Stairlift Cost and Other FAQs

Our 2022 costs for straight-run indoor stairlift installations ranged from $3,449 and up. Prices varied due to options chosen by homeowners, or abnormalities uncovered during the estimate confirmation. For a ballpark estimate for a standard straight-run stairlift installation call now.

Several factors drive the price of a standard indoor stairlift installation:

1. The total load be less than 350 lbs. (e.g., 330 lb. person + 19 lbs. groceries)
2. The step tread depths & riser heights on the stairway are all the same.
3. The steps are wooden (carpet overlay is OK).
4. The total length of the run is 180” (15 ft.) or less.
5. There are no doors at either the top or bottom of the stairs.
6. No narrow hallway or door at the bottom of the stairs.
7. There is grounded 115V 15-amp service at either the top or the bottom of the run.

Our lifts are installed onto the steps with support brackets which are secured to your steps with screws.

Our Ameriglide Rave 2 stairlift carries a 2-2-30 warranty *

2 yrs. - chassis (the unit that runs on the track);
2 yrs. - components. (e.g., seat, armrests, footrest, control switch, etc.); and
30 days - battery.

* The Rave 2 is a "store brand" of the Harmar Pinnacle SL600 which boasts a lifetime warranty on the motor, worm gear, and rack and a 3-year warranty on all other parts.

The Legacy II has a Lifetime Warranty on all parts (except batteries - 2 yrs.)

Be aware that the full coverage warranties for some nationally advertised stairlift companies only cover 1 year. At the end of the year, they return for a “free inspection and cleaning”, which in turn is really a ruse to “convince” you into signing an expensive extended warranty.

Our RAVE 2 is made by Harmar in Sarasota, Florida and is comparable to the Harmar SL-600 model. The Legacy II is built in Harrisonville, Missouri.

While you can purchase used and refurbished units for less money, these lifts usually carry either a limited or no warranty and sometimes come with highly worn parts. Oftentimes we can make you an attractive offer on a new unit with a full warranty.

Our lifts operate off batteries which are charged from standard household 115-volt, 15-amp grounded (3-prong) outlet. This outlet can be located at either the bottom or the top of the stairs. The electric source is needed to charge the stairlift’s batteries.

Yes, in most cases there is no problem. However, a door at the bottom of the stairs may require an optional folding rail assembly to operate properly.

Our lifts are equipped with seat swivel levers that allow you to twist and turn the seat 90 degrees and locked towards the hall, room, or landing at the end of the run. This ensures that your feet are securely on the landing and that the seat will not move. For clients with restricted twisting mobility, there are powered swivel and footrest options on our RAVE 2 unit.

Our units come with many safety features including seat belts, over-speed governors (for stopping if the downward speed exceeds the 20 ft / minute limits) and built-in sensors for stopping the unit should the lift make contact with an item on the track area. Our Rave 2 unit is powered by safe DC current, so chances of electrocution and/or a fire is remote.

As for reliability, our units run in power outages and when installed professionally, operated within load capacities and maintained (i.e., keeping the track rails clean from dirt, pet hair, etc.), your RAVE2 stairlift should operate for years without servicing. And while the Legacy steel rack & pinion drive system requires periodic lubrication, our quiet Rave 2 poly-drive and rail system are maintenance free and require no lubrication!

Ask 10 different stairlift owners, and most likely you’ll get 10 different answers. The short answer is that 99% of the time it’s not the stairlift, but the provider of the product. We are 5-Star (out of 5) service providers with the Cleveland Better Business Bureau and are proud that Harmar, the US manufacturer of our Rave2, (a private label clone of the Harmar SL600), has earned top ratings over the last several years with Retirement Living.

A professional straight-run stairlift installation may take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours.

For some people and some models, yes; but expect to spend 6-8 hours on instructional reading/viewing, tool gathering and actual installation. Also be forewarned that: 1) videos and documentation are not necessarily synchronized or up to date with the latest engineering changes; 2) the company’s world-wide call-in support “team” at most is no greater than two or three individuals and 3) this team is not available evenings nor weekends. 4) Moreover, call-in priority is first given to their subcontracted installers, which puts DIY’ers in the back of their que. 5) Finally, any damage incurred to the drive carriage or components during your installation are your responsibilities and may void your warranty.

The US stairlift industry is very competitive and regulated by certain mandated federal safety laws. As a result, stairlifts are rather homogeneous. To complete, stairlift companies have developed various business models:

Some companies use traditional brick & mortar dealer showrooms. These lift dealers not only have sales and service payrolls, but also rent / lease, inventory, franchise, utility and insurance expenses as well.

In an attempt to achieve brand name recognition, e.g. Acorn and Easy Climber, use extensive TV and/or printed advertising campaigns. Their sales reps are commissioned, not employed by the brand. Installations as well are then handed over to a commissioned third-party subcontractor.

In both cases, brand-name advertising or dealer showrooms, each strategy ultimately results in higher prices for the customer.

In 2001, Ameriglide adopted a factory-direct business model: i.e., buying lifts in volume from major name-brand lift manufactures and rebranding them under their name. This eliminates overhead costs such as engineering, manufacturing, marketing, franchise fees, inventory and distribution. In doing so, Ameriglide can offer lower prices and achieve greater market share. For example, our Ameriglide RAVE2 stairlift is actually a Harmar Pinnacle SL600 that Harmar offers as carrying a life-time warranty!

We normally serve a 40-mile radius emanating from the eastside of Cleveland’s that, includes the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, plus the cities of Stow, Hudson and other nearby northern Summit county communities.

Since the cost of refurbishing, storing and warranting used stairlifts is cost prohibitive, we don’t normally buy used lifts. However, we will remove and dispose of stairlifts which we’ve installed at little, or at no cost to the homeowner. But if your stairlift is less than a year old, still installed (see next paragraph) and passes all safety checks, we MAY make an offer for your unit.

And for those hoping to resell their unit, unless you have a family member or friend in need of a stairlift, selling the unit via various media venues is generally fruitless. However, if you do choose to try to sell it, our advice is to leave the lift in place until a buyer observes it in operation. Why? Would you be comfortable purchasing a pile of stairlift parts as is (no return policy) from a stranger who says that the unit runs great, and the parts are all there (and not damaged)? I wouldn’t. Personally, I want to see it in operation, check that the safety features and remotes work and that the armrests, seat and footrest all fold properly. Moreover, I would want to disassemble it myself to assure that everything is there and in working order.