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My wife will soon be in a wheelchair. She does not want to sell our two story home. So I have to get some way to make it possible for her to move between floors.
I am looking for discussion of elevators, stairway lifts, etc.
The existing stair well is 4′ wide and has a 90 degree turn off an intermediate landing.
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Doug, this is a tough one.
I would first of all advise that you and your wife really talk this out. Look at all the options.
If moving is not in the cards, is building on the same lot an option? Is adding on a new master bedroom with ensuite bath, an option?
There are many residential lifts available. But they do take up space on 2 or more floors. You'll want to retain the existing stairs and will be needing other space for the elevator or lift.
Like I said, this is a tough one, you hit a nerve with this one. I've been trying to help a dear friend with mobility in her home and it's not always a simple thing. She also lives in a two story and won't move to a bungalow.
Sorry, I can't be of more help.
Best wishes,
Gabe
*Doug, here's another thought: Perhaps you could add a residential elevator in an exterior chase. I've seen only a couple of residential elevators, and they were in central areas of the homes, but I can't see why one couldn't be added along the outside. Hopefully, the alignment of first and second story rooms would work out in your case. IF you were to go with the elevator, this might also be the least expensive option.Hoping to be of some help, Steve
*Doug, here's a few sites I found which deal with residential elevators (Northern Lights search for "residential elevators"): Good luck, Steve
*Doug,Start with these, and then use the search engines for more. These came from excite.com, key words: stairway liftsLIFT #1LIFT #2LIFT #3LIFT #4I believe FHB had an article (I could be wrong) a few years ago about accessibility. The article showed a disguised entrance to an off grade home using a small lift or elevator from ground level to the main entry porch for those in a wheel chair or those unable to navigate stairs and where there was no room for a ramp.Gabe is right about these devices taking up floor space, especially the personal elevator, but you'll have to weigh the cost/benefit/hassle of installing a device or adding on. It would appear that the second floor would be permanently off limits to your wife without mechanical help (and so might be the whole house if you are significantly off grade).Hope these pointers help in you quest.
*Another idea you might consider is changing the use of one room on the ground floor to be a day-bed room , eliminating the need to get to the second story.
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My wife will soon be in a wheelchair. She does not want to sell our two story home. So I have to get some way to make it possible for her to move between floors.
I am looking for discussion of elevators, stairway lifts, etc.
The existing stair well is 4' wide and has a 90 degree turn off an intermediate landing.