# Home Elevator Cost Guide: Prices by Lift Type and Country

Published guides put a two-stop US home elevator at $30,000 to $60,000 installed. This guide gives sourced price ranges for elevators, through-floor lifts, vacuum lifts, platform lifts and stairlifts in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Updated 2026-10-29. Also on the [web page](https://privateelevators.fyi/guides/home-elevator-cost-guide).

A home lift can cost less than a car or more than a kitchen. The price depends mostly on the type of lift, the number of stops and the building work around it. The ranges below come from published cost guides and makers. They are not quotes. Use them to set a budget, then get written quotes.

## Lift types in one line each

- **Shafted (traditional) elevator:** a cab in a built hoistway, with a pit below it. It can serve many floors.
- **Through-floor lift:** a small cab on rails that passes through a hole in one ceiling. It serves two floors.
- **Pneumatic (vacuum) elevator:** a clear tube that moves the cab with air pressure. It needs no pit or shaft.
- **Platform lift:** an open or enclosed platform, often for a wheelchair, driven by a screw or a hydraulic ram.
- **Stairlift:** a seat on a rail fixed to the stairs.

## United States (USD, installed)

| Lift type | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Home elevator, two stops (all types) | $30,000–$60,000 | HomeGuide |
| Traditional hoistway elevator | $40,000–$60,000 | HomeGuide |
| Shaftless or through-floor elevator | $30,000–$50,000 | HomeGuide |
| Glass elevator | $50,000–$100,000+ | HomeGuide |
| Pneumatic vacuum elevator | $35,000–$100,000 | HomeGuide |
| Vertical platform lift | $9,000–$20,000 | RetirementLiving |
| Straight stairlift | $2,000–$8,500 | HomeGuide |
| Curved stairlift | $7,500–$15,000+ | HomeGuide |

HomeGuide gives a national average of $48,000 for a two-stop elevator. Savaria says its own elevators start at $30,000 to $40,000 installed, before the cost to build the hoistway. Its Vuelift Mini starts at $65,000 with the clear hoistway included.

## Canada (CAD, installed)

| Lift type | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard residential elevator | $35,000–$48,000 | Sabre Elevator |
| Shaftless home lift | $32,000–$45,000 | Sabre Elevator |
| Luxury glass elevator | $60,000–$85,000+ | Sabre Elevator |
| Basic home lift or vertical platform lift | $15,000–$35,000 | Sabre Elevator |
| Pneumatic elevator | $47,950–$68,500 | Stiltz Canada |
| Straight stairlift | $3,000–$6,500 | Seniors Bulletin |
| Curved stairlift | $10,000–$18,000+ | Seniors Bulletin |

Sabre Elevator is an Ontario installer and Stiltz is a manufacturer. Treat their figures as seller estimates.

## United Kingdom (GBP, installed)

| Lift type | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Through-floor platform lift | £13,000–£25,000 | UK Homelifts |
| Electric screw-drive lift | £18,000–£40,000 | UK Homelifts |
| Hydraulic lift | £22,000–£50,000 | UK Homelifts |
| Traction (cable) lift | £25,000–£55,000 | UK Homelifts |
| Vacuum (pneumatic) lift | £29,500–£45,000 | UK Homelifts |
| Reconditioned lift | £8,000–£18,000 | UK Homelifts |
| Straight stairlift | £1,500–£3,500 | Stairlift Costs UK |
| Curved stairlift | £4,000–£7,000 (to £10,000 for many bends) | Stairlift Costs UK |

UK Homelifts says no through-floor lift sold in the UK serves three storeys. For a third stop, it suggests a budget of £25,000 to £45,000 for a shaft or platform lift.

## Australia (AUD, installed, ex GST)

| Lift type | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shaftless home lift | $35,000–$50,000 | Lifts For Homes |
| Traditional shafted home lift | $50,000–$100,000 | Lifts For Homes |
| Enclosed platform lift | $45,000–$70,000 | Lifts For Homes |
| Pneumatic home lift | $60,000–$95,000 | Lifts For Homes |
| Wheelchair platform lift, 1–2 levels | $22,000–$45,000 | LiftQuotes |
| Straight stairlift | $5,000–$15,000 | LiftQuotes |
| Curved stairlift | $10,000–$25,000 | LiftQuotes |

Lifts For Homes says a retrofit, with building works, is generally A$60,000 to A$100,000 plus GST.

