home lift type
Through Floor Home Lifts
A through-floor home lift carries people between two floors through a hole cut in the ceiling. It runs on its own rails and needs no shaft.
This page covers how they work, what they need and how to choose one.
What is a Through Floor Home Lift?
A through-floor lift is a small lift car that travels straight up through an opening in the floor above.
It needs no separate shaft, so it can go in an ordinary room with a bedroom or landing above.
How Does a Through-Floor Lift Work?
The car is moved by one of two drives. Stiltz, Lifton, Stannah Uplifts and the Savaria Luma use a motor that winds a rope or drum. Terry and Wessex use hydraulics.
The car rises on its own rails and passes through the opening in the ceiling.
Through-floor lifts are either rope-driven or hydraulic, and all 16 we checked serve two floors. Our home lift type comparison shows how they differ on speed, load, power and price, and when a shaft or vacuum lift makes more sense.
Choosing the Right Through Floor Home Lift
Check these four things before you choose:
- Space requirements: Measure the floor space and the ceiling height on both floors. Our home lift space requirements table lists the footprint, floor hole and minimum ceiling height for 29 lifts.
- Load capacity: Published loads run from 170 kg to 325 kg, and only some models take a wheelchair.
- Safety features: Ask what happens in a power cut and what stops the car if something is underneath it.
- Aesthetics: Ask to see the finishes, because the lift will sit in a living room or hallway.
Installation and Maintenance of a Through Floor Home Lift
A through-floor lift is fitted by the manufacturer or an approved installer.
They survey the house, cut the opening, fit the rails and car, and test the lift before handing it over.
After that it needs a service at least once a year.
What a Through-Floor Lift Offers
What a through-floor lift offers:
- Space-saving: It needs no shaft, so it takes less room than a shaft lift.
- Direct: It goes straight from the downstairs room to the room above.
- Safe: Common safety features include battery lowering in a power cut, a safety pan under the car and door interlocks.
- Finishes: Most makers offer a choice of cabin finishes.
Types of Through Floor Home Lifts
Through-floor lifts come in two forms, and one product is often confused with them:
- Platform lifts: An open platform with low sides, such as the Wessex VM.
- Hole-in-floor lifts: An enclosed cabin that travels through the opening, such as the Stiltz Trio+ or the Wessex VE.
- Stairlifts: A stairlift is a different product. It runs on a rail fixed to the stairs and does not pass through a floor.
Summary
A through-floor lift is the usual choice for a two-storey house with no room for a shaft. Sixteen models are on sale in the UK, from Stiltz, Lifton, Stannah, Companion, Savaria, Terry and Wessex.
Other types of Home Lifts
Traction Home Lifts
Traction lifts are driven by a rope or drum. In UK homes most of them are through-floor lifts serving two floors.
Vacuum Home Lifts
Vacuum lifts move a cabin inside a clear tube using air pressure. They serve two to five stops and need a tall upstairs ceiling.
Electric Home Lifts
Every home lift runs on electricity, so “electric” is a loose label. They can go in new or existing homes.
Top Homelifts
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Through Floor Home Lift
Answers to the questions we are asked most about through-floor lifts.
What Is A Through-Floor Home Lift?
A lift that travels straight up through an opening in the ceiling to the room above, on its own rails, with no shaft.
How Does A Through-Floor Home Lift Work?
The car is moved by one of two drives. Stiltz, Lifton, Stannah Uplifts and the Savaria Luma use a motor that winds a rope or drum. Terry and Wessex use hydraulics.
The car passes through the opening each time it moves between floors.
What Are The Benefits Of A Through-Floor Home Lift?
It needs no shaft, and fitting usually takes a few days.
Are There Different Types Of Through-Floor Home Lifts?
Open platform lifts and enclosed cabin lifts. A stairlift does not pass through a floor.
What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing A Through-Floor Home Lift?
Check the floor space, ceiling height, load, power supply and whether it must take a wheelchair. The smallest published through-floor footprint is 610 × 1,050 mm, the Companion Stratus Compact. Wheelchair models are larger.
For how a through-floor lift looks once it is in, see how a through-floor lift looks in the room, and the finishes on offer.
Who Should Install A Through-Floor Home Lift?
Use the manufacturer or an approved installer. Cutting the opening is structural work and needs Building Regulations approval.
Is Regular Maintenance Necessary For A Through-Floor Home Lift?
Yes. Plan on at least one service a year; published prices run from £195 to £750 a year. Check the call buttons and any remote controls between services.
Can People With Mobility Issues Use A Through-Floor Home Lift?
Yes. That is who they are made for. Wheelchair users need a cabin model such as the Stiltz Trio+, Lifton TRIO or Stannah Uplifts S3.
Does A Through-Floor Home Lift Require A Separate Lift Shaft?
No. It runs on its own rails through an opening in the ceiling.
Is A Through-Floor Home Lift Safe?
Common features are a safety pan or sensors under the car, door interlocks and a brake. Most have battery lowering, so the car can return to the lower floor in a power cut.