How Much does a Straight Stair Lift Cost in San Antonio?
What is the up front cost of purchasing a stairlift, and what should customers expect for ongoing maintenance through the years in regards to the purchase of a modern day chair lift system? These are some of the most common questions we get from customers during their purchasing-journey.
Straight Stair Lift Pricing around San Antonio
In short, a typical straight stairlift from a quality, well established manufacturer is usually going to start closer to $3K and go up from there. The price will vary based on things like: weight capacity, powered options, inclusion of a folding or retractable rail to clear landings, length of stairs, usability and diagnostic enhancements for user or technician feedback and aesthetic options.
We find the average cost of a straight chair lift is in the mid to high $3000s. Entry level stair lifts closer to the lower $3K range like your Bruno Elans, Harmar Pinnacle SL300s and Handicare 1100s will support around 300 lbs. max weight capacity while flagship models (models that the vendors are more known for and have user enhancements) usually support a little more weight: for example, our Stannah Siena and Harmar Pinnacle SL600 which support 350 lbs. Flagship models usually have more generous warranty terms, including limited lifetime warranties on their drive systems (motor/gearbox) along with longer parts warranty terms (3 years vs. 2, etc.)
Optional Folding/Retracting Rails for a straight stair lift
Something like an optional folding or retractable rail will add cost. Our folding rail on average raises the cost of a unit by about $1250 on average when ordered with a unit. Ordered after the fact, this can cost more as a la carte pricing on accessories and parts is usually higher after the fact, then you have additional shipping and also additional labor to go back and retro-fit a unit with non-factory installed parts.
Longer Rails and Tracks
Longer rails are also an additional cost. Most units we sell ship with around 186” of track. If a customers’ steps measure under this by at least 7” at around 179” (see our write up on measuring for a straight stair lift) then we are fine with the standard track as we have to add a little length to ensure the unit parks adequately high enough to be safe to enter/exit at the top. But in the case of longer stair cases in homes with higher ceilings or other situations, we may have to splice a track to add length, or order optional longer rails. Extending a track from the standard length usually incurs anywhere from a couple hundred to a few hundred dollars more.
Other Enhancements and options for a straight stair lift
For optional seat styles and finishes, powered folding footrest, powered swivels and more upholstery choices, the cost can go up from there based on option. One of the cool hacks we like is that seat cushions can typically be removed pretty easily if a customer wants to consider a custom upholstery of whatever their heart’s desire. Just make sure it isn’t something slippery, and depending on what the material is, it could effect the seat’s ability to fully fold, so best to have this professionally done for some stylistic flair in your home.
For many customers, providing everyone using the device in the household is under the max weight capacity and they just want something to do the job, an entry-level selection of stair lift will be adequate. Most units have a warranty of at least a couple of years to make sure your unit is defect-free, and we also offer a 1 year service guarantee on all new equipment purchases just in case a customer gets a unit that needs immediate attention to correct any issues or needs adjustments after using it for a bit. After a year, the consensus is that if a unit hasn’t acted up, you should be good for a while with attention to the unit’s care in regard to keeping the area relatively clean and making sure nobody spills anything on it or isn’t getting anything caught in the carriage body (looking at all those customers using their chair lifts to haul laundry up and down the stairs.)
However, there is something to be said for the peace of mind in an enhanced warranty coverage and additional features that can make the unit more attractive, and on the technical side, easier to work with. And some users just need additional capacity. We have units that can hold up to 600 lbs.!
Ongoing Costs
Ongoing costs of owning a straight stair lift can vary. If you purchase a unit from a well established vendor who represents product lines that have been around for a while (like us!) and take proper care of the equipment, then the ongoing costs can be quite reasonable. We’re super excited when we don’t see our customers for 5 or 6 years after we install their unit. This means the equipment is doing its job, and the customer is doing their part to keep tabs on things like periodically having the unit cleaned and inspected, and their everyday lives are made easier, day after day.
Within the first year, providing the equipment isn’t damaged due to misuse, neglect or an accident, if we do need to come out, we don’t charge. This is what our included 1 year service guarantee is all about!
After the first year, we do charge a minimum service fee to come out to the home. This charge is $125 and gets the customer a 1 hour appointment to diagnose and possibly fix whatever issue they might be having.
The most common services requested/needed beyond installation on straight stairlifts are battery swaps and periodic cleanings. A cleaning takes around roughly an hour (maybe more depending on how dirty the unit may be) and keeps the unit running smoothly, increases the life of the guide casters, and keeps the unit charging properly. If it’s a rack-and-pinion design such as the case with our Stannah Siena offerings and curved stairlifts, the rack must be periodically cleaned and re-lubricated, so there’s that. The Harmar Pinnacle series uses a worm gear made of polymer on a reinforced nylon rack, so those don’t require lubrication. So cost here would be $125 or maybe a little over if we really have to work at cleaning things up, and although we recommend having us do this for customers once a year, if customers keep a pretty clean home, they can get by with fewer cleanings as long as they regularly inspect the unit visually for any significant contamination or grime build up (and for rack and pinion owners, ride quality is still smooth and not gritty or bumpy.)
A battery swap usually takes under an hour and does require the cost of the batteries if the user isn’t supplying their own (typically only recommended for out of warranty units), but is usually done only every 3-5 years if the system is used regularly and not left sitting unused for long periods or unplugged and unused for longer periods. The nature of batteries is that they need to be used, then topped off, then used again regularly to keep them from degrading prematurely. We do not suggest customers doing their own battery swaps as it requires opening up the unit and this will void any mfr. warranty in most cases.
For Accurate Stair Lift Pricing…
…It’s best to contact a professional. Most local dealers will offer FREE in-home evaluations for a stair lift, including us! We’ll come out to your home and measure, ask a few questions about how you would like the stair lift placed and make recommendations based on our extensive experience in setting these up to provide the best user experience, and discuss possible options based on YOUR specific set of needs. We’ll be happy to answer questions as transparently and honestly as possible to make sure your concerns are addressed. We can then provide an accurate sales quote sent to your inbox or mailed to your address, or as some customers decide to buy on the spot, we stock straight stair lifts in San Antonio and can install ASAP!