## What drives the cost

| Factor | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Number of stops | Each extra floor adds $10,000–$15,000 (HomeGuide, US) or A$5,000–$15,000 (Home Lift Comparison). |
| Drive type | In the US, winding drum costs $28,000–$50,000 and gearless traction $50,000–$75,000 (HomeGuide). |
| Shaft and pit | A UK shaft build with a pit can add £5,000–£15,000 (UK Homelifts). Australian retrofit works can add A$5,000–$20,000+ (LiftQuotes). |
| Finishes | Premium finishes can add A$5,000–$15,000 (LiftQuotes). Savaria lists cab size, finishes, glass and automatic doors as cost drivers. |
| Electrical | A dedicated circuit costs $250–$900; a panel upgrade costs $1,300–$4,000 (HomeGuide). |
| Permits | $300–$2,000 in the US (HomeGuide). |
| Maintenance | A US elevator inspection costs $150–$700 (HomeGuide). Australian residential servicing runs A$500–$1,500 a year (LiftQuotes). |

## How to compare quotes

1. Ask what the price includes: the lift, installation, building works, electrical work and permits.
2. In the UK, ask whether the price includes VAT and whether the supplier will zero-rate it.
3. Ask for the yearly service cost and the warranty terms in writing.
4. Get at least three quotes for the same lift type and number of stops.

You can compare elevator dealers and installers in this directory by country and city.

## Sources

- [How Much Does a Home Elevator Cost? (2026)](https://homeguide.com/costs/home-elevator-cost), HomeGuide, schema date 2023-10-25, page titled 2026, accessed 2026-10-29.
- [Stair Lift Cost](https://homeguide.com/costs/stair-lift-cost), HomeGuide, updated 2025-09-02.
- [Vertical Platform Lift: Cost, Pros & Cons (2026)](https://www.retirementliving.com/wheelchair-lifts/vertical-platform-lifts), RetirementLiving, updated 2026-07-31.
- [Ultimate Guide to Home Elevators](https://www.savaria.com/home-elevators), Savaria, updated 2026-10-20.
- [The 2026 Ultimate Guide to Residential Elevators in Canada](https://www.sabreelevator.com/post/home-elevators-installation-cost-canada-guide), Sabre Elevator, published 2026-03-12.
- [How Much Does a Home Elevator Cost in 2026?](https://stiltz.ca/how-much-does-a-home-elevator-cost/), Stiltz Canada, accessed 2026-10-29.
- [Stair Lift Cost in Canada (2026)](https://seniorsbulletin.ca/stair-lift-cost-in-canada/), Seniors Bulletin, updated October 2026.
- [Home Lift Prices: 2026 UK Cost Guide](https://ukhomelifts.co.uk/prices/), UK Homelifts, prices checked 2026-10-12.
- [Stairlift Costs UK 2026](https://stairliftcosts.co.uk/), Stairlift Costs UK, updated September 2026.
- [Home Lift Prices Australia](https://liftsforhomes.com.au/learn/home-lift-prices-australia/), Lifts For Homes, updated 2026-07-19.
- [Lift Costs Australia 2026](https://liftquotes.com.au/lift-costs), LiftQuotes, last checked 2026-03-25.
- [How Much Does a Home Lift Cost in Australia? (2026 Price Guide)](https://homeliftcomparison.com.au/articles/home-lift-cost-australia), Home Lift Comparison, updated September 2026.

## Questions

### What is the cheapest way to get between two floors?

A straight stairlift. HomeGuide puts a straight stairlift at $2,000 to $8,500 installed in the US. A through-floor lift is the next step up, at about $30,000 to $50,000 in the US or £13,000 to £25,000 in the UK.

### How much does each extra stop add?

HomeGuide says each extra floor adds $10,000 to $15,000 to a US home elevator. Home Lift Comparison gives A$5,000 to A$15,000 per extra stop in Australia.

### Do UK home lift prices include VAT?

Often not. UK Homelifts found that most brands publish prices before VAT. A home lift can be zero-rated if it is for a chronically sick or disabled person in their own home and you sign a declaration before the invoice.