Should I Put An Elevator In My New Build?

Residential elevators have become more popular recently for varied reasons: longevity, multigenerational homes, accessibility, and a changing market, to name a few. But what is the process of installing an elevator in your home, and is it feasible to install one in the future, or should you install one during your home’s construction?

Why Include an Elevator in Your Home?

There are a few reasons you might install an elevator in your home:

Long-Term Living

Homes often are a long-term investment, and, as a result, many buyers want to ensure their home is suitable for them for the foreseeable future – including into their senior years.

“People want to stay in their homes, but the stairs become more of an obstacle as the years go on,” Southeast Elevator CEO Tim Fischer said.

In an increasingly turbulent economy, families across the U.S. have been living in one home together for longer periods of time. Accommodating so many people can pose a challenge; with an elevator, navigating a home meant to house multiple generations of a family becomes easier.

Better Accessibility

Stairs can prove difficult for people with mobility issues, but there are ways to mitigate them. Residential elevators and chair lifts are convenient alternatives to moving into a single-story home. Elevators and lifts allow people to move throughout their home with ease and independence.

Even if you and your family are by all means young and healthy, you never know when a sprained ankle on a run or a broken leg on the soccer field might happen. Or maybe Grandma wants to visit and can’t get up to the guest room via stairs. With an elevator, you’re always prepared.

Maximized Square Footage

Lot size is limited, and developers have begun to experiment with building vertically to maximize square footage. That might mean even a third floor, or a basement plus two living floors.

Elevators are almost a necessity in this case; in a multi-story home, they provide an easy way to transport yourself and items such as groceries or laundry to other floors.

Convenience

Having an elevator in the home means easier transportation of heavy materials, furniture, and, of course, people to different levels of the home, without the risk or strain posed by doing the same with stairs.

Should You Install an Elevator During Construction?

You don’t have to install the elevator while your home is under construction, but if you plan to have one, you’ll want to factor that into your plans as you build.

Elevators need a shaft to operate. If you install one during construction, then you and your builder can plan where the shaft is going without much issue.

If you want to wait and install the elevator later, you'll still have to account for where the elevator will go as you build.

“Stacking closets” is a common method used for post-construction installation for residential elevators. It involves building two or more closets on top of each other and giving the bottom one a false floor. When it’s time to install the elevator, all you need to do is knock out the floors of each one and dig up the floor on the bottom level, and you’ll have your elevator shaft.

Cost and Timeline

Installing an elevator is a renovation project, like kitchen countertops or an updated bathroom. That means a substantial cost will come with it, both during and after construction.

“A standard home elevator in a two-story house is generally $30,000 to $35,000,” Fischer said. “Adding an elevator after the build could add anywhere from $30,000 to $70,000 extra.”

While the cost is nothing to sneeze at, the time investment isn’t as steep, according to Fischer.

“On a new build, elevators typically take anywhere from 2-4 days to install, from arrival to completion,” he said. “On a renovation, prep can take 1-2 weeks of work, then the normal 2-4 days of installation.”

There are benefits and drawbacks to consider when adding an elevator, both during and after construction.

If you opt to install during the build, you can better plan its integration and layout and have peace of mind knowing that it’s completed, and anyone in the home who needs assistance moving from floor to floor will have it right away. That also means, however, higher upfront costs and less space for storage or accommodation.

Installing an elevator later down the line means you won’t have extra upfront costs and storage issues, but there’s potential for it to cost more for installation and labor. You’ll also lose out on the ease of transporting heavy items and people with mobility issues until you decide to install it.

Types of Residential Elevators

You have several different options when it comes to elevators in your home: traction, hydraulic, pneumatic, and lifts.

Traction elevators use a system of motors, cables, pulleys, and counterweights to move the elevator. The cable is attached to the elevator car and the counterweight and wound around a pulley called a sheave. The motor turns the sheave, which raises and lowers the elevator. Traction elevators are some of the most common types.

Hydraulic elevators utilize hydraulic fluids to push a piston, and the increased pressure raises the elevator car. The process works in reverse when going down; decreasing pressure lowers the car. Hydraulic elevators are often found in low-rise buildings due to their limited speed.

Pneumatic elevators, also called vacuum elevators, are usually freestanding shafts with a car made of clear, polycarbonate material. They use air pressure to create an artificial vacuum, which smoothly raises and lowers the car. Pneumatic elevators have gained popularity in recent years due to their slim build and modern aesthetic.

A chair lift is a motorized chair that is designed to assist with mobility issues. The lift is a kind of shaftless elevator, consisting of a chair attached to rails along the wall of a staircase. The chair starts and stops off the stairs entirely for ease of use, and can fold up to reduce their profile.

All of these elevator types use electricity to drive one or more of their core functions, but according to Fischer, it’s not a huge factor.

“The power usage, generally speaking, across elevator types is nominal,” he said.

Elevators are a long-term investment, but so are homes, and planning can pay off as you age. Knowing the cost, timeline, and different types can help you get your forever home ready how you want it.

To learn more about home design, buying, and construction, visit newhomesource.com/learn.