Second Hand Stairlifts

Something that seems so easy to most people like walking up and down stairs can be as difficult as climbing Mount Everest without any formal training for the disabled or mobility impaired.  A great solution for these people is to install a stairlift.  However, stairlifts come at a considerable price.  It could be possible to save several hundred pounds by installing second hand stairlifts, but of course it is important to first think about whether or not this is the best solution.

Different Types of Second Hand Stairlifts

There are two main types of stairlifts (second hand or new).  These are:

• Straight stair lifts
• Curved stair lifts

Both types of stairlift are usually powered through the electricity mains and both will also contain a rechargeable battery which enables the stairlift to continue to operate even during a power cut.

Curved Second Hand Stairlifts

Curved stairlifts are used in those staircases that have turns or landings, such as spiral staircases for example.  These are custom made to fit an individual staircase, and the process from purchase to full installation can take several months.  They are also the more expensive of the two types, due to the fact that they have to be custom made to fit the individual staircase they will be installed on.  You could choose to have second hand stairlifts installed on curved stairs, but you will need to think about the fact that this stairlift will have initially been designed for a different staircase and will hence need to be adapted to yours.  This means that the price difference between curved stairlifts that are new and second hand stairlifts is generally very small.  It is also possible that you will have to purchase a new track for your staircase, in essence only being able to use the seating platform of the second hand curved stairlift.

Installing curved stairlifts is also very complicated and you will probably have to pay for an installer to assist you.  The benefit of this is that the installer will provide a warranty with your installation, making the stair lift much safer.

Straight Second Hand Stairlifts

Straight second hand stairlifts are much easier to find.  As the track will not need to be modified, you will be able to fit it straight to your stairs, at worst having to shorten the track slightly.  One thing that you will need to look out for with straight second hand stairlifts is the side on which the rail needs to be fitted.  It is important to find straight second hand stairlifts where the rail was initially fitted on the same side as where you will need to fit it.  Straight stairlifts are also very easy to fit and you would be able to save further costs by installing it yourself.

As you can see, there are quite a few things to think about when looking at second hand stairlifts.  However, you should be able to find one that meets all your needs and requirements without too much trouble, potentially saving yourself a considerable amount of money.

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