Home elevators: which type fits your house
Three very different ways to add an elevator to a home, from a shaftless lift that goes in through a floor opening to a traditional cab in a built hoistway. We install all of them with our own crew and will tell you plainly which one makes sense for your house and budget.
Three types, explained in one minute
Shaftless (through the floor)
The cab rides on rails through an opening cut in the floor. No hoistway, no pit, no machine room. The Pollock and Savaria Telecab work this way. Two stops, least construction, fastest install.
Pneumatic (PVE)
A clear tube that moves the cab with air pressure. Self-supporting, so it can stand in a stairwell or next to a balcony. Two to five stops. Installs in days and looks like a feature, not equipment.
Traditional (in a hoistway)
A finished cab in a built shaft, like a small commercial elevator. Savaria Eclipse, Infinity, Zenith, and the glass Vuelift. Biggest cabs, most finishes, up to six stops. Needs construction.
The elevators we install
Every one of these is in a local home we can tell you about.
How an elevator project goes
We manage the whole thing, including the construction side.
- Site visit or plan review. We measure, check ceiling heights and the floor structure, and talk about where the elevator should land on each floor. For new builds we work from the architect's drawings.
- Written quote and drawings. You get the elevator price, the site work it needs, and a scope for your contractor if one is needed. We can connect you with builders we have worked with.
- Site prep. Anything from cutting a floor opening to framing a hoistway. We coordinate timing so the elevator arrives when the site is ready.
- Installation by our team. Two to four days for a PVE or Pollock. A week or more for a traditional cab, plus finish work.
- Inspection, walkthrough, service. We handle registration or permits, show you everything, and remain your service company. Annual service plans are available.
Home elevators near you
We install elevators throughout central Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia western suburbs, and northern Maryland. Local pages: elevators in West Chester, PA, elevators in York, PA, elevators in Hershey, PA. See the full service area for everywhere else.
Questions we hear every week
How much does a home elevator cost?
It depends mostly on the type. A shaftless two-stop elevator such as the Pollock or a PVE pneumatic elevator is the lowest-construction route and typically lands in the range of a nice car. A traditional in-shaft elevator like the Savaria Eclipse costs more because a hoistway has to be built, and the construction is often as much as the elevator. We give a written price after a site visit, and for new construction we can quote from plans.
Which home elevator needs the least construction?
PVE pneumatic elevators and the Pollock shaftless elevator. Both travel through a floor opening with no hoistway, pit, or machine room. The Savaria Telecab works the same way. A PVE can be installed in two to four days once the floor opening is cut.
Will I get stuck in a power outage?
No. Every elevator we install has battery-powered lowering, so the cab returns to a landing and the door opens if the power fails. Some models can also make several full trips on battery.
Do home elevators need a permit or inspection?
In Pennsylvania, residential elevators are exempt from state elevator inspection, but your township may require a building permit for the floor opening or hoistway. Maryland requires registration of residential elevators with the state. We handle the paperwork in both states as part of the project.
How long does a home elevator take from quote to riding?
Shaftless and pneumatic elevators are usually six to ten weeks from order to ride, most of it lead time on the unit. A traditional elevator with a new hoistway runs three to five months because construction has to finish before the elevator goes in.
Home elevators we installed recently
Every photo here is one of our own installations. No stock images, no staged showrooms.
Thinking about an elevator?
Start with a free visit. We look at the floor plan, talk through the three types, and send a written price. For new construction, send us the plans and we will quote from them.