Homeowners’ guide to buying a lift
Published on 2022-08-02If you’re a homeowner, and you’re currently looking at ways to increase your property value, or perhaps you’re looking for solutions to age in place, you’ve come to the right space. In this blog, we’ll be telling you all you need to know to purchase a lift that suits your needs, and beyond.
Purchasing a lift is a big decision that improves your quality of life, and future-proofs your home. So it’s important that you secure the right choice! In this guide, you’ll learn all you need to know about making the right lift purchase for your home.
Here are the 9 important steps to guide your lift purchase:
- Define what kind of lift you need
- Preparation is key
- Book a visit or call a Kalea dealer
- Try our lift builder tool
- Ask for a quotation
- Home visit
- Order your lift
- Delivery and installation
- Sign a maintenance contract
#1 Define what kind of lift you need
So, you know that you need to move from A to B, but there’s a wide variety of mobility solutions in the market with different offerings and it can get overwhelming. Start by filtering out the solutions to find the one that best suits you.
When looking for a home lift, you’ll quickly realize that traditional lifts are not optimized for homes, they use a lot of space and require high maintenance. At Kalea, we are specialists in manufacturing low-speed lifts without a machine room or pit, which means that our lifts fit into very small areas, without the need to dig or change the structure of your home, which makes them the ideal choice for any homeowner.
Tip: Have a look at our home lift options here and use our lift comparison tool to compare our different models.
#2 Preparation is key
Before purchasing a lift, you should ask yourself a set of questions, so that you can easily decide which type of lift you need. A great place to begin is by measuring the areas where you can fit a lift. Our smallest lift, the Kalea Home Lift A4 Mini fits has a size of 600 x 830mm (width x depth). And if you don’t have space indoors, our outdoor lift is a great solution.
If you know the size of the space you have available, everything else gets simpler!
- How many floors will the lift be serving?
- Do you need to have a wheelchair-friendly lift?
- What style and colour would you like your lift to have?
- What is your budget for the lift?
- Can you receive a subsidy for this purchase?
Many countries offer subsidies for those who need to purchase a lift, check with your local authorities to see if this is a possibility for you.
- Do you need planning permission to install a lift at home?
Having a building/planning permit is a requirement in most countries. So, before making plans check with your local authorities to receive information on what is required to receive your permit.
#3 Book a visit or call a Kalea dealer
No question should go unanswered, we’re here to help you make the best choice for your home. We have showrooms across the world, where you can get to feel the quality and beauty of our Kalea lifts. Contact us to find the nearest showroom, or simply book an online call to have a look at our lifts and ask our lift experts questions.
#4 Try out our lift builder
Don’t know what suits your home best? It’s now possible to visualize it in an instant with our 3D lift builder tool. You can choose from different features, materials and colours to build a completely custom Kalea lift that fits your home’s style. Once you’re done, you can request a quote with the click of a button! Our lift builder tool is a great alternative if you’re unsure about what colour combinations you would like your lift to have, so it’s a great way to experiment and try different things out!
#5 Ask for a quotation
As soon as you have an idea about what you need, it’s easy for you to request a specific quote to see if your lift is within budget. You can do so within our configuration tool, or you can also contact us directly.
At this stage, you can still add or remove features depending on your budget. Talk through your options with our experts to make sure all your questions are answered. In general, a lift quotation is valid for 3 months and any changes to the lift specification can result in changes in price and delivery time.
#6 Home visit
If this hasn’t been done earlier, you should book a home visit so that your lift provider can take measurements and get a look at the installation site, this is to make sure everything is ready before you place your order. It’s also an important time to check if any building preparation might be required before installing the lift.
#7 Order your lift
Time to seal the deal! Your lift dealer helps you to check your order, and in this phase, it’s important for you to check whether the lift includes everything you need. If you’re happy with your order, approve it. Once approved, your dealer sends the order to the factory and your lift will be built, and from this point onwards, you get to relax and wait as your lift dealer handles the rest.
#8 Delivery and installation
During this phase, you’ll simply have to agree on a date for your lift to be delivered and installed in your home. Our lifts are machine-room-less and come in ready-made modules that enable us to install your platform lift as quickly as in 2-3 days, and in 3-5 days for enclosed cabin lifts.
#9 It’s wise to sign a maintenance contract
Every time we sell a lift, we urge our customers to sign a maintenance contract. The reason why is because a lift without a maintenance contract will not run as efficiently as one with. Your lift needs regular checks and maintenance to make sure that it’s running as properly and safely as it should. Additionally, if you want to be covered by our warranty, you must have a regular lift maintenance plan.
At Kalea, we offer maintenance contracts adapted to your needs, and you can easily schedule and keep track of your maintenance visits. Read more about our Lift Maintenance here.
Buying a lift can feel like a big investment, but lifts are now more affordable than ever. In addition, installing a home lift is a great way to ensure that you can age in place and increase the value of your home. Make sure your lift purchase is as stress-free as it can be by following the tips we have provided. And don’t hesitate to contact our team for any additional information!
