Home Elevator FAQ

Home elevators typically travel 32-40 ft/min. Where local code permits, there is an option to upgrade the speed to 50 ft/min (depending on the model). Because the travel distance is much shorter than a commercial passenger elevator, our residential elevators cannot be built to travel at faster rates of speed.

A home elevator can travel 2 to 6 stops depending on the model. The most common configuration for a home elevator is three stops, typically serving a lower level or basement, a main floor and a second floor. But a Savaria home elevator can service up to 6 stops and 50, or even 60 feet of travel, depending on local code. Some homes have half-floor stops, such as split level floorplans, which can be accommodated with most Savaria elevators.

Your home elevator must have a door that is built into each level or stop for your elevator. This door will have an interlock mechanism to prevent you from opening it unless the elevator is at that landing. Savaria makes landing doors, or you can also have your general contractor make the door, but it must abide by the safety code. See more about that here.

Your home elevator must have a cab gate. This is provided by Savaria and is attached to the elevator cab. The gate includes a switch that prevents the elevator from running until the gate is closed. A manual gate requires you to open it and close it behind you, whereas an automatic gate will open and close once the elevator has stopped at the landing. This prevents any issues of someone calling the elevator from another landing when the cab gate is not closed. There are many styles from which to choose.

Your elevator cab will include a panel with buttons for operating the elevator including numbered buttons for each landing floor, alarm and emergency stop buttons. You can also choose a Touchscreen version of this panel.

The hall call is a button to call the elevator to the desired landing. Once the elevator is at the landing, you will hear a click that signifies the manual landing door can be opened, or with automatic landing doors, they will open when the elevator is ready.

Home elevators are machines, so they do make noise when they operate up and down. A Savaria Eclipse elevator is rated at about 60-63 dBA, which you could compare to normal conversation, which is noticeable but not considered loud. The Savaria Infinity elevator is measured louder (74 dBA) but only in the machine room. The Infinity is generally very quiet for passengers inside the elevator due to the hydraulic drive. The Savaria Zenith elevator runs very quietly at less than 60 dBA. Most often, the position of the home elevator will be close to your main entrance and insulated for sound somewhat by the hoistway which makes the elevator noise not bothersome to most homeowners.

No. A home elevator is not a do-it-yourself project. Authorized Savaria dealers receive specific training on how to safely install our products. Elevator mechanics are typically licensed by local authorities after education, training and certification processes. Savaria only provides support, parts, installation and service procedures to authorized Savaria dealers for safety reasons.

Local Savaria dealers provide pricing for maintenance services and many dealers offer maintenance packages that include scheduled appointments a minimum of once a year. Maintenance services are required for safety and also to uphold your Savaria parts warranty coverage.

The dealer will perform routine checks including the inspection of traveling cables, lubrication of various components, activation and testing of safety systems and checking the phone service. Your Savaria home elevator owner’s guide includes information about maintenance.

In North America, a home elevator is generally used to mean an enclosed cabin inside a hoistway with automatic operation. All Savaria home elevators feature automatic operation, enclosed cabins and travel inside a hoistway.

A lift generally indicates operation is constant pressure (push-to-run) operation. The Savaria Luma and Telecab models use constant pressure operation and do not require a hoistway. They travel through-the-floor servicing two stops. Learn more about through-floor lifts.

Savaria also makes wheelchair lifts for both commercial and residential applications. A wheelchair lift meets a different code requirement than home elevators. See more about Savaria wheelchair lifts.

Standard capacity for a Savaria home elevator is 950 lb and up to 1400 lb for the Savaria Zenith model.

A machine roomless elevator does not require a separate machine room for equipment. Equipment is either mounted within the hoistway (cartop), or equipment such as the controller may be wall-mounted in a utility room. The Savaria Zenith and Eclipse both have machine-roomless designs.

Yes, it is possible. Here are some tips:

• If you have 16 to 25 square feet on level of the home for the hoistway, yes.
• A Savaria Vuelift Mini may fit inside your wraparound or spiral staircase as it only needs 50".
• If you only need 2-stops, a Savaria Luma is self-supporting, and only needs about 38" by 47" for a floor cut-out.

Standard speed is 40 feet per minute, meeting the local code authority maximum. If permitted in your region, The Savaria Eclipse or Zenith can be programmed to travel at 50 feet per minute.

A home elevator starting price is between $30,000-$40,000 in the U.S. This price is for a two-stop, standard cab interior with manual gate. The construction of a hoistway, provided by your general contractor is not included in this price and varies by work needed and the costs in your local area.

A licensed elevator mechanic installs home elevators. While licensing differs by jurisdiction, home elevator installers are trained on local safety code, and the specific requirements for the safe installation of a Savaria home elevator.

Yes. Although it depends on the specific layout of your home, the Vuelift is one of the easiest home elevators to retrofit. In particular, the Vuelift Mini needs only a 50” footprint. It can be installed to attach to a mezzanine or balcony area, inside a wraparound or spiral staircase and needs only a 3” pit (or even an access ramp if a pit is not possible).

Yes. All Vuelift models can have 2 doors (opposite sides) and our full-sized models can also have 2 doors at 90-degrees, or 3 doors.

The Octagonal+ model is wheelchair accessible with a clear opening of 33”. The Vuelift Mini has a clear gate opening of 30” and can be accessible with slim-style wheelchairs.

The framing of the Vuelift is offered in Black sandtex. You can also choose from Silver, White or Grey velvacoat, or choose an optional RAL color (at extra cost) from a choice of 200 colors.

The capacity ranges from 500 lb (Vuelift Mini), to 840 lb (full-sized acrylic models), to 950 lb (full-sized glass models).

Vuelift speed varies between 30 feet per minute (Mini) to 40 feet per minute. Home elevators are restricted by code (ASME A17.1) to a maximum speed of 40 fpm.