How Do I Find a Suitable Stairlift


Installing a stair lift in the home of someone who has mobility issues can make all the difference in their lives.  It allows them to regain or retain their independence and no longer feel like a prisoner in their own homes.  Stair lifts come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit almost every staircase.  The main two types of stair lifts are:

  • Straight stair lifts which fit on a staircase that goes up on a straight line, with no corners or bends.
  • Curved stair lifts which are custom made to fit an individual staircase that does have corners or bends.  It is even possible to have a curved stair lift installed on a spiral staircase.
If you are thinking of installing a stair lift, you may wonder “how do I find a suitable stairlift?

Scoping Different Stair Lift Installers

There is a wide range of stair lift installers in the United Kingdom, offering a range of different stair lifts.  If you are wondering which company is the best company for your stair lift, one piece of advice that is given to most people is to ask for at least three quotations from different companies.  By asking for three different quotations, you will ensure that you are definitely being given the right advice on the type of stair lift that best suits your needs, as well as ensuring that the price you are being quoted is right and comparable to those offered by other companies.

Reputable Brands of Stair Lifts

There are some more reputable companies in the United Kingdom that specialise in manufacturing stair lifts.  Some of these companies include:
  • Handicare
  • Dolphin
  • Stannah
  • Sterling
If you are wondering ‘how do I find a suitable stairlift?’, asking the installation company about the brand of stair lift they will be using should go a long way towards knowing whether you will be receiving quality or not.

How to Choose the Best Stair Lift

You may be wondering what type of stair lift is best suited to your home.  Of course, any installer that will attend your home for an initial consultation – which should always be free and no obligation – should be able to advise you on this.  However, sometimes it is nice to have some inside knowledge beforehand.

The types of stair lifts have already been discussed earlier: straight and curved stair lifts, and the one that is best suited to you will depend on your staircase.  However, as curved stair lifts are much more expensive than straight ones, it may be worth thinking about whether it would be possible to have two straight stair lifts installed instead.

Another thing to think about when you wonder “how do I find a suitable stairlift” is by thinking about the seating arrangement.  The different arrangements can be:

  • Seated, whereby the user sits.  These are only suitable for those people that are able to bend their knees.
  • Standing, whereby the user stands facing the wall, suitable for those who cannot bend their knees but do have a sense of balance.
  • Perched, whereby the user is in between sitting and standing.  This is particularly suited for those who have less balance than others.
So if you are wondering “how do I find a suitable stairlift”, you now at least have the basics!

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