A zillion-and-one tabs crowd your desktop.
Click. Click click.
Ads litter your screen (they seem to come out of nowhere!)
Click click click click click…
And as the blue-light glow starts to wear on your eyes, you realise you’re deep inside a Google-search rabbit hole.
It makes sense – a home lift is a big investment so there are questions which need to be answered before you take the plunge. The most important: Is a home lift worth it – how long will it actually last and should I make the investment now?
Find out the answers to the questions on your lips below so you can finally get off Google and get into your new elevator.
How long your elevator should last
On average most residential elevators last between 20-25 years. However, your elevator can last 30 years (or more) before needing to be replaced or upgraded as long as:
- You select a company who invests in good products and good engineering, and;
- The lift is used correctly and serviced annually (maintenance).
The key to a long lasting home elevator lies in good maintenance and upkeep, namely, with scheduled services and safety checks.
Benefits of yearly servicing
Your annual service and safety check is important because it:
- Checks all parts of your lift are working well
- Replaces and updates any parts from normal wear and tear
- Makes breakdowns highly unlikely
- Maintain your lift long term.
How often should you service your home lift
Home lifts should only need a service and safety check at least once a year. A good lift company will send you reminders when your annual service is due so you don’t have to worry about forgetting.
Who can service your elevator
A poor service could shorten your lift’s lifespan or even impact its safety so it’s important to get your home lift serviced by a qualified technician who understands your lift type. Because of this, it’s best to get your servicing done by qualified technicians from the same company that supplied and installed your elevator.
Cost of servicing and safety checks
While every company is different, service and safety checks for home elevators from West Coast Elevators cost between $400-$600 (depending on your lift type and whether or not any parts need to be replaced). However, this cost could increase if you skip your annual maintenance or misuse your lift.
How long a service takes
Service and safety checks don’t take much time at all and should be all done within 1-2 hours.
Elevators are a great investment and can help future proof your home for years to come and when looked after correctly with annual services, your home lift will last! So what’s next? Well if you’re curious about all the ways you can customise your elevator, pop over to The Ultimate Guide to Home Elevator Design. Alternatively, if you want to learn more about how home elevators work read our blog post, How Home Elevators Work (and what you need to install one). Finally, if you want to see what kinds of home lifts are available, close down all those Google tabs come down to our showroom in Belmont.