How To Measure For A Stairlift
Before you decide what sort of stairlift you would like, you first need to determine what sort of stairlift will fit your staircase. Usually, with a straight stairlift, the measurements are pretty straightforward and should only take a few minutes of your time.
Why Self Measure For A Stairlift?
Good question! Although we provide a free survey, which means we come out and take measurements from your staircase, in some cases customers can provide us with a few simple measurements over the phone or email and we can advise on potential costs.
Although we will have to come and survey your staircase to provide a 100% accurate quote, a quick chat on the phone, armed with your measurements may be all you need for now.
What You Will Need
No complicated equipment is needed for this job! You simply need:
- 1 tape measure
- 1 pen & piece of paper
- A friend to help (optional)
Make sure you use a strong metal tape measure though as a floppy tape measure will not provide accurate measurements. Remember to always check your measurements twice!
Step By Step Guide For Measuring For A Stairlift
Step 1 – Left Or Right
First, you need to decide which side of the staircase your stairlift should be positioned on. In some cases, this is easy to determine – for example, if you have a staircase with one side open the most sensible and safe option would be to put your stairlift on the side with a solid wall. For staircases with two walls (usually positioned in the middle of the house) simply select the side that makes practical sense for the person using the stairlift.
Step 2 – Staircase Length
This is where another person may come in handy – unless you can get your tape measure to stay at the top of the stairs without being held. You need to measure from the top stair tread right down to the bottom, ensuring you include the space below the bottom step. Ensure the tape measure touches the tread of each step too!
Measuring the length of your stair case from top to bottom will determine the track length needed to fit your staircase.
Step 3 – Staircase Width
Now, measure the staircase at the narrowest part from one side to the other. However, make sure that you measure from skirting board to skirting board, and not wall to wall, or wall to rail. If you are concerned with your stair case being too narrow we have further reading on the most narrow stair lift we offer & the minimum width required to fit a stair lift.
Step 4 – Parking Space
Finally, you will need to measure the clearance distance at the bottom of your staircase to determine if there is sufficient space for the lift chair in its parked position and for a person to get on the stairlift safely. You can do this by measuring from the riser of the bottom step to the nearest obstacle – this could be a door, cupboard, radiator, or window.
Measuring For A Curved Stairlift
Curved staircases – basically any staircase that isn’t a straight flight of stairs, including those with mid-way landings can be a little bit tricker to measure up for the average homeowner. It’s also difficult for us to assess the fitting accurately as curved staircases and any obstructions do vary between different homes.
If you have a curved staircase, you absolutely can have a stairlift fitted but it’s much better to get in touch with the professionals from the get-go!
Contacting us in the first instance means we can quickly set up an appointment to come and survey your staircase. We will then be able to provide you with an accurate quote straight away. Much easier than you struggling about with a tape measure and a piece of paper trying to do the maths!
