Vertical platform lifts: a wheelchair's own small elevator
A vertical platform lift, also called a porch lift or wheelchair lift, raises a rider and chair straight up to a porch, deck, stage, or floor above. Open-platform models serve most homes; enclosed models handle weather and commercial code. Travel from a few steps to 14 feet.
Which kind do you need?
Open platform, residential
A porch or deck up to about 6 feet: the Savaria Multilift. Higher, up to 14 feet: the V-1504. Both are outdoor rated, with a gate at the top landing and a fold-up ramp or gate at the bottom.
Enclosed, residential or commercial
An aluminum-framed enclosure with acrylic or glass panels keeps weather off and meets commercial code for travel over a few feet. V-1504 Enclosure, or the Prestige and Lux glass versions.
Enclosed cab, indoor commercial
The Savaria Prolift has a full cab and automatic doors, closer to a small elevator. For lobbies, churches, and offices with up to 14 feet of travel.
Vertical platform lifts we have installed
Hershey, PA 
Outdoor porch lift 
Residential entrance 
Commercial, enclosed
Models and details
- Savaria V-1504: hydraulic, 750 lb, up to 14 ft commercial (23 ft residential where code allows), open or enclosed, indoor or outdoor.
- Savaria Multilift: screw drive, 750 lb, 48 to 72 inches, self-supporting tower, outdoor rated, also available as a mobile unit.
- Savaria Prolift: enclosed cab, 750 to 1,400 lb, up to 14 ft, indoor commercial and residential.
- Ascension Virtuoso and Protégé: low-rise commercial lifts for stages and raised floors with no pit or ramp. Quoted per project.
Not sure whether a lift or a modular ramp is the better answer for your entry? Under about 30 inches of rise a ramp usually wins. We will price both.
Questions we hear every week
How much space does a vertical platform lift need?
Roughly a 5 by 6 foot footprint for the lift itself, plus room to roll on and off at each landing. Outdoor porch lifts need less than enclosed indoor ones. We measure the exact footprint for the platform size you need.
Does it need a concrete pad?
Usually yes, a level reinforced pad about 4 inches thick. The Multilift tower is self-supporting on its pad; the V-1504 may also need a shallow pit or a short ramp at the lower landing. We give you the pad drawing.
What about power?
A dedicated 120V 20A circuit for most residential lifts. Battery backup is available so the lift still runs in an outage.
How long does installation take?
One day for most residential lifts once the pad and circuit are in. Commercial projects add permit lead time before the order and an inspection after.
Recent work near you
Every photo here is one of our own installations. No stock images, no staged showrooms.
Ready to talk it through?
Call and you will reach a person who installs these for a living. Or request a free in-home consultation and we will come to you, measure, and give you a written price with no pressure.