How Much Do Home Elevators Cost? Here’s What You Need to Know

If you or a loved one have trouble traveling up and down your home, a residential elevator just might be the solution. When people think of elevators, they tend to think of businesses or other service buildings, or perhaps in a mansion. But an elevator can be in your home, and in this post, we’ll talk about the pricing and the costs of a home elevator.

So lets get down to million dollar question..

Q) How much do home elevators cost?

A) Well, There is real no exact price for a residential elevators. The cost will depend on many factors as I will explain below. But it’s best to get quotes around your area and then go with the best fit to your needs. Having said all that, Here are some factors that go into the cost of a home elevator:

Building Permit

When installing an elevator, you may need to have a building permit. The cost of the permit will vary depending on where you live, or if you need one at all, and can cost anywhere from $100 to over $1,000. Go to your nearest city hall and see what you need to do so you can be in the clear legally.

Size of Your Home

The more floors the elevator will need to stop on, the more it will cost you. If your house is more than two floors, consider that when thinking about if you need a residential elevator. Having an extra floor can cost you an extra 10 grand.

Size of the Elevator

Naturally, a larger elevator will cost you more than a small one will.

Type of Elevator

There are different types of elevators you can choose from, and we will highlight the main two, which are hydraulic and pneumatic. Hydraulic is an elevator that is powered by an arm lifting it up, and it usually runs smoother and quieter. It’s also much more expensive than pneumatic, which is powered by air pressure. Pneumatic elevators are smaller, and tend to be used more in homes, so if you’re getting an elevator, you’ll probably choose pneumatic, which costs around $10,000 on average. A hydraulic can cost you over $30,000, just for a comparison, and is better if you own a business.

Installation

You bought the elevator, so now you have to install it. First, make sure there is space in your home where an elevator can fit. Spare rooms are a good idea. As a last resort, you may have to build more space, which is another post for another time. In this case, we’ll assume you have some space.

Installation costs will depend on what kind of elevator you have, but for an average home, expect around $5,000.

Maintenance

When your home elevator is installed and running, you still need someone to perform maintenance checks on an elevator. The last thing you want is for the elevator to go out while you’re riding it. For an elevator, it will depend on the maintenance services you need, but it can be around $100 a month.

Repairs

If your maintenance team finds a problem with your elevator, they will need to repair it. Costs will vary, but it’s usually around $70 an hour.

The Total

So, how much do residential elevators cost? For an average, two story house, you’re looking at about $15,000 for an elevator after all the expenses are included. Again, this will all depend on size, type, and how many floors you have. You can talk to us and ask for a free estimate and get started!

Elevators Can Pay Off!

Besides helping the disabled, you can use your elevator to save money and even profit in the long run. For example, elevators can be tax write offs if they’re over 7.5% of your total income. We’re no tax experts, so talk to a professional for more information.

Besides that, elevators are also a great way to add value to your house. The value goes up if they are installed as your home is built. When you sell your home, you can get over half the amount you spent on the elevator back in your pocket, and this is just the minimum. Sometimes, you can get more.

Residential elevators can be a bit costly at first, but it’s a small price to pay if you or someone you know is having trouble going between floors, whether they’re elderly or disabled. If you have had questions about home elevators, feel free to contact us.

Home Elevators Aren’t Luxury Items Anymore

When you think of an elevator inside a private residence, you probably imagine some mansion owned by a celebrity, installed just because they didn’t want to carry heavy items up and down their stairs. However, this is becoming less of a case.

Times change when it comes to technology. Remember when the HD TV seemed like a luxury item? Or the cell phone? As time goes on, certain items become more affordable to the general public and less of an item that is only accessible by the rich and famous.

Examples of Luxury Converting to Essentials

To give you a more detailed example, in 1955, a small black and white TV could cost you around $100, which doesn’t seem like a lot until you remember inflation. Adjusted for inflation, you’re paying over $900 for a TV that had a fraction of uses as a modern TV has. Nowadays, you can get a giant 4K with $900.

Then there’s the dishwasher. In the 1970s, a dishwasher could cost you around $1,500 when you adjust for inflation. Nowadays, you can get a good one for a fraction of that price. These are including in any basic apartment building, and many people can’t leave without it.

Let’s look at the microwave. It’s a staple of any home, poor or rich. You can buy a cheap microwave for around $30, and it gets the job done. In the 1950s, the first commercial microwave was in the market. How much did it cost? Adjusted for inflation, you could be paying as much as $20,000 for one. Imagine paying the price of a car just so you can reheat some leftovers! Find out how much a residential elevator cost now a days.

