How Much Does A Wheelchair Platform Lift Cost [2024 Data]
Normal range: $3,600 - $15,900
The cost for a wheelchair platform ranges from $3,600 to $15,900, with an average of $8,800. You’ll pay more if you choose heavy-duty equipment and less for simple mechanisms.
A wheelchair platform can bring much-needed accessibility to anyone who uses a wheelchair. Standard wheelchair platform lift costs range from $3,600 to $20,000, and most homeowners spend an average of $8,800. If you only need a small residential wheelchair platform and minimal prep work, you may pay as little as $1,200, while commercial platforms that require additional demolition and construction work could go for $20,000 or more.
Use this guide to learn how much a wheelchair platform lift costs so that you can budget accordingly.
- Average
- $8,800
- Low end
- $1,200
- high end
- $20,000
Type of Wheelchair Platform
Wheelchair platforms cost between $1,200 and $20,000, and the type of wheelchair platform you choose could make a difference in your total cost. Here’s a breakdown of different price ranges by type of wheelchair platform:
| Wheelchair Platform Type | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Residential wheelchair lift | $1,200–$11,800 |
| Commercial wheelchair lift | $5,400–$20,000 |
Residential Wheelchair Lift
Residential wheelchair lifts are your typical wheelchair platform for indoor and outdoor use and range from $1,200 to $11,800. These platforms aren’t as heavy-duty as commercial wheelchair lifts, but for most homes, these lifts offer the features and functionality necessary for better accessibility in or out of the home.
Commercial Wheelchair Lifts
Commercial wheelchair lifts are designed for more frequent use and can travel longer distances, making them suitable for public spaces like schools or businesses. As a result, these wheelchair platform lifts cost more than your residential lift, with prices ranging from $5,400 to $20,000. If you need a lift capable of traveling over 10 linear feet, then this option may be better suited for your home.
Size of Wheelchair Platform Travel Distance
Wheelchair platform lifts typically travel up to 5 feet, but commercial lifts can go up to 15 in some cases. The higher the platform lift, the higher the cost. Generally, jumping from a lift that can travel up to 5 feet to a lift that can travel up to 10 feet will increase your costs by approximately $8,000, while a lift that goes up to 15 feet will cost around $11,100 more than a standard 5-foot travel distance.
| Travel Distance (Linear Feet) | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 5 | $6,500 |
| 10 | $14,500 |
| 15 | $17,600 |
Electrician Costs
The average cost to hire an electrician ranges from $50 to $100 an hour, with apprentices charging the least per hour and master electricians charging the most. While your electrician installs the electrical work and connections for the wheelchair platform, they may also offer other installations, including:
Installing an outlet: $300
Rewiring: $6,000
GFCI outlet installation: $200
Elevator Technician Costs
Labor for wheelchair platform lift installations takes up anywhere from 15% to 25% of the total project cost, and knowing who installs home elevators can make it easier to find competitive rates from local pros. An elevator technician has the most experience installing wheelchair platform lifts, offering these additional services on top of wheelchair platforms:
Stair lift installation: $7,100
Home elevator installation: $30,000
General Contractor Cost
You can also hire a general contractor, who charges between $300 to $500 per day, plus an extra $150 to $250 daily per additional worker. It can be helpful to work with a general contractor if you need to hire multiple professionals or plan on budgeting for a wheelchair platform as part of a larger project for making a home wheelchair accessible, which can cost an extra $700 to $8,000.
For example, you may need to hire a paver contractor near you to demolish or lay new concrete for an outdoor wheelchair platform lift, an electrician for new wiring, and an elevator technician for the installation to get the job done. A general contractor can oversee the project to ensure it runs smoothly and may also already work with reputable contractors in your area to make scheduling the project simple and efficient.
Additional Cost Factors
Several other factors can go into installing a wheelchair platform lift cost. Keep an eye out for demolition and prep work and permits that could increase your total budget.
Demolition and Prep
If you need to demolish parts of your home's exterior or interior to create space for your wheelchair platform, ask your contractor if any of these costs are included in your estimate. You could face additional expenses depending on the type and amount of prep work if it’s not included. Here are a few projects you might invest in:
Cost to build or replace a staircase: $950–$3,200
Concrete slab cost: $3,600–$7,200
Permits
The cost of your permit varies by local building code regulations, but anticipate spending between $25 and $350. Whether or not your platform lift installation requires a permit to get started also depends on where you live, so contact your building department to check for potential permit fees.
DIY Wheelchair Platform Lift vs. Hiring a Pro
Installing a wheelchair platform lift yourself is no easy task. This complicated project involves knowledge of electrical work and potential renovations. We recommend working with a local wheelchair ramp pro to better guarantee a safe wheelchair platform lift. A platform lift may need to follow strict guidelines to adhere to accessibility regulations, and there’s no better fit for the job than a trained pro who has years of experience installing wheelchair lifts.
Wheelchair Platform Lift Replacement vs. Repair
The average lifespan of a wheelchair platform lift is between 20 and 25 years. If you notice that your lift continues to run into problems that require you to troubleshoot it, then it may be time to replace your wheelchair platform lift. This is especially true if the cost to repair the wheelchair platform lift is more than 50% of the cost of replacing it.
However, if your lift is relatively new, check to see if the manufacturer's warranty is still active. You could have a defective product. It's also worth contacting the installation company to see if they have an active workmanship warranty. If the company has a generous workmanship warranty, they could send a technician over to service your wheelchair platform lift and replace the parts.
4 Ways You Can Save Money While Installing a Wheelchair Platform Lift
A wheelchair platform lift is a big financial investment. These tips on saving money while installing your platform lift can go a long way in lowering your final price tag:
Choose a residential wheelchair platform lift over a commercial one.
Learn how to build a wheelchair ramp yourself to avoid wheelchair ramp costs of around $2,200.
Invest in a platform lift that does not exceed 5 feet in height.
Clear the space around the project site to make it more accessible to contractors.
Pick an installation site that's close to existing electrical wiring and outlets.
Does a Wheelchair Platform Lift Increase Home Value?
Whether or not a wheelchair platform lift increases your home value depends on the market, your location, the aesthetics, and the quality of the installation. Installing a wheelchair platform lift in a college town may make it more difficult to sell because there's less demand for wheelchair lifts compared to a location with an older demographic that has a higher need for aging in place home improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every wheelchair platform lift is different—the brand and make that you choose will determine exactly what's included in your platform. All platform lifts have a platform, motor, electric drive, and ramp to help lift wheelchairs from one place to another. Some lifts are fully enclosed, while others are open. Your platform lift may have its own battery backup for times when there’s a power outage or plug into a power supply directly.
Wheelchair platform lifts take anywhere from one day to three or more days to install. The installation itself typically takes a day, but if you have other preparations to make before you can install the lift, you’ll need to include those additional projects in the total time it will take to complete to get an accurate picture.
When deciding on how to make your home more wheelchair-friendly, you have three options for added mobility: a wheelchair platform lift, a stair lift, and a home elevator. A platform lift has the lowest starting costs on average, followed by stair lifts. Home elevators have the highest price tags, so weigh the pros and cons of each option before you decide on which one works best for your home.