Taking Things to the Next Level: Installing a Home Elevator

In offices, hotels and stores, we take elevators for granted. At home, we assume stairs are the only way between floors. That assumption is changing.

With more affordable, compact options available, many homeowners are considering a home elevator. Elevators are convenient for things like hauling guests' luggage, but the main reason most people add one is to support aging in place.

Age in Place Comfortably

Stairs become harder for many homeowners as they age, and families planning for parents to move in face the same challenge. Many older couples want to stay in the homes they love, and in today's housing market, moving can be costly and difficult. A home elevator helps them maintain their quality of life and independence. Learn more about aging-in-place remodeling and aging-in-place kitchen design.

Design Considerations

Matching Your Home's Style

A home elevator should never look like a commercial one. The shaft and doors should be designed to match your home's architecture, and the cab interior can be customized to complement your decor, as in this lakeside home elevator by our team.

Added Value

An elevator prepares your home for future needs, including aging, mobility challenges or illness. It can also be a strong selling point that adds to resale value.

Footprint and Location

The elevator must work with your home's walls and structure. Will the shaft be added to the exterior, or can it fit within the existing footprint? It must span multiple floors and leave room for the equipment. Your home's space and structure often determine which elevator type works best. Once the look, type and location are set, you can plan ordering, prep and installation.

Types of Home Elevators

• Hydraulic drive: a piston raises and lowers the car by moving fluid in a sealed cylinder. Quiet, smooth and strong, but typically more expensive and requires a machine room at the lowest level.
• Winding drum drive: heavy duty cables wind around a rotating drum powered by a variable speed motor. The size can be customized, though the shaft has minimum size requirements.
• Inline gear drive: no machine room needed, which saves space and money, but with fewer customization options.

All three require specialized electrical work, which may mean new circuits and junction boxes.

Work With an Experienced Team

Installing an elevator is both an opportunity and a challenge, and the right partner makes all the difference. Tracy Tesmer Design and Remodeling has extensive experience designing and installing elevators that fit seamlessly into your home. Call 678-450-1700 or contact us online to learn more.