Straight Stairlifts
Curved Stairlifts
General
Self-Survey Guide
If you are looking to purchase or rent a straight stairlift and are able to take a set of measurements of your own staircase, please follow our self-survey guide below, enter the information into our Self-Survey Form and we'll provide a prompt quotation.
Measuring your staircase
It is very simple to take the measurements for your straight stairlift. All you need is a good quality tape measure, a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. It should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete.
To begin, position yourself at the bottom of the staircase, look up the stairs and decide which side the stairlift should be mounted.
Usually the stairlift rail will meet the floor at the foot of the stairs about 36cm (14 inches) in front of the nose of the first step and may overhang the landing by up to 25cm (10 inches), depending on the stairlift model we install.
Fixtures
Make a note of any fixtures such as radiators, window sills, handrails or doorways which intrude into the stairway area, or could be blocked by your stairlift.
Right or Left?
You should determine which side of the staircase is most suitable for your stairlift to be installed - most importantly the side which would cause the least amount of disruption or obstruction. In most cases this will be obvious but please call us free on 0800 083 0513 if you are unsure.
Doorways
If the rail is likely to cross a doorway, please let us know. We can provide a hinged section of rail which will fold back and out of the way when not in use. To see an example of this, take a look at our Technical Information page.
Electrical Supply
You will need either a 13 Amp socket or a fixed appliance outlet for the stairlift. This should be positioned fairly close to the staircase. If you require assistance with this, please tell us.
Note:
It is quite common practice to cut back protruding window sills, to remove wall mounted handrails and reposition storage heaters prior to the installation of your stairlift.
We can arrange these alterations and any necessary electrical work. Please let us know if this is a requirement.
Taking Measurements
When you have decided which side the stairlift should be installed, measure your staircase and enter the dimensions into our Self-Survey Form.
Remember to specify which units you have used to take your measurements (ie. millimetres (mm), centimetres (cm) or inches (in).
Measure your staircase length
Enter the overall length. This should be a straight measurement from the floor at the bottom of the staircase to the nose of the top step (landing).
Measure the staircase width
Enter the staircase width. You might find that your staircase width varies a little as you climb the stairs. In this instance, record the width at its narrowest point from the wall to the stair post.
Bottom clearance
Enter the clearance space at the bottom of the staircase (i.e. the distance between the bottom step and the nearest obstruction, such as a doorway, radiator etc).
Height of one step
Enter the height of one step.
Tread of one step
Enter the tread of one step. As shown in our diagram, this is measured from the nose of the lower stair to the nose of the next step up.
Diagonal
Enter the diagonal measurement of the nose between two steps.
Headroom
Enter the headroom - the vertical distance from the lowest point overhead to the stairnose line. If you have difficulty with this, please contact us. A thin straight edge or a length of string can be used for this.
Most homes have plenty of headroom but this measurement is critical if a stand-on platform is required, or if there is an unusually low ceiling.
Landing clearance
Measure the distance from the nose of the top step (landing) to the nearest obstruction (i.e. a doorway, wall, window etc).
Once you've noted your measurements, please enter them into our Self-Survey Form. We'll then be able to supply you with a swift quotation for your stairlift.
If you have any questions about taking measurements, don't hesitate to call us on freephone 0800 083 0513.
