The typical Vermont house has two floors. A cape with bedrooms under the roof, a farmhouse with rooms above the kitchen, a colonial with a center stair. For owners of these homes who want to stop using the stairs, a shaftless home elevator is often the neatest solution.
What makes it different
A conventional elevator runs inside a shaft that has to be built. The LUMA does not. It rides on two slim rails and passes through an opening cut in the floor. No pit, no shaft, no machine room.
Why that matters in an old house
- Less cutting into framing that may be irregular or hand-hewn
- No excavation through a stone or rubble foundation
- A shorter, cleaner installation
- Much of the house is left as it was
Where it goes
- A corner of the living room, rising to the bedroom above
- Beside the chimney mass
- In a back hall or former pantry
The two positions need to line up, and the floor structure is checked before the opening is planned.
Using it
Step in, close the door and hold the button. When the cab is upstairs, the space below is open. When it is downstairs, the opening above is covered.
How it compares with a stair lift
- No transfer onto a seat at the top of the stairs
- Usable with a walker, and with a wheelchair where the cab size allows
- Carries a laundry basket or a bag of groceries
- Costs more and takes longer to install
Its limits
- Two levels only
- A compact cab
For a cellar stop or a third floor, a different elevator is needed.
Low ceilings
Some old houses have very low upstairs ceilings. We measure to confirm that there is enough height for the cab at the upper level.
See if it suits your home
Nationwide Lifts of Vermont will assess your house at no charge. Call (802) 734-0869.