How Much Does a Stairlift Cost?

A straight stairlift from LiveWell costs from $4,000 installed, and a curved stairlift from $15,000, in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Most are installed in a day by our own factory-trained technicians. Your exact price comes from a free in-home assessment, as a written figure that does not grow later.

Straight stairlift cost

How much does a straight stairlift cost with installation?

From $4,000 installed. A straight staircase, one flight with no turn, takes the simplest stairlift: one continuous rail cut to the length of your stairs, fixed to the steps, with adjustable legs that take up any unevenness in the treads. Two things push a straight stairlift above the starting price: an exceptionally long staircase, with ceilings over 10 feet, and a doorway or narrow hallway at the bottom that needs a retractable rail so the rail does not block it.

Curved stairlift cost

How much does a curved stairlift cost?

From $15,000 installed. If your stairs turn, curve or have a landing, the rail is made for your staircase and nothing else. We photograph the stairs, the photos become an exact 3D layout, the manufacturer draws the rail onto it, you see the drawing, and the rail is built to it. The price depends on the length of rail, whether the curves are inside or outside turns, and any extra parking turns. That custom work is why a curved stairlift costs more than a straight one, and why a quote needs the survey first.

What sets the price

Why do stairlift quotes differ from house to house?

• The shape of the staircase. Straight, or with a turn or curve. The biggest factor by far.

• Landings. Each one adds rail and a turn.

• How far the lift travels and the height of the ceiling.

• The width of the stairwell.

• A doorway at the bottom that needs a retractable rail.

• Options. A powered swivel seat, parking the chair mid-way. A powered footrest comes standard on most of the stairlifts we offer, where other providers charge for it.

What "installed" includes

What is included in the installed price?

The stairlift and its rail, fitting by our own factory-trained technicians, the safety sensors and seatbelt, the swivel seat so you step off facing the landing, a handover where we make sure you are comfortable using it, and local service afterwards. Most straight stairlifts are installed in a day with minimal construction; the lift folds away or parks beside the stairs so others can use them.

Questions to ask any stairlift company

• Is the price installed, or is fitting extra?

• Who installs it: your own technicians, or an outside contractor?

• Who services it after it is in, and how far away are they?

• Is the powered footrest included?

Acorn and Bruno stairlift cost

How much does an Acorn stairlift cost?

Acorn is the name people ask about most, and we do not sell it, so we do not quote its price. We install Stannah and Handicare stairlifts, from $4,000 straight and $15,000 curved, fitted and serviced by our own technicians. If you have an Acorn quote, bring it to the free visit and compare the two installed prices like for like, including who does the service.

How much does a Bruno stairlift cost?

The same answer. Bruno is the other name we hear, we do not sell it, and the honest comparison is installed price against installed price, with the service arrangement in writing. We also service lifts other companies sold you, whichever brand.

Outdoor stairlifts

How much does an outdoor stairlift cost?

Outdoor models are built for wet and cold weather, waterproof with a cover that keeps the seat clean and dry, and come with a key so nobody uses it who should not. They are priced the same way as indoor lifts, straight or curved, with the outdoor build on top; the figure comes from the visit. They suit raised houses, porches and hillside entries.

Stairlift cost in Houston, Austin and San Antonio

The starting prices are the same in all three. What differs is the kind of stairs we see most and the technician who comes. Each city has its own page:

• Houston: raised houses near the water and on the coast, where outdoor stairlifts earn their keep. Stairlift cost in Houston. Call (281) 815-9059.

• Austin: two-storey new builds with the bedrooms upstairs, and hillside homes with outdoor steps. Stairlift cost in Austin. Call (512) 729-6956.

• San Antonio: two-storey homes in the newer communities, ranch-style entries, and retirement communities planning ahead. Stairlift cost in San Antonio. Call (726) 263-3370.

Paying for a stairlift

Can you finance a stairlift?

Yes, we offer financing options and payment plans; ask on the visit and we put the terms in writing. For some situations a stairlift rental makes sense, and we will say so.

Does the VA or Medicare pay for a stairlift?

The VA lists stairlifts as removable equipment, so a stairlift is not a HISA grant item; ask your VA provider whether it can be supplied as medical equipment instead. Medicare's own policy does not cover home modifications. On some Texas waiver programs a stairlift counts as an adaptive aid, with its own yearly limit; our who pays for it page lists them.

Stairlift or home elevator?

When is a stairlift the wrong answer?

When the rider cannot transfer to a seat, or needs to take a wheelchair between floors. Then a through-floor home elevator, from $35,000 installed, is the right tool; our guide How much does a home elevator cost sets the two side by side. For a rider who can sit and stand, a stairlift solves the stairs for a fraction of that.

Service and the long-term cost

What does a stairlift cost to own?

The price not always considered up front. A lower-quality stairlift can cost less on day one and more over the years in servicing. Some low-cost providers use outside contractors who are not factory-trained and have no service network behind them, which means long waits for a technician while the upstairs is out of reach. Our technicians are factory-trained and local, and we offer service packages so the lift is looked after.

Get a firm price for your stairs

Free in-home assessment, no obligation. 4.7 stars across 186 Google reviews across our three offices. Houston (281) 815-9059 · Austin (512) 729-6956 · San Antonio (726) 263-3370, or book your free assessment.