuum lifts are a self-supporting tube. Aritco, Cibes and SWIFT supply their shaft lifts inside their own enclosure. Cibes’ C1 Pure cabin lift can go in a ready-made Cibes shaft or a builder-made one.
How we built this table. On 28 September 2026 we read the published specifications for 29 current UK home lifts from 11 makers. We used only the makers’ own websites and the brochures, datasheets, drawings and planning guides they host or link to. We used no dealer sites. We re-checked the headline figures in a browser the same day. The table shows the smallest size of each lift, the hole the maker says to cut, the minimum ceiling height it states and the pit it asks for.
What we did not do. We did not estimate a missing figure, convert a lift’s own height into a ceiling requirement, or treat one maker’s numbers as another’s. The one conversion is from inches to millimetres, for the Savaria Luma and PVE figures that are only published in inches, and those cells say so.
Independence. UK Homelifts is an independent guide. We are not paid by any maker in this table to include or rank its lifts. If you ask for quotes through us, we pass your details to installers.
Related
Best compact home lifts for small houses and terraces · Stiltz vs Lifton vs Aritco vs Cibes comparison table · Home lift finder · Wheelchair home lifts · Building regulations
Compiled by the UK Homelifts research team. Figures checked 28 September 2026. We recheck them every quarter, and makers change specifications, so confirm them with your installer.