Replies

1. 
   DanH | Sep 21, 2004 05:08pm | #1

   There are so many different possibilities, it's impossible be very specific.

   The two major classes of lifts are the conventional elevator style and the stair "monorail" style. The stair lifts are incredibly expensive, but I've never priced a conventional elevator to know if they're worse.

   I think if I were building a new house I'd mainly make sure that there was space for a hoistway somewhere where it could "communicate" with all levels of the house in a reasonable fashion. Need not be pre-dedicated space, just something like floor space in the corner of the room on all floors, situated where it won't be too obnoxious if the area is walled off (or maybe just partitioned with grillwork).

   Then one could plan the framing between floors to make it easier to install the elevator. Try to arrange things so that no major members need to be cut and things can be headered off easily. Probably it would make sense to install double or triple joists on either side of the presumed hoistway to make headering-off easier and more secure.

   If footings are needed, they can be dug later, when you know precisely what you need. Lots of the units are light enough that they wouldn't likely need footings, especially if you beefed up the floor under the unit slightly (maybe by using closer spacing on the joists).

   If you check with an outfit that sells these things, they may have some suggestions, and probably framing plans for typical units.

   (I was recently looking at the "tool lift" advertised by Rockler. Rated at something like 800lb and appears to install by just attaching it to the wall. Total lift is only 4-5 feet, I'm guessing, but it would work in my case to get from our garage to the upper floor of our split entry. And it only cost $1995, IIRC.)

2. 
   BossHog | Sep 21, 2004 05:09pm | #2

   I've seen plans that called for holes built into the floor system. They put headers around an opening roughly 5' square. Then the hole is fillied in with typical floor framing members.

   If a lift is eventually needed, that makes it easy to make the necessary hole in the floor system.

   Trouble is - What are the odds that you will correctly anticipate just exactly where you will want the lift installed 10 or 20 years down the road?

   The only source of knowledge is experience [Albert Einstein]

3. 
   artacoma | Sep 21, 2004 05:38pm | #3

   I have done renovating in the past for a medical devices company and the smallest chair lift they had (max 10' lift) would fit a hole 4' square.Didn't require any extra supportt as long as it wasn't in the middle of a big span

   ...........Rik..........

4. 
   IanDG | Sep 21, 2004 07:02pm | #4

   They have small -- about 4'6" square -- elevators that work with a hydraulic ram which would suit a domestic application.

   IanDG

5. 
   NickNukeEm | Sep 24, 2004 09:18pm | #5

   I do some work for a rich old guy that has an elevator in his seaside house.  It's made by the Inclinator Co., which still exists, I know since I am trying to hunt down some batteries for the emergency alarm.

   The elevator goes to the basement, first and second stories.  The motor and cable/spool are actually on the basement level in a separate room adjacent to the elevator shaft.  Pulleys redirect the cable and allow the lift to move. 

   The hoistway is sheathed with drywall, assuming for fire purposes, so I can't tell you much about the framing details. 

   The motor is large and has it's own feed and disconnect switch.  (220v)  The mechanical room is fire-rated and must be accessible to manually operate the lift (which I had to do once when he got it stuck between floors; takes one whole lot of turns on the crank, I can tell you.)

   I never met a tool I didn't like!
1. 
   DanH | Sep 24, 2004 09:29pm | #6

   Note that in a two-story home it may not be required to have a fire-rated hoistway. (Check with AHJ.) In that case the hoistway can be left relatively open (with provisions to prevent falls down hoistway -- again check with AHJ), permitting rescue to be accomplished without the need to resort to a crank.