Utah has the largest households in the nation, and it is common for grandparents, parents and children to share a home. Houses here are designed for it, with bedrooms on the upper floor, a main-level living area and a basement that often contains a full apartment.
Where the difficulty arises
The grandparents’ apartment is usually downstairs. Sunday dinner is upstairs. As stairs become harder, the generations see less of each other inside the same house.
What an elevator does for the family
- Grandparents come and go between levels on their own
- A family member with a disability has the run of the house
- Parents move laundry, groceries and sleeping children easily
- The home is ready for whatever the next decade brings
Choosing well
- Stops. Basement, main and upper is typical.
- Cab. Sized for a wheelchair and a helper.
- Location. Central, near the kitchen, and opening onto the basement apartment’s entry.
- Safety. A key switch so that young children cannot operate it alone.
If your home has stacked closets
You are most of the way there. The shaft exists, and installation is quicker and less costly.
If it does not
A pneumatic elevator can be placed in an open area with little building work.
Building or finishing a basement?
Plan the elevator now. It is the cheapest moment to do it.
A step-by-step approach
A stair lift on the basement stairs is a quick first measure, and it can stay in use until an elevator is installed.
Come and talk to us
See our home elevators. Call Nationwide Lifts of Utah on (801) 335-9089 or ask for a free home visit.