Finally, we have the home computer. The Commodore 64 could cost you around $1,500 in today’s money. The 64 in the title is how much RAM it had, which was 64 KB. Nowadays, you need at least 4GB of RAM just to run Windows 10 well.

The Future is now

The point is, technology marches on. We’ll soon see 3D printing and alternative fueled cars for less and less too. Same with home elevators, which have more than just a use of convenience. Home elevators are seen as useful tool for the disabled.

About 50 million Americans are living with some kind of disability. Those who find stairs physically taxing, and live in a home that has stairs, can benefit from an elevator installed in their homes. Even if the person does not have a physical disability, there are other disabilities that a home elevator can help. For example, if someone is prone to fainting or seizures, the last thing they want is to have an episode while walking on some stairs, where they can tumble down or cause serious injury.

Then there’s the elderly. Even if an elderly person is physically fit for their age, one fall down the stairs can put them out for a while. A home elevator is safe for all those situations. Not only that, these elevators can be installed with a phone line or an emergency button in case someone needs assistance.

The prices of home elevators will vary. It’ll depend on your home, how many floors you have, the size of the elevator and the type, and the list goes on. But for only one stop, and for a cheaper model, you can get one installed for an average of $10,000. For many, this is the price of a used car, and can be paid off in time.

Plus, home elevators have other benefits. They’re tax deductible if you’re using it for medical expenses. If you’re planning on reselling your home, they can add value to your house and you can probably get most of the money you spent on the elevator back.

And the price of one just keeps going down. We’re not fortunetellers, so we can’t tell you what the home of the future will bring us. But we can make a safe bet that in the future, home elevators will be more common than you think, being used by the disabled. Even those who just want one for convenience won’t have to be rich to install one.

Are Home Residential Elevators Safe?

Having a residential elevator in your home may sound daunting. Since many people are used to seeing elevators in apartment buildings and commercial spaces, they may be concerned about the safety of having it in their own home without an employee managing it. However, when home elevators are properly maintained and installed, yes, they are very safe.

As years have gone by, home elevator technology has advanced to greatly improve the safety of home elevators. Here are just a few factors that keep your residential elevator sage.

Adherence to National Safety Code

Beyond just the functions and technological advancements, there’s a national safety code that all elevators must adhere to in order to be installed. So when you’re getting a residential elevator, you’re getting one that’s coming with the full weight of regulations to ensure it keeps you and your family safe.

REI Controllers

Elevators have come a long way since the days where you needed someone designated to operating the lift. With a Residential Elevators Inc. (REI) controller, you’re able to get real-time diagnostics on how your elevator is running. These devices are smart enough to detect problems and solve them before you even notice them becoming an issue. Plus with functions like auto-lights and auto-homing, your elevator will keep running efficiently no problem.

Infrared Protection

The doors of an elevator can be intimidating to some. However these days, they’re getting better and better at doing their job while keeping you out of harm. With infrared protection, your elevator can detect anything that’s in its path and will prevent itself from closing until the space is open. It’s a function many are used to seeing in elevators, but even more advanced to make those quick judgment calls should someone last second try to hop in or out of the door.

Back-Up Battery

Getting trapped in an elevator is a fear for many people, but it doesn’t have to be a concern with your residential elevator. With a back-up battery, you won’t get stuck inside even if there’s a power outage. Residential elevators also come with a manual lowering device should your power and battery not be functioning as well as a telephone.

Residential elevators are much safer than they may sound to skeptics. Feeling more confident about installing one in your home? Reach out to Celtic Elevators today and we’ll help you find the right model and get you ready to install.

 

The Benefits of Building a Multi-Story Home

When you’re building your home, you have a number of crucial decisions to make. How many rooms? What material will you use? How are you going to install the plumbing and electrical systems? But perhaps one of the largest and most notable questions you’ll have to ask yourself is how many stories you want your house to be. A multi-story home may seem like a lot, especially if you’re trying to live a minimalist lifestyle, but adding stories to your house is a smart long-term investment. Let’s examine how.

Cost Effective to Build and Live In

For many, the instinct may be to build a single-story home in order to save money. However, that’s not actually the case. As Bensonwood points out, two story homes and taller average out to be less money per square foot. The reason being that the largest costs in building a home often are excavation. For the same square footage that a single-story home would have in relation to a multi-story home, your excavation costs will go up drastically. Building up instead of out is a much better way to get bang for your buck. Not just that, but they’re more energy efficient to live in as well. With a larger surface area to heat, a single-story home is going to cost more to heat.

