Please remember that stairlift prices given by the Stairlifty Online Assistant above are a rough estimate of the actual price. Other sites may not fully explain the reasons for this. Here at Stairlifty we aim to be completely transparent. The actual price you may be quoted is influenced by quite a number of factors. There are too many factors for any online comparison service to calculate very accurately .
For the lift to fit your stairs and for the lift to include features you need the company may have to carry out a number of modifications or include extras that will increase the price.
It is also wise to remember that the cheapest lift may not offer the best value. Many disabled people have regretted fitting a second hand lift that was cheap but lacked some essential features.
For example, you may be offered a £900 lift that come without a powered swivel. If you are unable to operate the manual swivel lever (perhaps due to arthritic hands) you may regret not paying for the powered swivel option.
The major factors which go into the guide price are:
Contents of this Stairlift Guide
Straight
This is the most common type of lift fitted and tends to be the cheapest. The less complicated your stairs are the easier it is to manufacture and fit the rail the carriage runs on. The ease of fitting will be reflected in the price.
Curved
Curved rail lifts are quite a bit more expensive due to the need for the rail to be tailor made for you stairs. There is also a need for more expensive rail brackets as the carriage has to rise as it travels around the curve.
Number of steps
For most ordinary homes this may not have a huge affect on the price. Even if there are only three or four steps the price of the lift carriage may not change. The length of the rail has comparatively little effect on price.
Outdoor Lifts
These can be a little more expensive due to the need for them to be extra robust, waterproof and have a cover.
Obstructions
This can have a large effect on the final price. Architectural or other obstructions may need modifying. Usually these can be done by a tradesman but will incur an extra charge. Obstructions may include things such as, radiators, sills, posts and doorways (particularly front doors) Electrical upgrading works if the wiring is in poor condition or not compliant with current building regulations .
Warranty Length and Aftercare
All of the major manufacturers will offer an extended warranty of various lengths on top of the usual 1yr guarantee in addition to a maintainance contract.. You may have the option of an additional 4yrs guarantee.. Stannah also offer a buy back scheme with certain models. Unfortunately used stairlifts are not worth very much.
VAT
An important fact to note is that VAT is not levied on most disabled products and therefore should not appear in the quote given to you. A reputable company should ask you to sign a VAT waiver form. If therefore a salesman offers to ‘‘knock off the VAT’’ be aware that this is a deceptive marketing ploy!
