The split entry is one of the most common house designs along the Wasatch Front. Open the front door and you stand on a small landing, with half a flight up to the living area and half a flight down to the basement. It is space-efficient and, for a wheelchair user, about as awkward as a layout can be.
The problem in three parts
- Steps outside, from the driveway to the front door
- A cramped landing inside
- Stairs in both directions, with no room at ground level
Solution 1, use the garage
In most split entries the garage floor is close to the level of the basement. A wheelchair user can roll in through the garage to the lower level with little or no lift. A short vertical platform lift in the garage covers any remaining steps.
Solution 2, a lift to the upper level
If daily life happens upstairs, there are three ways to get there.
- A vertical platform lift outside, rising to a deck or a new door on the upper level
- An inclined platform lift on the inside stairs, which folds against the wall
- A home elevator between the two levels
Solution 3, live on one level
Some families set up the lower level as a self-contained space with bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette, reached from the garage.
For family members who walk
A stair lift on one or both half flights is quick and economical.
Planning tips
- Decide which level will be home base
- Check the bathroom on that level
- Measure door widths along the route
- Think about a covered path from the car
Every house differs
See our wheelchair lifts. Nationwide Lifts of Utah will look at your home and suggest the best route. Call (801) 335-9089 or request a site visit.