Better Functionality For Your Family

In The House Shop Plan’s “Building Up Versus Building Out,” they breakdown one of the most prescient factors for adding more stories to your home. In short, it comes down to functionality. Trying to manage your home and family in one story comes with its own sets of problems. Being able to designate simple ideas like bedrooms being upstairs and your living space being down stairs is a luxury only known to multi-story homes.

Having a second story gives you more possibilities to design your life the way you want. You’re not constrained to a single layout that you have you to move across. It leaves room for you to rearrange and create a better living experience. Not to mention, you’re likely going to get a better view with a taller home as well.

Overcoming Obstacles with a Home Elevator

One of the things that makes single-story homes so appealing, especially to baby-boomers, is ease of mobility. Without stairs to deal with, you might think that you’re saving yourself to energy and issues that come with another story. However, a single-story home actually will mean more walking distance across your home so if you have a family member that has issues getting around, a single-story won’t necessarily resolve that.

By installing a home elevator, you can minimize the effort and problems of building up. With the costs you’re saving by building a second story, an elevator isn’t totally out of scope. Celtic Elevator can help install a home elevator that will ease the burden of getting around your house while also adding to the value of your home.

 

Think you’re ready to make the leap to a second story and add a home elevator? Reach out to us today and we’ll help find the right option for you.

Inventor of the Safe Elevator

who otis image

Elisha Otis is described as a ceaseless tinkerer. He created the first safe elevator. Otis grew up on a Vermont farm in 1811. However the young Elisha preferred hanging around the blacksmith forge to working on the farm. His passion for tools and tinkering with inventions led him to innovate everywhere he worked. Otis made several attempts at establishing a business. However, he was chronically sick, which led to continual financial troubles. In 1845 he moved to Albany, New York where he where he work at a bedstead factory. It was here that he invented a railway safety brake, which could be controlled by the engineer, and ingenious devices to run rails for four-poster beds and to improve the operation of turbine wheels. He helped his brother design a hoist system to transport materials two to three stories high. He built a machine that sped the production time by four times.

Hoist systems had existed since the time of ancient Romans. But none of them were safe. When Otis lived in Yonkers, New York, he worked converting sawmill into a factory. It was at this time that he needed to lift heavy building materials, and he designed the first safe elevator. His intention was to create a device that would prevent the elevator from falling if the rope broke. He made toothed wooden guide rails to fit into opposite sides of the elevator shaft, and fitted a spring to the top of the elevator, running hoisting cables through it. The cables guided the elevator up and down, but if they broke, the release of tension would throw the spring mechanism outward into the notches, preventing the cabin from falling.

Otis demonstrated his invention at New York’s Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1853. Otis’s alarming demonstration increased orders for his hoist machines. This simple safety device changed the attitude of the public towards being lifted within multi-storied buildings.  Over the years Otis made several improvements to his elevator and patented other inventions, but he never managed to run a successful business. In 1857 Elisha Otis and the Otis Elevator Company began manufacturing passenger elevators. While Otis did not invent the first elevator, he did invent the brake system used in modern elevators, and his brakes made skyscrapers a practical reality. The first public elevator was installed by Otis in a five story department store owned by E.W. Haughtwhat and Company of Manhattan. Otis’s safety elevators would be used in tall landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, becoming a brand name and key component in the skyscrapers that defined modern cities.

Otis had two sons, which helped him found the Elevator Union and General Machine Works Company. He died on 1861, leaving his sons to run the business with better business skills. Elisha Otis’s sons went on to found Otis Brothers and Company in Yonkers, New York. Eventually they achieved mass production of elevators in the thousands!

Picture Source: PBS https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/otis_hi.html

Let’s Be Adventurers!

Happy Friday!

This weekend on our adventurer series we will be going to Berlin! We will be staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel! Have you stayed there? Inside the Radisson is the Berliln Sea Life Center. The main attraction is an 82 foot cylindrical  acrylic glass aquarium. Can you guess what is at the center of this aquarium? Inside the center is a transparent glass elevator!

