How Much Does a Stairlift Cost


Stairlifts are absolute life savers for people who start to have mobility issues, such as the elderly or those who have illnesses or injuries.  Having a stairlift installed means they can once again have the full use of their home.  For some people, it even means that they are once again able to access their homes, especially if they have several steps leading up to their front door.  For many people, installing a stairlift can literally mean the difference between being able to stay in the home and community that they feel they belong to, and having to move home, possibly into sheltered accommodation or nursing homes.

However, nothing is free and it is wise to wonder just exactly how much does a stairlift cost?  In essence, it depends on the type of stairlift you are looking for.  These are generally sub divided into two categories:

  • Straight stairlifts
  • Curved stairlifts

How Much Does a Stairlift Cost – Straight Stairlifts

By far the cheapest option when looking at stairlifts is a straight stairlift.  These types of stairlifts fit on a straight rail and are hence not able to go around any bends or corners.  Keeping the cost of straight stairlifts down is very easy, as you are not only able to find second hand or pre owned stairlifts, but you may also be able to install the stairlift yourself.

Generally, new straight stairlifts including installation cost around £1,500.

How Much Does a Stairlift Cost – Curved Stairlifts

Curved stairlifts are much more expensive.  This is because they have to be custom made and bespoke to fit each individual staircase.  Curved stairlifts are able to go around corners and bends and can even be fitted to spiral staircases.  Due to the fact that they are custom made, it can be difficult to find a second hand curved stairlift.  However, even if you were able to find a pre owned model, the price difference between new and old is pretty much next to nothing.  This is because the main cost of these stairlifts comes down to how easy it is to adapt them to your individual staircase (which also needs to be done with second hand curved stairlifts) and the installation (which would be very hard to do yourself).

Generally, the cost of second hand stairlifts including installation is around £3,500.  A new curved stairlift including installation will cost around £4,000.

The price difference between the two is so large that many people, once they know how much does a stairlift cost, will opt to have two or even three straight stairlifts installed with small transfer platforms in between them, rather than opting for a single curved stairlift.  Particularly if you are looking for second hand straight stairlifts, you could potentially save a lot of money opting for this.  However, it is of course not possible to do this on a spiral staircase, where a bespoke curved stairlift really is the only option.

So, if you are wondering exactly how much does a stairlift cost, you now know that it depends on your requirements!

Back to Top