800px AquaDom von Oben

Photo Credit: Dellex

The aquarium is 36 feet across. This is the largest cylindrical acrylic aquairuim in the world. It holds almost 100 different species of tropical sea life. The feeding and cleaning of the aquarium is performed daily by a few divers. The price to ride the elevator is included in the admittance fee of the Sea Life Center. It takes about five minutes to ride to the top.

Aquadom Aquarium Raddison Blu 1

Photo credit: www.jebiga.com

Video credit: PomppuY

Thanks for joining me in Berlin! I hope you enjoyed the trip!

Let’s Be Adventureres!

There are amazing elevators all over the world! Some of these elevators were designed to be a work of art, while others were designed to be part of a work of art. In this series we will explore some these elevators. So pack your bag darling!

07 TE MChazeau illuminee

Photo Credit: Tour Eiffel Tower

Bonjour! This week on our adventure series, because it is my anniversary, we will be traveling to the most romantic city in the world! Paris, France. Have you been? I have my passport ready let’s go!

There are so many things to do in France, it is going to be hard to fit it all in! I want to visit the Louvre, and see the city from the top of Notre Dame!  Please take me ice skating  at Champs Elyeese!  I want to walk through the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, I’ve heard it’s gorgeous!

The elevator that we will tour is in the Eiffel Tower! Did you know they have a “lift” in the Eiffel Tower? There are actually several! There is one in each pillar that takes you to the first level, which is where the ice skating rink is, then another that takes you to the second level, then a third that takes you to the top. It is possible to climb the stairs to the top, but it is 1665 steps to the top!

The Eiffel tower was built in 1889. The Eiffel tower is the most enduring iconic symbol of Paris. It is also called the Iron Beauty. It is 324 meters, or 1063 feet tall, which is about the height of an 81 story building. It is one of the most visited monuments on earth.

Since the beginning in 1889 visitors have been able to ride a lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower to see all of Paris. We may take elevators for granted today, but this was a great achievement for the time. The first elevator was designed by Roux, Combaluzier and Lepape. The car or lift, was pushed from below, rather then pulled from above, to prevent chain buckling. The second lift to the second level was more of a challenge. Otis Brothers and Company were the only ones willing to undertake the work. They designed the car into 2 superimposed compartments holding 25 people each, and was powered by an inclined hydraulic ram. The third lift was built by Leon Edoux and had a hydraulic ram also.

The elevators today have been revised, and some have been replaced. They are subject to harsh treatments, including wind, rain, snow, and daily use. The elevators combined journey annually equal to going around the world two and half times!! Because the elevators are essential to the monument, the cabins, electrical computer systems along with the historical machinery behind the elevators receive the greatest care. They are constantly checked by technicians.

Elevator in Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, low angle view : Stock Photo

Photo Credit: Getty Images

“Tour Eiffel Ascenseur Roux, Combaluzier et Lepape”. Licensed under Public Domain

 

Benefits of a Home Elevator

This beautiful glass elevator was installed by A+ Elevators and Lifts of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA in a home in Provo, Utah.

People are always surprised to hear I work for a residential elevator company. This may be surprising to the people close to me because I have a young family and live in the suburbs. My son, however, plays football for a league in Scottsdale, and he has several friends that have elevators in their home. In Phoenix and surrounding areas, like Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Prescott, Sedona and Tucson, it comes as no surprise that home elevators are a growing trend.

According to the Home Safe Campaign the demand for home elevators has grown dramatically over the last decade due to an aging population and the falling installation costs[1]. More and more homeowners are recognizing the benefit of installing an elevator in their homes. There are three main reasons why your home will benefit from having an elevator. These reasons are functionality, increase in property value, and style.

Functionality

My father owns a home that is built on a hill. They have a very steep set of stairs leading from the garage on to the first level of their home, then a second set of stairs leading to the main living area. A home elevator simplifies their life. Can you imagine lugging 20 bags of groceries up two flights of stairs? NO thank you! At the holidays they decorate every room for Christmas, which means tons of holiday boxes. Up and down, up and down the stairs all day. Home elevators simplify life. Elevators can be helpful with everyday tasks such as carrying laundry and groceries.

A home elevator makes all rooms accessible to a person in a wheelchair, or someone who has trouble using stairs. They offer independence, to freely move between floors with ease. Installing a home elevator gives you the option of being able to stay in your home long after you retire. If you are in the market for a new home it is important to think long term and prepare for a day when you may have trouble going up and down stairs.  Another benefit of owning a home elevator is that it allows relatives or friends with limited mobility to enjoy your home.

Increase Property Value

The second main benefit of owning a home elevator is that they increase a home’s value.  Mary Beth Klatt, on realtormag.org says elevators add value to real estate listings because they allow buyers to maximize the use of their home for years to come. Installing an elevator or buying a home with an existing elevator is a growing trend. According to relatormag.org the desire to be able to age in place, is the major driver behind baby boomers’ spending on home improvements. These home improvement’s include making their home more accessible with chairlifts, elevators, etc. Home improvements are expected to be about 325 billion dollars by the end of 2015. About half of this spending is due to declining mobility.

Style

Homes are an extension of your lifestyle. Home elevators can add functionality in perfect symmetry with its surroundings. Elevators can be made the center show piece of a home, or can blend in seamlessly. Entrances are framed to look like a door. They can be simple or extravagant. Home elevators can be customized to fit your personal style, whether that is a gorgeous modern glass and steel elevator or a very traditional rich wood cab. It is the convenience of a home elevator while also making it an eye catching statement that makes home elevators appealing.

Elevator World recently announced winners of their photo contest for the most beautiful home elevators. Two of the winning pictures are posted here. Elevator World will start taking picture submissions for 2016, in January.

Home elevators enhance style and market value, while also delivering improved accessibility and functionality.  Recently a Tucson home owner, Doug M. made the comment to me:

“Anecdotally, my wife had hip replacement surgery last week and our elevator is now not just a luxury; it is a necessity. And it works flawlessly. See you guys next time around.”

Our customers love their elevators. Home elevators simplify life, increase the value of their home, and add style and luxury. If you are thinking about installing an elevator give us a call to learn more! 

-Ashley

 

Residential Elevator Maintenance

inclinator cab pics

Does your residential elevator require maintenance?

That depends, do you want your elevator to last a long time? Do you want peace of mind that it is operating safely? Yes? Every residential elevator requires regular maintenance. The owner of Celtic Elevator, Shaun Leary, recommends a maintenance every six months. Our maintenance plans provide the highest quality and most reliable service to keep it operating at its optimal performance, in compliance, and up to the highest safety standards.

I recently bought a new car. It is shiny black, with leather interior …I am a little in love with it. During closing the dealer went over the importance of tune ups, including oil changes, tire rotations, checking fluids, etc. To get the longest life span possible of my new car, it is my responsibility to follow through with scheduling to have the tune ups done. If I don’t do these simple tune ups regularly, it will not be able to perform, and there will be expensive repairs.

This is an example, but there are many others, such as an air conditioner, a furnace, a pool. I wouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on new equipment, and then forget about it. Or even think that because it is new, that it will simply work indefinitely. When it comes to elevators waiting to think about a maintenance until something breaks, can be a dangerous mistake. As the home owner it is our responsibility to ensure that our home is safe. We have young children, friends and family that visit often, it could be potentially hazardous, not to mention mortifying, to have something happen when they are in my home, simply because I was negligent on taking care of the maintenance of my home.

This is not a scare tactic. My intention is not for you to call me in a panic to schedule your maintenance. I just don’t want you to call me in a panic on Friday night when your elevator is broken …but it’s OK, you may, I will take care of you. My goal is to inform you of the importance of scheduling regular residential elevator maintenance.

Now that we have established the importance of residential elevator maintenance, you may be wondering what happens during a maintenance? A residential elevator maintenance includes an inspection of all the equipment, including but not limited to rails, rollers, doors and or gate, buttons, lights, batteries and phone. It also includes adjustments and lubrication. These are at the foundation of our maintenance plans. During a maintenance we ensure that everything is in working order, and we will identify any safety issues. Regular residential elevator maintenances keep your elevator functioning at its optimal level, as well as a proactive way to avoid high repair costs.

A properly maintained elevator will continue to enhance your lifestyle and delivers peace of mind.

Keep it running, keep it safe, and keep it maintained.

Call me today to schedule your maintenance!

-Ashley

Celtic Elevator has entered the blogosphere!

The purpose of this blog is to keep you, our customers, informed on the latest trends in residential elevators.

We will explore the most current products on the market that are designed to simplify and beautify your life.

We will also explore the lighter side trending in the elevator industry. Do you know how many times elevators made headlines last year? I think you would be surprised! Elevators are seen everywhere (quietly in the background) in pop culture, including video games, music videos, big screen movies, and television. Stay tuned and we will learn new, amazing, and possibly completely random facts about elevators together!

Thanks for viewing our blog, come back and visit often!